Road Cycling - Looking for a cheap ($500?) road bike.

Hello everyone,
I have been riding 6-7 months now and have put about 1500 miles on my Specialized Hardrock since then. About half of that is on the trail and half is around town and to school. I plan on doing a lot more riding on the trail this year and I am finding myself spending money turning my mountain bike into a road bike. The campus commuting bike and road bike are somewhat opposites for me.

Anyway, I am in college and don't have thousands to spend on a bike. I want to get in some longer rides like the TOSRV in Columbus, OH, 200 miles over 2 days. Does anyone have any reccomendations for a $500 bike? I could go a bit higher, but $750 including accessories, tax, etc will be about the max I can justify. I am looking for something that will last a few years and a decent frame and can upgrade components over the next few years.

By the way, I am 5'10 and ~165 pounds if that affects a recomendation.

Thanks,
Brian

From my short experience as a new rider looking for cheaper bikes, I suggest Ebay. If you do a search on Lemond Tourmalet, Specialized Allez, and Trek 2300, and other similar bikes, and have it email you daily (by using "add to favorites"), you can keep an eye on good deals that emerge. Have a maximum price that you are willing to pay for a bike that you see and want to buy, and put that bid in at the last minute before the auction ends. Don't get sucked into the bidding up game -- stick to your maximum price. Don't worry about not getting that particular bike, there will *always* be good deals that you will be happy with.

Also check out craigslist.org in several cities and the bikes for sale section. There are some good deals there too. With all of these, be careful about who you trust, and verify feedback, call and talk, etc. Paypal with credit card only, I would say. But you can get a very good deal this way.

From my short experience as a new rider looking for cheaper bikes, I suggest Ebay. If you do a search on Lemond Tourmalet, Specialized Allez, and Trek 2300, and other similar bikes, and have it email you daily (by using "add to favorites"), you can keep an eye on good deals that emerge. Have a maximum price that you are willing to pay for a bike that you see and want to buy, and put that bid in at the last minute before the auction ends. Don't get sucked into the bidding up game -- stick to your maximum price. Don't worry about not getting that particular bike, there will *always* be good deals that you will be happy with.

Also check out craigslist.org in several cities and the bikes for sale section. There are some good deals there too. With all of these, be careful about who you trust, and verify feedback, call and talk, etc. Paypal with credit card only, I would say. But you can get a very good deal this way.


Good advise...just use common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, check the seller out real good before you bid. One thing you can do is e mail the seller and ask some questions about the bike. See if they know anything at all about bikes or if they are just blowing smoke. I busted a fraud ring by checking on a SS that was worth about $3000 that the guy was willing to end the auction and sell to me for $950. I truly think he didn't even have the bike at all. He didn't know anything about bikies either.

Good Luck

Please see this thread that I started a few weeks ago;

thread here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=42519)

This has been a good bike for me so far. I will upgrade the tires at least and maybe the wheels. I also swapped out the seat.

I think it's a very good value ... that's why I'm recommending it.

-mark

Please see this thread that I started a few weeks ago;

thread here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=42519)

This has been a good bike for me so far. I will upgrade the tires at least and maybe the wheels. I also swapped out the seat.

I think it's a very good value ... that's why I'm recommending it.

-mark

Thanks, I read your thread when you posted it. It looks like a great value for what you paid. I have never seen a store carry Tommaso, were you able to see it in person and make sure it fit you before you bought it?

As someone currently in the market to buy my first road bike, I would never consider looking for my first bike on ebay. How can I verify fit and function of a bike by some little picture? Worrying about getting the right bike is bad enough; I don't need the added worry of getting ripped off as well. IMO I think an LBS is a better place to start.

Thanks, I read your thread when you posted it. It looks like a great value for what you paid. I have never seen a store carry Tommaso, were you able to see it in person and make sure it fit you before you bought it?

Tommaso is mail order only ... see an explaination in this thread;

thread 1 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=43122)

and in this thread

thread 2 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=43166)

look for my posts in both instance.

Bottom line ... it's a compact frame which means that fit is less dependent upon the size of the frame (although it's obviously important) and more dependent upon the final fit and adjustment.

Regardless of how you purchase, get fitted by your LBS ... it'll be the most important $50 of your $550 investment.

-mark

Here is the bike I bought around Thanksgiving for $499 plus $35 shipping. I have over 500 miles on it so far.

http://www.ibexbikes.com/Bikes/2003/bikes_03CorridaLT.html

I just checked and they were out of the 54 cm size. all thay have left is the 51 cm and the 57 cm. There is a sizing chart on the web site. These are the 2003 models.

bought a Tomasso ACF-1 for $750 onlione from getawaybikes.com. they were great about answering a dozen questions before and after sale. I had lengthy discussion with rep about fit. Took three trys to get the seat just right but I'm pretty happy now.

I would also recommend eBay. I got myself an almost like new '89-'90 Specialized Allez Epic Carbon last October with full Shimano 600 double 7 speed groupo for $150. I mean, this was a pro caliber bike at the time with a full carbon frame. I since upgraded it with a Shimano Ultegra Triple 9 speed groupo including STI shifters and Mavic Open Pro wheels. These parts were either bought new or like new on eBay or at online dealers. After selling the old Shimano 600 components and old wheels on eBay my final cost for the bike was less than $350.
So look at what's available on eBay, don't rush, get information about the bikes you see, and take advantage of some of the good deals there.

bought a Tomasso ACF-1 for $750 onlione from getawaybikes.com. they were great about answering a dozen questions before and after sale. I had lengthy discussion with rep about fit. Took three trys to get the seat just right but I'm pretty happy now.

It's a pretty nice frame isn't it. I have the AS1 (which is the exact frame minus the carbon stays) and couldn't be happier.

-mark