Bike buying advice - new or used?

On 30 Mar 2005 15:47:33 -0800, (Donald Gillies)
wrote:

If you're old like me (43) and you know bikes, then buy the bike of
your childhood dreams for pennies on the dollar. For example, two
weeks ago I bought a Raleigh Super Tourer, a reynold 531 throughout
bike with 21-speed gears and top-quality maillard 700 hubs, for $150
shipped (purchased on ebay.) This bike weighs about 25 lbs and came
with an aluminum rack and bluemels fenders.

I think the flip side may be true for the OP. If you don't know
bikes, you're probably going to go through some major hassle getting
everything fixed. That bike of your youthful dreams needs an
overhaul; it's going to take you 2-3 days after you accumulate all the
tools to regrease every single bearing in the beast, check the wheels
for trueness and tension, replace the brake pads, tubes, and tires,
adjust brakes and derailers. Or it can add a couple hundred dollars
to the low, low price to have your LBS do it for you.

It takes patience to find an older bike with good paint that's in good
mechanical condition for a bargain price. If you don't have time to
invest in such a search, by all means trade $$$ for time and buy a new
bike today for $850, and it should work almost as well.

If you just want to start riding to get in shape, I'd agree with the
final recommendation. Go find a good LBS that carries road bikes, get
one that fits and is comfortable, and start riding.

Pat

Email address works as is.

Plin wrote:

Also, it seems that most bikes nowadays are aluminum. Personally, I
think I'd rather have a steel frame for better shock absorption,
since
light weight isn't a top priority. Does anyone still make steel
framed
bikes in this range?

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ier_corvus.htm