Is the bike shop likely to go along with this?

[KatyMac]

Buying DH a new bike; he has umm'ed and arr'ed for weeks and finally picked one

If I speak to the bike shop tomorrow, order/pay for it do you reckon they will keep it quiet if he pops in? and maybe suggest that they can't get one in this side of Christmas?

I have somewhere I can store it (a friends barn) so they won't be stick with it until Christmas eve.

Is it fair asking them to lie?

Difficulty might be that if they say that they can't order it, he might go on-line and try and find it elsewhere.

They may well be used to subterfuges like this, so ask them what they suggest.

You could suggest to him that leaving it until after Christmas might mean some better deals. It they could let him "order" it but not pay for it - and then experience "delays".

you're good!!

Thanks - he won't buy online the money is in my account!!