Road Cycling - would you recommend a Raleigh R700?

Hi, I'm looking to replace a beaten-up road bike that was stolen the other day, and I wanted to go up a notch or two without getting into crazy prices, and I saw this on craigslist in New York.I'm not looking for state of the art, but I want something fairly good, and fast, and strong, for longish Sunday rides, and next time round I'll buy something beautiful. I know enough to know that Raaleigh isn't a fashionable road bike brand, but I wondered if anyone out there would be good enough to give me advice. The guy says it's four or five years old.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/19828638.html
This is what he writes in the ad:
58 cm frame (for men about 5'10" to 6'2") Hardly used (about 100 miles), 16-speed white Raleigh R700 racing bike. ProGram 3 Elan 7005 Aluminum Taperwall frame with composie Kinesis Carbon 2 front fork, Shimano 600 components, Shimano Total Integration gear shifters, CXP 14 Mavic rims, Armadillo 700x26c tires (by Specialized), Welgo clipless pedals (I can include size 11 shoes), black aerobars. This very light, ultra fast bike is perfect for enthusiasts or people who just like excellent performance. Unfortunately the owner never had the time to appreciate it. The price new was $1400, so 695 is really a great deal since it's basically never been used.

Raleigh bikes are and always whave been a good value for the money. I have and ride a 1979 Raleigh technium 480 that has been re-spaced and re-fit with full Dura-ace. It's the best riding and best handling bike in my stable. The frame has over 35,000 miles on it and it's still tight and looks as good as new.

I have one, I put over three thousand miles on it while in South Korea. It's a pretty pearl white; I ended up upgrading to 9 spd Ultegra. The bike is in my basement hanging up now. I loan it out to my neighbor when he wants to go out. It's a great bike. Looks like a great deal! I'd go for it. Make an offer.

If you don't, I might...just kidding :p

I'm betting you can get it for $600, maybe less. The Wellgo pedals would be the first thing I'd replace.

Is a 58cm the size you want? I notice he says that it will fit a person up to 6'2", which is really pushing it quite a bit. I'm 6'2", and I feel cramped on a 60cm frame.

Make sure the frame is the right size for you. If it isn't, that "great deal" will just become wasted money.

Hi, I'm looking to replace a beaten-up road bike that was stolen the other day, and I wanted to go up a notch or two without getting into crazy prices, and I saw this on craigslist in New York.I'm not looking for state of the art, but I want something fairly good, and fast, and strong, for longish Sunday rides, and next time round I'll buy something beautiful. I know enough to know that Raaleigh isn't a fashionable road bike brand, but I wondered if anyone out there would be good enough to give me advice. The guy says it's four or five years old.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/19828638.html
This is what he writes in the ad:
58 cm frame (for men about 5'10" to 6'2") Hardly used (about 100 miles), 16-speed white Raleigh R700 racing bike. ProGram 3 Elan 7005 Aluminum Taperwall frame with composie Kinesis Carbon 2 front fork, Shimano 600 components, Shimano Total Integration gear shifters, CXP 14 Mavic rims, Armadillo 700x26c tires (by Specialized), Welgo clipless pedals (I can include size 11 shoes), black aerobars. This very light, ultra fast bike is perfect for enthusiasts or people who just like excellent performance. Unfortunately the owner never had the time to appreciate it. The price new was $1400, so 695 is really a great deal since it's basically never been used.

The bicycle is clearly a decent road bike. I've ridden with a few folks on the same model, but newer. The newer 700's were mostly Shimano 105 stuff with a tripple crank. Sold for around $1000. I won't argue wether or not the bike is worth $695 to you, however, it's my opinion that paying 50% of the retail value for a bike that is most likely more than 5 years old is out of line with the market (at least in west Tennessee).

I have a '99 Raleigh R600. Great bike! :beer:
Has all 105 components and 9 speed cassette cluster.
Try to get the guy to come down on the price.