Do You Earn Rewards at a Bike Shop?
How bike shops code
A dedicated bicycle shop rings up under a bicycle-store category code, outside the usual bonus buckets like dining and groceries, so most cards earn their base rate on bikes, parts, gear, and service. Repairs and tune-ups at the shop usually code the same way. The framework is in merchant category codes explained.
Where you buy changes the code
A bike from a sporting-goods store codes as sporting goods, and one from a big-box retailer codes as that store, neither of which is a standard bonus category, as covered in do sporting goods stores earn a bonus. So a bike earns the base rate almost everywhere, and the deciding factor is which card gives the best base return.
The best card for a bike
Since bikes have no bonus category, a strong flat-rate card earns the most, and a higher-end bike can help toward a welcome bonus. Run your spending through the rewards calculator to find the best base-return card, and see options in best cash back cards.
Frequently asked questions
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