General Cycling Discussion - I need advice fast

I have a chance to buy a Serroto Classic TI (titanium)with ultegra drivetrain and carbon fiber rims and fork in very good but slightly dirty condition for $500. I believe they do not know fully what they have as this is a pawn shop and sat in their storage room for three months. No it is not stolen, the police check pawn shops here. The rims are straight and the frame is my size. What do you veteran cyclist think?

If you mean a Serotta Classique, then you have a bike hat's 2 years old, or so, and well worth $500. If I'm not mistaken, the Classique, equipped with Ultegra, sold for something in the $2300 price range. Assuming the frame is in good shape -- check, but Ti frames tend to age rather well -- and the problems are cosmetic [you said it was dirty] rather than mechanical, then I'd say $500 is a steal.

The important thing is that it fits... and even if it doesn't, you can probably clean it up and sell it for twice as much.

Diamondback,
Checking roadbikereview.com, prices paid for Classique w/Ultegra or Chorus ranged from $1700-2500 and rating were pretty much 5 out of 5. Sounds like a deal.
Regards,
Raymond

Thanks, that's a lot of money for me right now but for a dream bike I'll do it. I'll give it a good once over and test ride after work.

Make sure it fits you well, and check the carbon fiber parts carefully for cracks. Otherwise, it sounds like a good deal.

Sounds like the Pawn shop guy knows nothing of cycling! It also sounds like the deal of a century! and/or, the bike is hot, I'd check the serial # and call some of the local bike shops to see if any have been reported stolen!

That is a good deal, but, if you can haggle for a much lower price, you don't lose anything and when you do haggle for a much lower price, show him the temptation (I mean the money) I bet you He can't resist the chance to sell the bike

I agree with the last person.. If you have the cash.. take $450 or so cash.. Go to the guy at the pawn shop.. say I have $450 on me right now.. You'll probably get it for that.. Pawn shops are known to haggle and they love cash..

Offer him $350, cash. Show the cash. When he starts to balk, pick up the cash, say "Well, that's all I got. See ya later!", and start walking toward the door.

Ok It came to $500 out the door. carbon wheels, Ultegra drivetrain, carbon fork. I spent an entire day cleaning it, needs fresh cork on the bars, could use some new brake pads. I'm still getting use to the clip pedal thing, I've fallen over three times. The last time my dog ran in front of the bike in the driveway, I don't plan on falling again I've been practicing. I use it for hill work everyday, a great climber even though my cheaper bikes have lower gearing, this one takles hills I wouldn't even think about with them.

Hi Diamondback!

I'm really pleased you got this bargain!! Serrotta make gorgeous bikes, and I think you got yourself a great deal.

Have fun out there

Rich :)

Keep in mind that you need special cork pads for carbon wheels. If you put regular pads on carbon rims, they will wear through in very short order. Carbon fiber makes very poor training wheels, so your next purchase should be a set of decent training wheels with metal rims.