Second bike age...how old is too old>

stampz
stampz Posts: 28
in Road buying advice
Potentially stupid question, which I think I already know the answer too.

I am looking at picking up a new winter trainer/"second" bike. My heart wants to go shiny and spend at least £1k on something...if I can even find anything in the current bike drought.

However, a friend of mine who is getting out of cycling has offered to sell me his Cannondale CAAD 8 2014 for £300.

It's in great condition, 105 groupset, 8.6kg...he hasn't ridden it for at least 2 years, with some new cables and a new chain it would look good as new...but it's bugging me that it's 7 years old and I don't know if it should be.

So how old is too old? Should I steer clear and go with something new but less specced, or am i being stupid?

Its this version https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Cannondale/CAAD8-105-Road-Bike-2014/2PHC

Thanks!
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Comments

  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,646
    The world has gone mad. My new bike is the same age.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    I think my winter bike is at least 15 years old, my old best bike was bought in 2011 and my new bike is 5 years old.
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 12,692
    £300. 'Ave it! Do a quick check on current prices of equivalents.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,005
    My Sunday best is older, with original shifters and chain set still ok after about 40k km.
    CAAD have always been well regarded and were /are prob better bikes than CF at the same price point. Personally I’d be less anxious with a used aluminium (which this is) than CF.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    absolutely nothing wrong with that. unless its been decently crashed or massively abused, why would there be?

    buy it.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,328
    Do you want the bike to ride or to show off? It'll be fine for the former, less so for the latter.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • womack
    womack Posts: 566
    To be fair my "second bike" is 9 years old but has hardly done any mileage as only used for holiday riding and in the current situation have not been able to access it for two years so zero mileage lately.

    Think as others have said, look at the condition more than the age.
  • PMark
    PMark Posts: 159
    edited August 2021
    My main bike is that old, so nothing wrong with the age (although I have replaced everything on it over the years, except the frame and seat).

    Although if it still has the original bottom bracket, you will probably want to change as soon as you get it. My brother has a newer version of that bike and his BB that came with the bike lasted less than a year (the press fit BBs that come with the bikes are not very good). I helped him replace it with a decent screw in BB like those from Praxis (had to also change to Shimano hollowtech cranks as well).
  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,844
    Buy it
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    PMark said:

    My main bike is that old, so nothing wrong with the age (although I have replaced everything on it over the years, except the frame and seat).

    Although if it still has the original bottom bracket, you will probably want to change as soon as you get it. My brother has a newer version of that bike and his BB that came with the bike lasted less than a year (the press fit BBs that come with the bikes are not very good). I helped him replace it with a decent screw in BB like those from Praxis (had to also change to Shimano hollowtech cranks as well).

    why would you change the b/b if there was nothing wrong with it?

    #howstrange
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    My winter bike is a 2009 S-Works Tarmac.

    Apart from being a really harsh ride, it does the job perfectly. It's been in a couple of bumps but I had it inspected and repaired and it's all good.
  • vincesummerskRoxcBTr
    vincesummerskRoxcBTr Posts: 511
    Buy, buy, buy....
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    buy it. buy it. buy it. buy it now. buy it.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    Sounds like a no-brainer tbh

    Buy it.

    A new £1000 probably isn't going to be any better!
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • rob.m
    rob.m Posts: 89
    Caads are great bikes, buy it.
    It's never too late to become what you might have been...........
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Has the OP bought it yet?
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,588
    Age is irrelevant - as long as you can still get the spares, but you won't have any issues with that bike.

    My 2nd bike, if you can call it that, is 9 years old, and the age of it has never even occurred to me.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • joe2019
    joe2019 Posts: 1,338
    My best bike is 10 years old and I've ridden 10 - 15 hours a week on that frame since then - I may have changed a few components though - BUY IT.
  • stampz
    stampz Posts: 28
    Thanks everyone, I have indeed grabbed the bike from him, and it's lovely.

    Handed it to my lbs for a service and sanity check. I suspect it needs some new cables and a right good greasing, but other than that she seems good. I have christened her Calli ;-)
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,799
    Good call!
    Lost brownie points with your final sentence though. Naming bikes, phht.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,646
    Another point lost for the suitcase hanging from your saddle. No.
  • stampz
    stampz Posts: 28
    First.Aspect said:

    Another point lost for the suitcase hanging from your saddle. No.

    Yeah....thats not mine! He left that on there, it has been swiftly removed!
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    apart from all thatshyte under the stem thats the basis for something mega cool.

    Chinese phat ones, black saddle, black bar tape.

    #potentiallysooooocool
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • oblongomaculatus
    oblongomaculatus Posts: 616
    First.Aspect said:

    Another point lost for the suitcase hanging from your saddle. No.

    Nothing wrong with the saddlepack, surely? Mine is a similar size, it holds 2 tubes, a multitool, tyre levers, a spare Di2 battery and a few small spares such as cleat bolts. Unless you think the large black box in the picture is attached to the bike? ;)

    My bikes are, respectively, 8, 10,12 and (about) 35 years old. Even the newest may not look bang up to date (the most recent two have what Specialized called zertz dampers set into the forks, little rubbery thingies that were supposed to act as shock absorbers, but didn't, and were quietly dropped a year or two later) but they all ride just fine, so I have no plans to replace them.

  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    incorrect my friend for everything is wrong with the saddlepack.

    one may say in the common parlance that it is gopping, even hacking.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • davep1
    davep1 Posts: 836
    Was going to say "buy it so long as you can get full mudguards on it" but it's too late now! You probably can, but it makes a huge difference.

    My best bike is that old. I recently revived my old road bike for winter use, I got it in '92. It's a mongrel with a Specialised triple Biopace chainset for MTB life, and a close-ish cassette 12-23. Down tube shifters as well, so I'm nearly always not in the right gear, but it makes me look forward to riding the best bike!
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,646
    Saddle pack is perfectly fine for horse riding across the American West.
  • womack
    womack Posts: 566
    So yesterday I went for a 100 miler. Spare tube and levers, sarnies, snack bars, gels, cakes, money, energy drink, fags.

    Where would I have put all that stuff without a saddle bag, no jersey has that many pockets.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,799
    Sarnies, snack bars, gels, cakes, energy drink and fags can all be bought mid ride.
    All you need is a spare tube, levers and a bank card. A pump might help too. 😉
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • womack
    womack Posts: 566
    pblakeney said:

    Sarnies, snack bars, gels, cakes, energy drink and fags can all be bought mid ride.
    All you need is a spare tube, levers and a bank card. A pump might help too. 😉

    Not on all occasions if you are a solo cyclist, I certainly wouldn't go in a shop and leave my bike, phone, computer unattended. Yes it's ok if there are more than one of you as you can go in turn with someone watching the bikes.

    Pump is on a bracket on the bottle cage.



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