Road Cycling - Buying a used roadie: An odyssey

Hello all,

After commuting a while on my old hardtail MTB from the early '90s, I have decided to start looking at roadies for a fair weather commuter as well as a good training bike. So part of my odyssey was to to start looking around for a used roadie. I plan on posting my progress in the way of describing the bikes I have ridden, how much the LBSs were asking for so that maybe others get some benefit from reading. I would love any advice along the way as to what I could also be doing.


I have posted before on this forum asking advice on a bike I came across ( A early to mid 90's Univega Gran Rally Carbon Frame bike w/ Shimano 105 gruppo for about $450) at a shop here in Seattle. I passed on that bike as it was too small for me and the concerns about the durability of the frame.

Just yesterday I looked at an early 90s Specialized Allez w/ RX100 Gruppo , down tube shifters, mavic wheelset, which the shop was asking for $425.

I plan on today looking at a Trek 1200 ( same vintage I believe ), same gruppo, but only $185....

Whew, I thought you were talking about
Odyssey bikes which I seem to recall were
x-mart type frames.
+-$400 for a 10 year old bike? seems a bit
steep to me.
If you know size I'd suggest checking online
classified and E-buy for bikes.
there are some stunning deals to be had out
there. Also some LBS are beginning to dump
unsold stock of new bikes (hey its almost next year!)
and there are also deals to be had there.
Good luck with the journey, it can
be really fun if you don't get too wrapped
up in having to have a bike TODAY.

hope this helps.
Marty

Well, that's what I am finding, is that the 2 main shops in Seattle that carry used road bikes , seem to be prizing these bikes in the $400 dollar range. I am tempted by the Trek 1200 , for under $200, of course I need to give it a test ride...

Big Mike:
You know used bikes sell for only what someone is willing to pay.

A few months ago my wife fell in love with an older used bike at one of the LBS. She started telling the owner what a nice bike it was and that if she owned it all the upgrading that she would do to it, etc, etc.....long to short he was asking $450....she paid $175.;)

But be warned the other side is true also:

I found a sweet lilttle bike a few years ago at another LBS...their asking price $750.....my final price after upgrades >>$1250.:o

Keep your eyes on garage sales and thrift shops.

We are finally starting to see some nice road bikes from the late 80's and 90's.

A friend of mine bought an early to mid 90's vintage French made Peugeot road bike. It was IMACULATE - I mean cherry. 700 mm aluminum alloy rims. Very well made machine. Price $50.00.

It had shifters on the down tube instead of brake mounted shifters, but BIG DEAL.

If there is any threat to the sales of new road bikes, it is that clean road bikes from the early '90's are starting to make it to the garage sale and thrift shop market. They are so cheap that they are almost free. They are lightweight and made with good components - replaceable or upgradeable with modern components.

The bicycle industry really needs some shiny new innovation to distance the expensive new bikes from the used stuff climbing on it. With just a couple of insignificant exceptions, the biggest change in bicycles in the past ten years seems to be paint.

$425 for an early 90s specialized with downtubes is a joke.Don't be a sucker.The Trek may be more reasonable,but temember, fit and condition are everything.

Unless you need the bike immediately, keep watching yard sales, eBay, and thrifts, as well as bike shops. College campuses can be good sources, as well, but students tend to be buyers in the fall and sellers as summer approaches.

Watch for a gem, in otherwise good condition, hidden under a lousy (original or redo) paint job. (I paid $20 for my 1959 full-531 Capo.)

Good words on the thrift store market, I passed on a great looking Fuji ( late '80s I believe ) for about $30...still kicking myself over that one.