Velofix vs. Local Bike Shop delivery assembly

[compulady]

Any opinions on these delivery assembly options?
I assume they ship direct to the local bike shop if you choose the bike shop partner option.
Does either option offer a tune up or check up?
Is it worth the $199 or $249?
Thanks in advance.

[Eric7]

If you are very unfamiliar with mechanical things, and it looks like you are going to kill yourself, then by all means spend the money.

If you have some competence with bikes and mechanical things, it would depend on the value of your time and whether you see it as a fun activity or a chore.  Putting a bike together is not that complicated.  I think I spend less than 4 hours doing it and learned how my bike is put together.  So if assembly is $200, I made $50 an hour for 4 hours and I don't have to pay tax.  With the money you save - you can usually buy all the tools and still come out ahead.  I had a lot of fun doing it and it is not a chore at all.

As a beginner, you may make some mistakes. One mistake would be turning the front fork 360 degrees before mounting the front wheel.  But, if you take your time, eventually you will get it right.  It is a good time to learn how your bike works.  I consider it a fun activity.

A bike has higher maintenance than a car but it is not complicated. For example, you would have to adjust the brakes, adjust the seats, fix flat tires, adjust the shifting etc. multiple times before the first 200 miles - so this is unlike a car. Considering the constant adjustments and maintenance needed, you might as well learn how to do things instead of taking it to the shop constantly.

While a bike shop is nice, I don't like having to pack my bike, take it there, and come back the next day for the fix, and pay lots of money (relative to doing it yourself).  Most of the bike shops are honest folks but I still like to just do it myself.

Once again, if you are truly no good in mechanics and putting things together or no good with bikes, then spend the money.  You can get seriously hurt if you don't know what you are doing or are careless.  With a one horse power engine and gears, you can pinch a finger badly if you don't take the battery out before fixing things.  If you go down a hill and the brakes fail, you are going to be in trouble.  Shorting the battery or cables will get you fireworks.

[Rover]

If you are very unfamiliar with mechanical things, and it looks like you are going to kill yourself, then by all means spend the money.

If you have some competence with bikes and mechanical things, it would depend on the value of your time and whether you see it as a fun activity or a chore.  Putting a bike together is not that complicated.  I think I spend less than 4 hours doing it and learned how my bike is put together.  So if assembly is $200, I made $50 an hour for 4 hours and I don't have to pay tax.  With the money you save - you can usually buy all the tools and still come out ahead.  I had a lot of fun doing it.

As a beginner, you may make some mistakes. One mistake would be turning the front fork 360 degrees before mounting the front wheel.  But, if you take your time, eventually you will get it right.  It is a good time to learn how your bike works.

A bike higher maintenance than a car but it is not complicated. For example, you would have to adjust the brakes, adjust the seats, fix flat tires, adjust the shifting etc. So you might as well learn how to do things. 

While a bike shop is nice, I don't like having to wait pack my bike, take it there, and come back the next day for the fix, and pay lots of money (relative to doing it yourself).  Most of the bike shops are honest folks but I still like to just do it myself.

Once again, if you are truly no good in mechanics and putting things together or no good with bikes, then spend the money.  You can get seriously hurt if you don't know what you are doing.

I think Eric7 gets it about right. I've built bikes delivered to my house in a big box. Most people can manage it. But--I opted for the pre-built mobile delivery RAD service for my new City 5 Plus. I ordered the bike on a Thursday and it was at my door--all built--the next morning! So I avoided the lengthy delays people talk about. And yes--a free tune up came with the service as well at the 150 mile mark. However--RAD has now closed most of its RAD Mobile services. They're still using Velofix so if that's available in your area that's a good mobile option for sure. Since RAD's mobile units are defunct, they did provide a free tune up via Velofix which I can schedule at any time since I paid for it via RAD mobile.

[Tree]

I also had it delivered to a localish shop, where they built and delivered.

For me, it was an issue of safety AND cost. I had faith in myself that I could probably build the bike. But the reality was that this is a moving vehicle that I push close to 30 mph, and I had MORE faith in someone who does it for a living putting it together.

Plus, because safety is important for me, I would have spent $100 or so bucks to take it to a shop and have them check it out, tune it up, etc, so spending $200 to have them build it and do that other stuff seemed like a better use of my resources.