Deciding between new and used bike

Janoto

Hi. Im trying to decide between two bikes. I currently have a custom made no brand bike, with aluminum frame and cheap components. It cost me $600 years ago. Now I want to get a full carbon. Im between the following:
2016 giant tcr advanced 2 (new) with shimano 105 components. It comes with giant warranty and a year of service.
The other it's a used bike 2011 look 695 with new shimano ultegra components and fizik seat. Both are $1500
I've asked a couple of friends and im getting mixed answers. Im planning to use this bike for sprint/international distance triathlons and group rides. I have to say that although color ia not important, i like the giant better.

Thanks for your help

arlowood

I think you've answered your own question.

You like the Giant better plus you'll have a warranty and new components. These days there's little to choose between 105 and Ultegra apart from a few grams weight saving,

Go for the Giant - you know if you buy the Look 695 there will always be that niggle at the back of your mind.

davesnothere

Go for the shiny new one. 105 will be fine for what you need

You get warranty and servicing too, no brainer

onionmk

Go for the giant IMO. I only hear great things about the TCR. 105 works just as well as Ultegra minus the small weight penalty. You'll also be at peace racing hard on your TCR knowing you're covered under warranty!

Matthewfalle

onionmk wrote:

Go for the giant IMO. I only hear great things about the TCR. 105 works just as well as Ultegra minus the small weight penalty. You'll also be at peace racing hard on your TCR knowing you're covered under warranty!

Will warranty cover smashing your bike while racin'?

onionmk

Matthewfalle wrote:

onionmk wrote:

Go for the giant IMO. I only hear great things about the TCR. 105 works just as well as Ultegra minus the small weight penalty. You'll also be at peace racing hard on your TCR knowing you're covered under warranty!

Will warranty cover smashing your bike while racin'?

Every manufacturer is hit and miss when it comes to warranty so there's no definitive answer. Giant have a reputation for good warranty service though and there's plenty of instances where they've replaced accident crashed frames (e.g someone who crashed into a deer!) so I can't see why they wouldn't replace in a race scenario. I could be wrong though.

Janoto

Thanks for your responses. I will be trying the look 695 today to see how it feels. Later this week i will go again to the store to understand what the warranty covers on the giant. I'm leaning more towards the Giant. But you know how that wise quote goes: "live is like a box of chocolates, you dont know which one you are going to like until you try them all"

froze

In 2011 the Ultegra groupset weighed 2,301 grams (not verified accurate, just manufacturer's claimed weight); whereas the new 105 groupset weighs 2810, which means there's only a 500 gram difference.

I have over 7,000 miles on my 2013 105 stuff and haven't had one issue with it, granted 7,000 miles isn't a lot miles but so far I'm happy.

Having said that my 105 is mostly 105, when I bought my bike new I was able to swap the new unused 105 rear derailleur for a new Ultegra derailleur, it only cost me an additional $36, maybe something you might want to look into. I did this because I found out from several very reliable sources, and it does work, that just that rear derailleur change along with changing the standard Shimano cables to DA9000 cables that no one would be able to tell the difference between a full Ultegra transmission and levers to what I did, in fact even after personally riding full DA I can't tell the difference. The cables made the whole 105 levers feel a bit smoother as did the Ultegra derailleur. The cable thing doesn't have to be done right away, you could do that when the standard cables need to be replaced.

The reason I didn't swap the front is because no front derailleur works very good (I can't tell the difference between new front derailleurs vs mine of more than 30 years ago!) except for the new electric one. Of course I had swapped out the levers than I might as well got the entire group!