# To all the hagglers



## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

*Haggle Shoes*

can you haggle shoes and cleats?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

No. 
Yes.
Maybe...WTF are you talking about?


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

I mean can I haggle the price on shoes and cleats at my LBS


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## crowaan (Aug 13, 2013)

You can haggle anything you want, just depends on how open they are to it.


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

so its not taboo to do it? and does anyone know if performance bike haggles?


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## SauronHimself (Nov 21, 2012)

Anything is negotiable. The question is if it's worth your time and effort to do it.

You'll read a lot of varied opinions over haggling cycling-related equipment. Some people say it's taboo and that you should support the business, whereas others have an ax to grind with the LBS. Are you going to own these shoes for a long time? If so, is the quest for a discount worth it in the end? For me that would depend greatly on the item. I actually have to buy new shoes now but not because I want them; I'm forced to because my eight-year-old Nike Hautacams got destroyed in my accident. To me it wouldn't matter so much to pay a price slightly higher than I expected if I intended on owning that item for a long time.


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

So maybe I shouldn't negotiate for 75 dollar shoes? (parents make me buy everything, not old enough for a job )


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

*Re: Haggle Shoes*



azurenak said:


> so its not taboo to do it? and does anyone know if performance bike haggles?


There has been a shoe sale at Performance for the past 2 weeks or so, and they regularly have a 20% off everytging in the store sales. FWIW, I didn't haggle, so much as "visibly debated" whether I wanted to buy a closeout bike from Performance, and the manager gave me 5% off the closeout price, plus an additional 10% military discount, just to get it out the door...I'm not in the military.


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

colnagoG60 said:


> There has been a shoe sale at Performance for the past 2 weeks or so, and they regularly have a 20% off everytging in the store sales. FWIW, I didn't haggle, so much as "visibly debated" whether I wanted to buy a closeout bike from Performance, and the manager gave me 5% off the closeout price, plus an additional 10% military discount, just to get it out the door...I'm not in the military.


oh wow. I knew about the sale but still costs too much for me. I have the money, but my parents say I have to pay for all my cycling stuff now. at least we get a military discount
I asked about performances haggle policy because they aren't independent and they have like 100000023 stores nationwide


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

*Quick Question*

If I put thinner mountain tires on a road bike, does that make it a cross bike? Or are there cross wheels and cross tires (do those exist)?


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## Lindy B. (Jun 20, 2013)

Did you buy the bike at Performance too? And if you did, did you join the "club" thing. For $30 you get this card that gives you point/$$ back on every purchase. I get 10% back on everything I buy. When I bought my shoes there a couple months ago, I ended up paying $50 for a $100 pair of shoes because of the points I had accummulated on the card. Just a thought. 

Also, if you're on their email list, you will often get coupons for 20% off and can then use it on the shoes.


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

Yes, I am part of the club, but I used all my point/money/gold things on a pump.
I would get like 7.50 back


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

Do you think I could get a discount for "visibly debating" about getting white shoes or pedals?


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## crowaan (Aug 13, 2013)

There are cross tires. They are basically wider road tires, like 32mm, with some small knobs. It would be hard to find mountain bike tires that would fit on a road bike, they are all pretty wide.

There is more to a cross bike compared to a road bike than just knobby tires. At least modern cross bikes since cyclocross started as a bunch of roadies playing in the mud with their road bikes, there was no other difference back then. Now a days, cross bikes have different geometry and most will tell you that they need cantilever brakes (or disc brakes) for the mud clearance.


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

I seem to always identify a CX bike by its handlebars. Do I just get lucky every time? Or are they visibly different? The tape looks a little bit more "fluffy" and the bars look different. Am I just imagining it?


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

Can i ask the store to throw in some $80 pedals with $50 shoes?


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## MikeWMass (Oct 15, 2011)

You can ask anything you want.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Troll.....lame one at that.


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

me? i just want some shoes and clipless pedals for cheap


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## crowaan (Aug 13, 2013)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Troll.....lame one at that.


Guys, I don't think he is trolling. He just has a lot of... interesting questions.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

azurenak said:


> Do you think I could get a discount for "visibly debating" about getting white shoes or pedals?


You never know until you try. The point people are making with that is that you can say to the salesperson something like "I'm really tight on cash," and then later "I really don't know if I want to spend this much," etc. This is different than "How much can you take off," and MAY be a more successful strategy.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

azurenak, how old are you?


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

azurenak, how old are you?


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

Poke through here to find rock bottom prices.

Nashbar - Returns & Factory Seconds



azurenak said:


> oh wow. I knew about the sale but still costs too much for me. I have the money, but my parents say I have to pay for all my cycling stuff now. at least we get a military discount
> I asked about performances haggle policy because they aren't independent and they have like 100000023 stores nationwide


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

LMGTFY


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## OWSI (Mar 11, 2009)

You can ask, but not likely to get what you are asking for in this case.....

I don't know what the mark up is on shoes and pedals, but I would assume it is not more then 100 % from wholesale to retail.
So if those shoe are not already on sale the store would have paid $25 for the shoes and the pedals $40. So their total cost would be $65 for the shoes and pedals. Not likely they are going to let them go at a $15 (23%) loss. If they are already on sale at those prices, then your changes are even less (like not at all)

In most cases you are doing good to get a 10% savings haggling, unless the items are on a "special sale" table. These items are often opened or returned items that are sold "as is" no returns. In some cases, if you are dealing with the owner or manager, you maybe able to get a little more off on these "special sale" items.


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## seemana (Jul 1, 2009)

I was happy to get cleats thrown in with my $350 shoes. 

You can ask. But you won't get the pedals.


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## siclmn (Feb 7, 2004)

You still need to ask because they might lower the price of the pedals. That is what haggling can do.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

azurenak said:


> If I put thinner mountain tires on a road bike, does that make it a cross bike? Or are there cross wheels and cross tires (do those exist)?


You do realize that there is a "cyclocross" section of the forum, right? You can there and read a ton of posts and probably learn a bunch. And there is always Google. You've heard of it, yeah? Try it sometime.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

siclmn said:


> You still need to ask because they might lower the price of the pedals. That is what haggling can do.


Or in my case, it can cause me to not give you the 10% off that I give almost everyone. Actually, asking for free pedals with cheap-ass shoes would probably cause me to tell you to get the hell out of my store. Why does everyone think that bike shops should PAY them to take our products?


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

PlatyPius said:


> Or in my case, it can cause me to not give you the 10% off that I give almost everyone. Actually, asking for free pedals with cheap-ass shoes would probably cause me to tell you to get the hell out of my store. Why does everyone think that bike shops should PAY them to take our products?


Wait, I know what the answer will be: "It means I'll come back there again, MMAAAANNNNNNNN!"

After all, you're supposed to be honored that they took the time to shop in your store above all others, and you need to bow and kiss their ass, right?


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## qwertasdfg24 (Sep 18, 2012)

azurenak said:


> Can i ask the store to throw in some $80 pedals with $50 shoes?


Ultimately, you're asking the wrong place, we don't make that decision. Yes, you can ask anything, who says you can't ask? the only rule of thumb is, you only lose if you don't ask.

Since you're asking such outrageous deal, do you really care if it's good etiquette or not?


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## stanseven (Nov 9, 2011)

PlatyPius said:


> Or in my case, it can cause me to not give you the 10% off that I give almost everyone. Actually, asking for free pedals with cheap-ass shoes would probably cause me to tell you to get the hell out of my store. Why does everyone think that bike shops should PAY them to take our products?


Great post! There is one market where bargaining is part of the buying deal and that's vehicles. That's even going away. I don't understand why people think it's part of cycling - do they ask for reductions in the grocery store, buying a short, or a lawnmower? For the most part I treat everyone I buy from as a professional. If I'm satisfied, I'm a return customer. By the same token if they want more business from me, they show reasons why they are good compared to competitors.


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## jspharmd (May 24, 2006)

PlatyPius said:


> Or in my case, it can cause me to not give you the 10% off that I give almost everyone. Actually, asking for free pedals with cheap-ass shoes would probably cause me to tell you to get the hell out of my store. *Why does everyone think that bike shops should PAY them to take our products?*


I don't think this is the case. I think we live in a society where it is acceptable to always ask for a discount. Heck, there a news clips where they tell you to haggle on prices EVERYWHERE (Walmart, jewelry store, clothing store, restaurants, etc.). Asking for discounts at the bike shop isn't different than any other retail store. You're likely more sensitive to the situation because you see it daily and read about it all the time here.


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

Check the OPs posts; he's a young kid that just signed up yesterday and doesn't realize he is making an asshat of himself.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

stanseven said:


> I don't understand why people think it's part of cycling - do they ask for reductions in the grocery store, buying a short, or a lawnmower?


The main reason people think it's part of cycling is the often astounding difference between LBS prices and internet retailer prices. People incorrectly assume that this difference is all LBS "clear profit."


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

If I buy a pound of potatos and the grocery store, can I ask them to throw in a $25 rack of ribs and $15 bottle of wine?


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

tlg said:


> If I buy a pound of potatos and the grocery store, can I ask them to throw in a $25 rack of ribs and $15 bottle of wine?


You would think so, wouldn't ya?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

tlg said:


> If I buy a pound of potatos and the grocery store, can I ask them to throw in a $25 rack of ribs and $15 bottle of wine?


You've got your priorities straight...spending more on ribs than wine! :thumbsup:


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> You've got your priorities straight...spending more on ribs than wine! :thumbsup:


Didn't you read my post... I don't want to _spend _anything on the ribs. 

But yes, ribs should _cost _more than wine.


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## Lindy B. (Jun 20, 2013)

$80 pedal free when you buy $50 shoes?? 

You're joking right??


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

tvad said:


> azurenak, how old are you?


young


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

I think i know the basic differences, but specifically I was asking about the wheels and tire sizes


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

The Google>?


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

Hey, I asked those questions because I felt they were ridiculous, and I definitely did not want to ask those questions at a store (even performance...). So, then, I asked here, got more responses than I thought I would get, and I think it's clear that I won't get the deal. I was basically indirectly asking for your stories, and I was trying to build off of your best gets. 
Thank you for your responses.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

azurenak said:


> The Google>?


You're kidding, right? Show some initiative will ya...


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## azurenak (Aug 25, 2013)

? you mean google it myself? typing is difficile


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