Road Cycling - Help/Opinions ?

Hello guys,

I’m looking to buy a road bike and have been looking for something like a Specialized Allez or a Trek 1000 so I can get started and see how deep I will get into it. Now those bikes will run me at around $550-$600 and I really don’t want to spend much more than this BUT my LBS showed me a used bike that they have is a GT ZR2.0 with Carbon Fork, full Ultrega, Mavic cosmo wheels(I now wheels are mavic not too sure if cosmo is right) Selle saddle and I think it will fit pretty good with minor adjustments. They told me is a 2002 but after few searches on the web I can only find them until 2001 and they are asking $800 for it…… Now what do you guys think? Will it be worth it for $800 or can I get something else equal or better for that price? or should I stick with the Allez or Trek 1000 for now?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

JLR

It sounds to me like you're already dissatisfied with entry level. If your budget allows the jump to $1000, you open yourself up a lot of options. FWIW I'm not a GTfan.

even $800 will lend to some good stuff. If you're going entry level try to stay away from sora stuff, its really bad.

If you buy a bike for under $1000.00 one of two things will happen.
1. You will replace the bike within a year
2. You will quit cycling

If you buy a bike for under $1000.00 one of two things will happen.
1. You will replace the bike within a year
2. You will quit cycling

Not if you go used. I was riding a ancient Fuji last fall as I started riding more and more. This Spring I found a Used 02 Lemond Toumalet for $450 on Ebay. I love it.

If the used GT fits you, go for it.

In roadbikes, fit is the most important factor... A $$$$ bike is nothing if it doesn't fit.

I bought an Allez sport ($750) a year and a half ago to give road cycling a go, and I love it. I have not felt the need to replace it at all. After about 3500 miles, all is still working well on the bike. I might upgrade the wheelset within the year to an open pro/ultegra handbuilt set up, but that would be more of a lust purchase than a purchase of necessity. I do not race, I just ride for fun/fitness and I commute by bike. This is just my experience, and you may find yourself wanting more after a year, but a tiagra/105 equipped bike is plenty of machine. Just don't start reading cycling magazines.

I absolutely disagree with Spazegun AND Marlin. There is nothing functionally wrong with Sora, and there is no need to spend huge sums of money on a new bike for it to be an enjoyable machine. Its about the ride, not how cool and top of the line your gear is. Ask the retro riders with less than 8 speed setups, no indexing, lugged steel frames, etc. They don't see the need to trade up every year. My Bianchi is 9 years old. It is a lugged steel frame with 8 speed Campy Mirage. Yup, an old school steel frame with the bottom of Campy's line (at the time). I have absolutely no plans to trade it in anytime soon. It still rides fine, and because it is maintained, everything works beautifully. Sora may be the bottom of the current Shimano stable, but it is still perfectly functional, and if you don't subject it to the abuses of the race course, should last a good long time. And I don't even like Shimano stuff.

Thanks guys for all the input. The used GT looked to be in very good shape and the component was pretty good. Obviously a new bike is a new bike but I think a good use bike should also be a good thing. I’m more than likely go tomorrow to the store check the bike top to bottom and make sure it fits right have them adjust it to me and try it in the store. Since you guys know about this more than I do what do you guys recommend me to look for on it?

Thanks again,
JLR