what to look out for in a used road bike

Good day,

Recently I test rode a few entry-level road bikes at $600-$800, but
I could not decide if I would keep riding.

I think another option is to spend $200 or less on a cheap road
bike as a starting point. I figure, after a few months riding it,
I will know if cycling is for me and what to look for in a road
bike. It is possible that I may not upgrade the cheap bike as I am
not after the latest technology. For example, I don't quite care
the newer derailleurs and STI shifters as long as the drive train
is decent.

What vintage am I looking at? What parts should I look out for? Or
will I be better off buying a new bike?

TIA,
-AG

(AG) wrote in news:b2e9cce2.0410121044.e2f6594
@posting.google.com:
What vintage am I looking at? What parts should I look out for? Or
will I be better off buying a new bike?

First priority should be a good fit. After that make sure the bike is in
very good condition (no crashes, all components work perfectly, bearings are
smooth, wheels are true). Replacement and upgrade parts can easily bring the
price up to new bike levels.

On 12 Oct 2004 11:44:09 -0700, (AG) wrote:

Good day,

Recently I test rode a few entry-level road bikes at $600-$800, but
I could not decide if I would keep riding.

I think another option is to spend $200 or less on a cheap road
bike as a starting point. I figure, after a few months riding it,
I will know if cycling is for me and what to look for in a road
bike. It is possible that I may not upgrade the cheap bike as I am
not after the latest technology. For example, I don't quite care
the newer derailleurs and STI shifters as long as the drive train
is decent.

What vintage am I looking at? What parts should I look out for? Or
will I be better off buying a new bike?

TIA,
-AG

What passion! (not). This is a clear departure to the "I'm just getting
back into biking and want the best bike for the $$ and I want to ride
fast!" type questions.

So let's say you get a bike that's cheap and rides down the road straight
without falling apart and you can work the rusty riction shifters
adequately.

How is that gonna help motivate you to ride more?

All other things being equal, I must say that unlike any other improvement
in the past 20 years, indexed shifters must be tried to be believed.

Try riding some road bikes in a higher price range, just to get the feel of
excellent shifters. I mean it's free. Why pick the lowest level to try out?

I'd imagine a lot of people go ride a new bike and pick a cheap one and are
not impressed, and then ride one set up for entry level racing (about 1200
bucks) and are -very- impressed, and end up spending more money with a
smile. You'll learn more test riding more types and price ranges of bikes
than by asking here, imo. ;-)

Having said that, 'biking' is not all about the bike. If you don't come
into biking with some excitement, say with being 'human-powered', or with
seeing the sights at 20mph, or the physical thrill of riding fast and hard,
or at least a desire to save money commuting, then why are you bothering?

Biking is fun. Get the best equipment you can afford that won't hold you
back, while still being durable and reliable. A used bike may wear you down
with frequent repairs. Make the path to the biking habit be that of the
-least- resistance; optimize every possible angle to allow yourself to get
'hooked'!

-B

That's sound advice. Thanks.

Ken wrote in message ...
(AG) wrote in news:b2e9cce2.0410121044.e2f6594
@posting.google.com:
What vintage am I looking at? What parts should I look out for? Or
will I be better off buying a new bike?

First priority should be a good fit. After that make sure the bike is in
very good condition (no crashes, all components work perfectly, bearings are
smooth, wheels are true). Replacement and upgrade parts can easily bring the
price up to new bike levels.

I do ride an old Trek 720 hybrid. I have not tried a road bike yet.
I have the motivation, I know.

I do not mind index shifters. I do not use shifters much. When they
annoy me, I will get rid of them and ride a single-speed.

-AG

Badger_South wrote in message . ..
On 12 Oct 2004 11:44:09 -0700, (AG) wrote:

Good day,

Recently I test rode a few entry-level road bikes at $600-$800, but
I could not decide if I would keep riding.

I think another option is to spend $200 or less on a cheap road
bike as a starting point. I figure, after a few months riding it,
I will know if cycling is for me and what to look for in a road
bike. It is possible that I may not upgrade the cheap bike as I am
not after the latest technology. For example, I don't quite care
the newer derailleurs and STI shifters as long as the drive train
is decent.

What vintage am I looking at? What parts should I look out for? Or
will I be better off buying a new bike?

TIA,
-AG

What passion! (not). This is a clear departure to the "I'm just getting
back into biking and want the best bike for the $$ and I want to ride
fast!" type questions.

So let's say you get a bike that's cheap and rides down the road straight
without falling apart and you can work the rusty riction shifters
adequately.

How is that gonna help motivate you to ride more?

All other things being equal, I must say that unlike any other improvement
in the past 20 years, indexed shifters must be tried to be believed.

Try riding some road bikes in a higher price range, just to get the feel of
excellent shifters. I mean it's free. Why pick the lowest level to try out?

I'd imagine a lot of people go ride a new bike and pick a cheap one and are
not impressed, and then ride one set up for entry level racing (about 1200
bucks) and are -very- impressed, and end up spending more money with a
smile. You'll learn more test riding more types and price ranges of bikes
than by asking here, imo. ;-)

Having said that, 'biking' is not all about the bike. If you don't come
into biking with some excitement, say with being 'human-powered', or with
seeing the sights at 20mph, or the physical thrill of riding fast and hard,
or at least a desire to save money commuting, then why are you bothering?

Biking is fun. Get the best equipment you can afford that won't hold you
back, while still being durable and reliable. A used bike may wear you down
with frequent repairs. Make the path to the biking habit be that of the
-least- resistance; optimize every possible angle to allow yourself to get
'hooked'!

-B

On 12 Oct 2004 22:24:11 -0700, (AG) wrote:

I do ride an old Trek 720 hybrid. I have not tried a road bike yet.
I have the motivation, I know.

I do not mind index shifters. I do not use shifters much. When they
annoy me, I will get rid of them and ride a single-speed.

-AG


Look for an 80s/early 90s steel road bike with horizontal dropouts.
Check the fit. Measure the chain for wear, check the chainwheel teeth
for condition- these are the two best indicators of the condition/care
of the drivetrain. Check frame for alignment, brakes, rims, tires,
shifting.

Pay as little as possible. If it has a freewheel, so much the better.
Garage sales are the best bet for good deals. Ride it until it starts
breaking down, then make your decision on getting a more recent one.
Upgrading these old bikes is a loser financially. Take off the
freewheel, move some of the axle spacers from the right to the left,
redish the wheel, and use this frame as single speed.

You bring up some very good points, Badger. If you're the type of person who
is going to look at the bike with all its nicks and dings, then a $200 bike
is about $175 too expensive. On the plus side, if you have the money and can
buy a $1000-1200 bike, you will be able to recoup some of your outlay should
you find you're not riding it. That's why we have eBay...

I have had crappy bikes in my life, prior to now. I just got one of those
"entry-level racing bikes" and I am indeed "-very-" impressed. The
excitement/passion/drive to be "human-powered" probably came first, but this
fine piece of machinery is only adding fuel to the fire. If I could somehow
work out the commuting thing, I'd be a very happy man! I did spend more
money, and am smiling for it.

"Badger_South" wrote in message
...


I'd imagine a lot of people go ride a new bike and pick a cheap one and
are
not impressed, and then ride one set up for entry level racing (about 1200
bucks) and are -very- impressed, and end up spending more money with a
smile. You'll learn more test riding more types and price ranges of bikes
than by asking here, imo. ;-)

Having said that, 'biking' is not all about the bike. If you don't come
into biking with some excitement, say with being 'human-powered', or with
seeing the sights at 20mph, or the physical thrill of riding fast and
hard,
or at least a desire to save money commuting, then why are you bothering?

Biking is fun. Get the best equipment you can afford that won't hold you
back, while still being durable and reliable. A used bike may wear you
down
with frequent repairs. Make the path to the biking habit be that of the
-least- resistance; optimize every possible angle to allow yourself to get
'hooked'!

-B

On 12 Oct 2004 22:24:11 -0700, (AG) wrote:

I do ride an old Trek 720 hybrid. I have not tried a road bike yet.
I have the motivation, I know.

I do not mind index shifters. I do not use shifters much. When they
annoy me, I will get rid of them and ride a single-speed.

-AG


Hi, if you don't "use shifters much", odds are you are not making the
most of what your bike is capable of. Multi-speed bikes, particularly
modern 8-9-10 [16,24-18,27- 20,30] speed ones, have the advantage of
allowing you to always being in the optium gear.

Here is a website, with lots of really good info and much of it, is
helpful to more than just beginners.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/beginners/index.html
Be sure to read the section on "Gear Shifting".

Three years ago, I got back into biking after taking about 25 years
off. The first year back, I rode my old 10-speed, changing nothing but
tubes and tires. The second year back, I had my LBS install index
shifting, in this case, using thumb shifters, on the bars. It improved
my level of both performance and enjoyment. Mid-season of my second
year[2003] back, I bought a new 2002 LeMond Tourmalet, a 9 speed
triple. I love the close ratios, that are available, I even swapped
out the 25-12 cassette for a 25-14. The modern day brifters with
indexing, make shifting a breeze.


Life is Good!
Jeff

Having said that, 'biking' is not all about the bike. If you don't come
into biking with some excitement, say with being 'human-powered', or with
seeing the sights at 20mph, or the physical thrill of riding fast and hard,
or at least a desire to save money commuting, then why are you bothering?

I agree, sort of, but a lot of that excitement won't come until you
try it. When I got into it, it was because I moved to a bike-friendly
town and saw a lot of other people doing it. I thought, "hey, it
might be fun to try riding a bike again, now that I've got safe places
to ride."

I rented a bike and it seemed more like play than exercise -- it was
fun! So I bought a bike. I enjoyed it enough that first year that I
wanted to start riding it to work. So I became a bike commuter. And
so on.

At this stage, I think the most important thing is comfort - and that
means finding a bike that fits, whether it's a road bike, a mountain
bike, a hybrid or a cruiser. If you're comfy, riding is a pleasure.

JR

(AG)

wrote:

Good day,

Recently I test rode a few entry-level road bikes at $600-$800, but
I could not decide if I would keep riding.

I think another option is to spend $200 or less on a cheap road
bike as a starting point. I figure, after a few months riding it,
I will know if cycling is for me and what to look for in a road
bike. It is possible that I may not upgrade the cheap bike as I am
not after the latest technology. For example, I don't quite care
the newer derailleurs and STI shifters as long as the drive train
is decent.

What vintage am I looking at? What parts should I look out for? Or
will I be better off buying a new bike?


In the sub-$200 price range you'll probably end up with a late '80s or early
'90s vintage bike.
Watch out for- and avoid- cottered cranks, chromed steel rims, and centerpull
brakes. You could just replace/upgrade those components but since you're unsure
if you'll even continue riding I'm pretty sure you don't want to have to become
a bike mechanic just to try riding. Besides, if you live in a major
metropolitan area you should have no problem finding a used sub-$200 bike with
more modern componentry.

Regards,
Bob Hunt