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Used Bikes - What to Watch For
I'm going to be looking for a used road bike soon. My limit is $375
(less if I have to buy special shoes or any other accessories). I am upgrading after a summer of riding a wal-mart mountain bike (see my previous posts). The wal-mart bike has finally had it (one cog pretty much cracked in half and just recently i've started having major problems on hills with my "good" gears). I'm not sure if I want to pick up a thrift-store bike, since I want to do a lot more biking next year and travel a lot further. I will probably be looking for classifieds and bike shops that sell used/tradein bikes. If anyone knows of some shops in Massachusetts/Rhode Island (i'm right on the RI line) that sell used bikes, please let me know. I was originally looking on eBay for used bikes, but I would really like to inspect a used bike myself, rather than take someones word and potentially end up with a $300+ piece of junk. Now, what to look for when I am looking at used bikes... I am 5'9", what frame size (I think thats the measurement) am I looking for, and how do I measure the frame? How can I determine a good cassette from one with cogs that will crack and tear up (like my MTB's did)? Is there a specific handlebar width I should be looking for, or just something that feels good? Pedals - I assume I need special shoes for certain types (clip-ons I think they are called), how do I get around this when testing bikes (I don't own any cycling shoes)? Where can I buy cycling shoes LESS than the $80-$100 ones I see at the LBS? Let me know if I missed anything I should be watching for when looking at a used bike. Sorry for posting a list of questions like this, but i'm just trying to figure this out. Thanks. |
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wrote in message
oups.com... I was originally looking on eBay for used bikes, but I would really like to inspect a used bike myself, rather than take someones word and potentially end up with a $300+ piece of junk. Don't give up on eBay just yet. You can search by proximity to your zip code. Find something close and go take a look at it. Think of it as an online classifieds - the person auctioning the item will probably consider a cash offer during your visit if you like the bike and prefer to avoid the auction-style purchase. -- Scott Ehardt http://www.scehardt.com |
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Scott Ehardt wrote:
wrote in message oups.com... I was originally looking on eBay for used bikes, but I would really like to inspect a used bike myself, rather than take someones word and potentially end up with a $300+ piece of junk. Don't give up on eBay just yet. You can search by proximity to your zip code. Find something close and go take a look at it. Think of it as an online classifieds - the person auctioning the item will probably consider a cash offer during your visit if you like the bike and prefer to avoid the auction-style purchase. Ebay is fine, but IME it's a sellers' market due to auction fever, especially at the low end. Shipping charges make up too big a percentage of low cost items too. So keep an eye on the local classifieds. rec.bicycles.marketplace is a great resource -- you might try a WTB ad there. You ought to be able to find a really nice, 10-15 year old road bike for $200 or less without STI/Ergo, $3-400 with. Matt O. |
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It's important to find a bike that fits. Is there a local bike club in your
area? You can find out by inquiring at bike shops. Try contacting some members of the club and see if they know of anything that's for sale locally in your budget and size range. You can buy decent cycling shoes by mail order (Performance, Nashbar, etc.) but without the assurance of good fit that you'd get in a store. Mike Yankee (Address is munged to thwart spammers. To reply, delete everything after "com".) |
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It's important to find a bike that fits. Is there a local bike club in your
area? You can find out by inquiring at bike shops. Try contacting some members of the club and see if they know of anything that's for sale locally in your budget and size range. Very good advice. Most clubs have several members who have old bikes that are gathering dust and may be willing to sell them at a very reasonable price. |
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wrote:
I'm going to be looking for a used road bike soon. My limit is $375 (less if I have to buy special shoes or any other accessories Used can be a very good value. [snip] If anyone knows of some shops in Massachusetts/Rhode Island (i'm right on the RI line) that sell used bikes, please let me know. This may be a bit beyond your ambit, but there are shops in the Boston area that sell used bikes. I would think you might find something closer to home, too, by calling bike shops you find in the phone book and asking. The Broadway Bicycle School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, sells good-quality rebuilt used bikes. http://broadwaybicycleschool.com/ Their stock is roughly split 50-50 between "commuter" bikes (upright handlebars & squishy seats) and road bikes, which is what I guess you want. Of course, you have to *go* there, but if you do you'll get LBS-style help with fit and any other questions. You could call first to see if they have anything likely in stock. Also, you would have no worries about quality. This is not the super dooper deal you might hope for if you are lucky enough to find just the right bike at a yard sale, but it is a good store option. None of their bikes would require special shoes but you could add that if you wanted to. Good luck! |
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wrote in message oups.com... I'm going to be looking for a used road bike soon. My limit is $375 ... I was originally looking on eBay for used bikes ... at the risk of getting sneered at, i am going to admit that i bought a new road bike on eBay for $350 delivered (my Poprad was stolen and i needed a cheap replacement) from "bikesdirectbikes" which is actually Cycle Spectrum. i was pleasantly surprised, it's decent. Sora components, aluminum frame. it's the Windsor Dover model (made in Taiwan). i'm not being an ad for this seller other than to say that i am satisfied with the purchase. there are other sellers with similar low-end bikes near the same price range. of course, you get no help with fit and adjustments when you mail order a bike, so if that is important then you should definitely visit a local bike shop. but if you aren't intimidated by a little assembly (front brake, fork, stem, handlebars, pedals--takes an hour or two if you know what you are doing) then this might be a reasonable purchase. since it's new, you don't have to worry about the bike having been abused, it's got new tread, even a warranty (though i don't know how much good that is for a mail order bike). you won't need special shoes since it has platform pedals with toe clips and straps (but you can always upgrade the pedals later if you want to). |
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wrote in message oups.com... Now, what to look for when I am looking at used bikes... I am 5'9", what frame size (I think thats the measurement) am I looking for, and how do I measure the frame? Height + inseam at least is required. I think a web search will reveal pages that help you find the correct bike size. Size of a frame is usually seat-tube length from BB to center or top of top tube (so a almost vertical measurement). However for fit the most important measurement seems to be length of the cockpit, or effective top-tobe length. "Effective" here meaning the length of the TT if it were horizontal. Depending on your inseam & torso length, I'd expect you to fit bikes in the 53cm to 56cm range. At least for regular road bikes. Some have "compact geometry" and I don't know how that would work. I"m sure you'll see what sizes work for you. .. |
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R... wrote:
Now, what to look for when I am looking at used bikes... I am 5'9", what frame size (I think thats the measurement) am I looking for, and how do I measure the frame? For information about fitting, see: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html If you just want to plug in some numbers instead of reading the hows and whys, try: http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/ How can I determine a good cassette from one with cogs that will crack and tear up Shimano road component groups from lowest quality to highest are Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, and Dura-Ace. Even Sora will be several steps above most typical discount store bikes. You may see a mix of Sora and Tiagra components on the same bike, or components from SRAM (another company) mixed in. All of these components work just fine. Is there a specific handlebar width I should be looking for Most people start about shoulder width. I like something a little wider personally, but it's not all that critical. Where can I buy cycling shoes Beware that you get what you pay for. My last pair of shoes are Nashbar dirt-cheap specials that I paid something like $20 for. I've had them for less than two years and put about 4000 miles on them and they're already falling apart. I also still own a pair I bought on sale for $80 at the LBS in 1987 or so; they're rough around the edges and definitely look old, but they're still going strong. That said, shoes can be had inexpensively online at Performance, Nashbar, and Supergo. For pedals, you get cleats that you attach to the shoes for whatever pedal type you get. Most modern shoes will have pre-drilled holes for most modern pedal cleats. For a test ride, I've done sneakers on clipless. Let me know if I missed anything I should be watching for when looking at a used bike Figure the cost of a tune-up (adjusting brakes, deraillers, cables, wheels, headset; possibly replacing a few small parts like brake pads, cables, or chain) in your purchase price. You mention longer distance riding. You'll want padded bike shorts, gloves, and a non-cotton jersey. You won't believe how annoying a t-shirt flapping in the wind can get after two hours. You'll also need tube repair/replacement tools and the knowledge to use them. The side of the road probably isn't the best place to figure out how to snap that tight wire-bead onto your rim. You'll want a water bottle cage if the bike isn't already equipped with one. I hope you'll find some of this information helpful. RFM http://www.masoner.net/bike/ |
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