Opinions on a second hand bike please?

broona
broona Posts: 414
edited February 2012 in Road buying advice
Looking to buy my first road bike since a Raleigh something 25 years ago, and have found this one for sale, is it worth the money, and would it be suitable for a beginner please :-

http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/Bike ... ce=message

'I have a Lemond Chambery. (56" tt) I have had the bike for 18 months and I am the 2nd owner. It is a 2006 model in red, white and black but looks near new. It has a traditional geometry and has very few marks other than a bit of cable rub.

It has carbon forks, carbon rear triangle and carbon seat post, and a full Shimano Ultegra group set with Flight Deck brake/shifters. The rest of the frame is alu.

It has Bontrager Race wheels with nearly new Continental Gatorskin tyres (700x25) and a spare set (not so new) of Bontrager Race Lite tyres (700x23). It also comes with Time pedals and cleats, two drinks bottles and holders, under seat tool bag and a computer by Elite.

I have done about 100 miles on the bike (half as much in the shoes) but no longer get the time to ride it due to work etc etc. It was serviced in the summer of '11 by 'Spokes' of Epping, Essex.

Stand out from the crowd as I have not seen another one of these anywhere!'

Comments

  • EarlyGo
    EarlyGo Posts: 281
    Go on then, give us a clue ... how much is he asking? How tall are you? Inside leg?

    As a general rule, for their first road bike most people are better off going to their local bike shop to buy their bike. They'll give you plenty of advice and help with getting back into cycling, as you would not believe how things have moved on in 25 years! Any how, only consider it if you can test ride it before you buy. If you're not used to riding 'clipped in' to the pedals then you'll need to take some standard flat pedals along for the test ride.

    Regards, EarlyGo
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Doh, he's after £300 for it!

    Never ridden clipped in before either, used to flats on a mountain bike.

    I'm 5'10" with around a 31" inside leg.
  • looks good value to me! Ultegra 10 speed groupset, carbon fork, seatpost, chainstays and seatstays!
    Current bike: 2014 Kinesis Racelight T2 - built by my good self!
  • crescent
    crescent Posts: 1,201
    Looks to me like a very nice spec. No personal experience of it myself but Ultegra is generally seen as middle to high end groupset compared to the normal Sora/Tiagra entry level Shimano components. I believe Lemond are part of the Trek stable so the Bontrager components should be more than adequate, too. It is definitely spec'd beyond what most would consider as a beginner's bike so if you were buying it new and were unsure if you were going to commit to cycling then it could possibly be over the top. However, if it is in good nick, a good fit and on for £300 then I would say it sounds like a good deal. At 5'10" with 31" inside leg it should be OK for you if it is traditional geometry but you would definitely need to try before you buy. The pedals are a piece of p*** once you get used to them, just require a bit of practice initially.
    Bianchi ImpulsoBMC Teammachine SLR02 01Trek Domane AL3“When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. “ ~H.G. Wells Edit - "Unless it's a BMX"
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Thanks for the replies, unfortunately I wouldn't be able to ride it before buying, as it's 300 miles away, lol!

    Looks like a great spec, but as it's my first road bike for such a long time, I think I'll follow the advice here and test ride one first.
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    As hinted above its a discontinued trek sub-brand, was popular in the states but less so this side of the pond If it was branded trek it would probably fetch twice what he's asking for that spec. I nearly bought a similar gary fisher road bike 2nd hand before I bought the Bianchi in a similar situation to you, dipping back into road biking after a long time out.

    Ulegra plus carbon forks and stays for £300 and a nice colour scheme too - absolute bargain as long as it is in reasonably good condition. Pull the trigger and buy it.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    If the bikes in good condition and it is the right size then I'd say go for it. Bargain
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    PeteMadoc wrote:
    If the bikes in good condition and it is the right size then I'd say go for it. Bargain

    As I can't sit on it before committing to buy, I had a look here to get an approximate size - http://www.road-bike.co.uk/equipment/bike-size.php

    I'm 82cm from crotch to floor, 82 x 0.67 = 55cm, would 1cm make a huge difference?
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    Adjusting seat post and saddle position to and fro on the rails will compensate for more than 1cm.
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    t4tomo wrote:
    Adjusting seat post and saddle position to and fro on the rails will compensate for more than 1cm.

    No no no

    Do not adjust the saddle position for this reason. If you want a shorter reach you change the stem for a different length. Saddle position is relative to the knee and cranks. google it people
  • PhilPub
    PhilPub Posts: 229
    I'm the same height and inside leg as you. I'd say that unless your arms are an unusual length, a 56cm top tube would be a good size for you. And yes, adjusting the seatpost height, spacers and/or stem length will certainly give you some wiggle room.

    Buying without trying on will always be taking a chance to some extent but given the price for the spec it could work out to be a calculated risk worth taking. I've bought a couple of Planet X bikes having spent a long time reassuring myself that the geometry is right for me, and not had any regrets. Your call, but definitely worth considering.
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Thanks again for the replies, looks like it could be worth taking the risk, the seller's 5'10" too, so all being well, it should be a decent fit! ;)