Buying a used road bike

Conrad V

Hi,

I need some advice since I'm buying my first proper road bike. It's a fuji SST 1.0 from 2012 with dura ace and mavic cosmic carbone sl rims. The bike is in good condition but I'm still a bit uncertain about the price. The seller is asking 1250£ for the bike which sounds like a very good deal. I would be able to try the bike before purchase. Does it sound like a good price for a used bike? I'm still new to cycling and this would be my first major purchase.

StillGoing

Ditch the Mavics, they weigh too much and are plastered in decals.

When deciding on the price, you have to consider a) what is it worth to you b) what was the cost when new c) reasonable depreciation d) cost of the equivalent today e) although it may look in good condition, what are the components condition i.e. are you looking at a new chain set any time soon and f) can you get a decent new bike from any of the manufacturers for similar money.

markhewitt1978

And is it the right size for you! You can change the stem and adjust the saddle but you need to get the correct frame size in the first place.

Conrad V

Thanks for the advice.

The size should fit me quite well, I've tried some bikes of the same size.

My main concern is the price. The SST 1.0 was quite expensive as new and you can't really get a new bike with similar components for anywhere near that price.

StillGoing

Then ask yourself whether it is legit or not. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. But if the owner can produce receipts or a paper trail for where they bought it from, then worry not. Ask where they had it serviced last and make enquiries.

As for sizing, make sure you measure the relative top tube length. If it's too big, even slightly, walk away as it will never be right. If it's slightly too small, then it can still be right.

Conrad V

I doubt that there is anything shady with the seller. He is sponsored by Fuji and is getting a new Di2 bike instead. So as long as the size is right it's a good deal?

snowley

sounds a good deal but you can only really tell by looking at the bike.

Another thing to consider is that if the seller is sponsored by FUji, why has he been riding a 2012 bike and also it is likely that the bike will have done some big mileage so another good reason to check when the most recent service was done/how well looked after the components look.