What Your Bike Shop Should Be Doing For You!

After 13 years of teaching mountain biking, I’ve seen every kind of treatment when it comes to people picking up a new bike from a shop, from the full princess treatment to a simple “here’s your bike, have fun.”

Since I just got a new bike myself, I was inspired to share what you should actually expect from a shop, plus a few bonus things that separate a good shop from a great one.

What you should expect (and can ask for) when setting up your new bike

1. Setting your seat height
2. Adjusting your suspension for your weight
3. Adjusting your Stem height
4. Cutting your handlebars to fit your body

A good bike shop should do more than just sell you a bike. They should take the time to show you how your bike works and make sure you understand the basics.

For example, they should explain things like how to open and close your suspension, what the different controls on your bike do, and what you actually need to bring with you on your rides.

And don’t be afraid to ask questions! There is no such thing as a stupid question. We are all beginners at something, and a good salesperson should understand that.

If you don’t understand a term, a setting, or how something works, they should be happy to explain it in a way that makes sense to you. You should leave the shop feeling confident about your new bike, not intimidated by it.

Bonus things a great shop will do!

• Help you set your brake levers to fit your hands
• Show you how to do basic maintenance on your bike
• Offer a check-in after a few rides to see how the fit is holding up and make adjustments if needed

Sizing is not just about your height

You should also expect your salesperson to make sure you’re buying the right size and to explain why it’s the right size for you. Sizing isn’t just about height, it’s also about your torso length, your arm length, and your inseam. Two people who are both 5’6″ can end up needing different size bikes.

The shop should also help guide you toward the right style of bike. There are multiple options of bikes, and having them ask you the right questions will help guide your choice.

Here is an older blog post about different bike options… It’s probably due for an update, but it will give you a great place to start and maybe help you come up with questions for when you go to the store.

Next time you’re at the shop, if you didn’t get this kind of treatment, ask for it. You deserve it.

Everything I changed on my new bike, Small  Altitude c70 from Rocky Mountain

I’m normally an extra small at 4’11”, but the reality is that barely any brand makes an XS enduro bike. So if you’re petite like me, know that some amount of customization is normal if you want a bike with big travel. If you’re looking for a trail bike, there are definitely more options on the market, but it’s still pretty limited.

• Swapped the handlebar for a race face carbon era and cut them to 710mm instead of the stock 780mm
• Swapped the stem for one 5mm shorter – race face turbine
• Changed the crank to carbon race face era, also 5mm shorter
• Changed the dropper seatpost to 25mm shorter oh and I really like the gold kashima look
• Swapped back to my carbon wheels from Race Face, once you’ve felt a hub with high engagement, it’s really hard to go back
• Changed the saddle to fit my smaller frame
• Adjusted the brake levers to fit my small hands 

If you’ve been riding a bike that was never quite fitted to you, hopefully this gives you the language to walk into your next shop visit and ask for what you deserve.