Did you recently buy anything related to a cycle online? Be it a cycle component or accessories such as lights, bottles or grips, etc. We bet you would have made many such purchases in recent months.
And then do you see people selling the same thing online on Facebook marketplace mentioning it a wrong purchase or wrong size for the bike/self. Yes, it’s true. Many of us buy things considering affordable and innovative products online for our cycle and then realize that it’s not that good, later on, we get to know that these products are non-non returnable and non-refundable therefore we have to further sell them to other people at a discounted cost.
The story of Clincher Vs Tubular Tires
Recently I have come through many such incidents where people start selling bike components that were not a fit for their requirements. A guy from Mumbai bought Vittoria Roubaix Pro Tubular Tire online from an international seller at a cost and with additional custom duties, later finding out that he needed clincher tires. WTF, it’s such a non-fitting product for your bike wheels if you have the clincher rims.
Shimano Ultegra Rim Brake Story
Another guy, in the same manner, bought highly expensive Shimano Ultegra brakes that were a size smaller than his bike requirements. An INR30,000 product was being sold at a cost of INR180000 Facebook marketplace.
What shall we do before buying online?
it’s a terrible mistake of not getting the right product for your need especially that you can not change or ask for a refund. here is our advice that how you can make sure you are going for the right purchase decision.
1- Know the nitty-gritty of what you need?
if you are buying anything as bike components- chainrings, brake calipers, or even wheels, butter to know about every detail of your bike frame and compatible parts. For example, if you desire to put a tubeless tire on your regular wheel, that won’t be a successful buy for you.
Bike components, in particular, are made for specific sizes (Small to XL or 50-60cm sizes), therefore, not every size will fit your bike. Also, these sizes could have different combinations on your bike. for example your bike could be small size and using a crank of 170 cm which is a generally larger size for the small bike therefore you should know if you are before buying the right size chainrings.
2- Visit your local cycle stores
We generally suggest you visit your local cycle store with your bike. The bike mechanic not only can tell you which product you should buy but will also fit the same on your bike. Especially it solves your life with proper expert fitting on the bike. Alternatively, you also get a chance to revisit them in case you find any issue with the product and get it changed within few days.
3-Buy from known e-commerce stores
If you wish to buy online then go for reliable selling partners. Particularly in India, you could buy accessories from the following stores which are reliable. Not all stores will have all products available for your needs.
www.amazon.com
www.flipkart.com
www.cyclop.in
www.bumsonthesaddle.com
www.choosemybicycle.com
many other smaller/ start-up stores for cycling components.
4- Avoid buying from the global seller if you are not sure about the specifications
Try to avoid buying components from international sellers like BikeInn or similar brands to avoid this biggest issue of non-replacement. Though these brand offers you to replace or refund, you have to ship the product back to them which is again an expensive affair. The overall buying and refunding process may lead to 4 months or more. Avoid it as much as you could.
5- Bike accessories are easy to buy
Yes, buying affordable and uni-size products from any store is okay as you don’t put a lot of cash into it. For example, you could buy a light, bottle cage, or saddlebag for your bike online which is quite cheaper online than available with the physical retailers.
6- Buy renowned brands
Always go for renowned brands that you can trust in terms of product description and promises. It will avoid the unnecessary hassle of returning or exchanging the products.
In the world of e-commerce and digital dependence, things look accessible, affordable, and hassle-free on web portals. You should be very cautious of buying expensive components and you can be open to experiments with low-cost affordable accessories.
Hope this article will help you to make the right purchase decision. Do write to us in case you feel we should write more on these topics.
Thank you for sharing indeed great looking !
Nice i really enjoyed reading your blogs. Keep on posting. Thanks