Specialized Concept Store Harrogate

I had already decided to buy my next road bike from Specialized and wanted to see / feel before I laid down that amount of cash, so I was very pleased that Harrogate had a concept store. Living in York, it is a simple bike-friendly train journey away.

The store is in some ways a victim of its own success; they had very little stock in. I guess the effect of the olympics was underestimated.

It's a very nice store, lots of space and they do sell a lot of items outside the Specialized brand range. I was measured and shown a very similar bike to the one I had decided upon, which I was happy with. I was very encouraged to hear that I could choose 10% of the value of the bike in parts, so I walked away with a very heavy duty Abus lock, Candy pedals and a new set of mitts. At this point I was completely sold on the concept store idea.

Lawrence (sorry if I've spelt that wrong) was very helpful. He could read my mind. I had been looking at Trek bikes, and he knew very well that I would be focussing on the pivot seat feature of the Trek and how that would compare to the Specialized Roubaix. He told me in engineering terms about a particular behaviour of the Trek, which was exactly what I had been concerned about. Maybe just a good, likeable salesman, but he certainly knew exactly what I would be considering, and he gauged my understanding of engineering well. He also had a knowledge of frame evolution that isn't mentioned on the internet site.

I placed the order for the bike there and then and paid cash, told that it would arrive next working day.

When I didn't get a call the next day, I enquired and it turns out that an error in the order had occurred (human error) and the bike I ordered could not be delivered in any sensible time. Oops. I got a call from the store manager whose proposal was to upgrade me to the next bike for nothing. A £300 upgrade! I felt bad for him and offered to pay something, he was grateful and suggested I paid £100, which I was happy to do.

The bike arrived exactly when they said it would.

I am so pleased with everything that I feel a duty to write and big-up the whole experience. Buying from Specialized Concept Store is more like buying a new car than a bike - the treatment, service and array of accessories is first class, and the whole experience is... smashing. There's a word I haven't used for years.

Good one Specialized and thanks Harrogate team for making one customer very very happy.