Wednesday on Center Street, Cyclepath will hold a demo day with Raleigh and Felt from 3-7 p.m. where riders can test ride a wide variety of road, mountain, and triathlon bikes.
A demo attempts to address one of the biggest challenges for bike dealers: how to carry enough inventory so customers can try the bike they want, but not break the bank in the process.
Even the biggest bike shops only have so much floor space, and bike technology has exploded over the last decade, creating a market where the choices are vast. For example, Felt, one of the leading bike companies in the world, carries more than 30 different road bike models and these models come in five or six different sizes, which means in order for a shop to have every option available it would need to have more than 150 bikes in stock. That of course doesn’t include mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, BMX bikes, and kids bikes or bikes from a second or third brand.
Today’s demo acts as a great, free opportunity for riders to experience their first road or triathlon bike, see if carbon or Dura Ace really live up to the hype or try any other set up or feature that is in latest magazines and internet reviews. Riders will be able to take several bikes on shorter distances to compare different models and brands or take that one choice model out for a longer ride.
Riders can even take a bike out for the Livingston Cycling Club Wednesday Night Social ride at 6p.m. and see how it preforms for 25 miles.
Riders should bring shoes, helmets, and pedals if they have them, but they are not required. Representatives from Cyclepath, Raleigh, and Felt will fit riders and answer questions.
Don’t miss this free opportunity to experience the bike you have always wanted or the bike you never knew you needed.