Help me decide! Trek 1.2 Triple 2008 £275

houghse
houghse Posts: 7
edited April 2009 in Road beginners
My old bike was stolen and I need a new one to get to work!

I've found a trek 1.2 2008 Triple for £275.

The owener brought it round, had a quick spin, first impressions it felt smooth and a comfortable ride. Gears were in good nick, some adjustment maybe required on the front deraillier but nothing major. Frame - good as new.

My only concern was frame size. 56cm - I'm 6' with size 9 feet. There was a little overlap on the front wheel.

What do people think - a big enough problem not to get the bike - seems like a good deal to me.

Thanks!

Comments

  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    If it doesn't fit then it will be a waste of money at any price. What size was your old bike (top tube length as that's the critical measurement)? How did that feel? Was it too long, too short or just right? What's the top tube length on this bike?
  • cleeve hill reject
    cleeve hill reject Posts: 426
    I'm 6"1' with size 12 feet and ride a 56. A bit of toe overlap is normal on a racing style setup, you should never be going slowly enough for it to be a problem! As has been said above, reach is the mos critical factor in frame sizing.

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  • rickhotrod
    rickhotrod Posts: 181
    If the cranks are 175mm, changing them to 170mm will give you an extra 5mm!
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I'd say it sounds in the right ball park for your height, as long as you're not oddly proportioned.

    I'm 5'6" and fit a 52 Trek

    Did you feel too stretched out or too cramped?

    Tons of guides to setting up / sizing bikes on the interweb, some extremely complicated and formulaic.

    Basics, in this order:

    Saddle height so with your heel on the pedal your leg is almost straight at the bottom of the stroke. (so when you're pedalling with the ball of the foot on the pedal your knee will still be bent) Check with both legs.

    Saddle fore / aft position so that when the crank is horizontal on the downstroke, the little lump below the kneecap is directly above the pedal spindle (use a plumb line) Again, check both sides.

    Bar height / stem length so you're comfortable with not too much weight on your hands, and when you're holding the hoods the bars should obscure your view of the front hub
  • houghse
    houghse Posts: 7
    Thanks for the advice above, I took it for a longer ride this evening, the overlap must have been in my head as I didn't notice any problems while cycling.

    My first venture in to road cycling - can't wait to tune it up to fit me and take it out on a proper ride now. Just wish my MTB hadn't been stolen as I don't think it'll be suited to the off road trails around Bristol!
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    The 1.2 is a great bike, my g/f has one. I ride a bike costing twice as much but when I have tried the 1.2 I have been amazed at how well it rides. It also served her very well with a rack and panniers on a tour we did. I have changed the shifters to some secondhand Ultegra 9 speeds (got them for £25 in the classifieds section), and the cassette to a 9 speed, and the shifting is now excellent (Sora was a bit clunky, but serviceable). There is toe overlap (both for my g/f in her size 6 shoes and me in my size 11's) but so do many bikes, but it is only an issue at very slow speeds and is not a problem. We were discussing what bike she could get next, because she is pretty smitten with this cycling thing. She fancied a pink Planet-X (!), but she decided the 1.2 did everything she wants and couldn't see the point of changing.

    For £275 you will have a great bike! G/F paid £550 for hers.
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    I also have a Trek 1.2 that I use for winter training, and for the money it's a great bike. Only change I made was to stick a compact on, but otherwise it's as it was when I bought it. My main bike is a carbon Scott CR1 Pro.
  • houghse
    houghse Posts: 7
    Nice to hear good things about the bike - as an entry into road cycling I think it's a good start. I liked the look of the specialized allez but there was nothing like that in my budget.

    To the above poster, excuse my ignorance but what's a compact?
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    houghse wrote:
    Nice to hear good things about the bike - as an entry into road cycling I think it's a good start. I liked the look of the specialized allez but there was nothing like that in my budget.

    To the above poster, excuse my ignorance but what's a compact?

    This...

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shima ... 360037041/

    It offers a different ratio of gearing and helps with climbing.

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