Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Quick feedback re. C400 Hybrid (?)

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RandoneeRider
08-19-11, 08:21 AM
I absolutely LOVE my Randonee road bike, especially after upgrading a size and dialing in my Brooks Imperial. But for some inexplicable reason, I wanna second bike. I looked at a really ghey Felt "Royal Flush" 3 spd. cruiser yesterday, and woulda stuck a Brooks sprung saddle on it after repainting it's gaudy chrome yellow.... but he wouldn't budge on his price $275.

So late last night I found a Raleigh C400 Hybrid 21 spd in a size that might fit my 24" inseam. Though I find suspension nothing more than novel, and maybe too anemic for my 200+ lb's..... the bike with an asking price of $198 seems affordable.
- BUT -
I am easily impressed by the "Raleigh" designer-name, and don't have a trained eye for 'cheap' (as in quality, or lack thereof).....

Can anybody offer me some feedback about this particular bike, before I rush out and make an impulse purchase of an Electra Hello Kitty cruiser instead?

ill.clyde
08-19-11, 08:24 AM
Save up and get a better bike :)
RandoneeRider
08-19-11, 09:26 AM
ill.clyde,

Short and to the point.....,
thanks
(as he reaches for the printed out ad, crumples it, and throws it into the bin)

-= Pat =-

ill.clyde
08-19-11, 09:39 AM
sorry ... didn't mean to sound abrupt ...

I just don't see much value in buying something you're not sure about ;) from the tone of your post it seemed like a possible "impulse" buy and ultimately, I think you would have been unhappy.

Give it some thought ... as to what you REALLY want in a second bike. Then proceed :)
goldfinch
08-19-11, 10:12 AM
Call up the owner and try it out. What is to lose?
RandoneeRider
08-19-11, 10:21 AM
I tell ya what's in the back of my mind......

REI accepted my original Randonee back as a straight-across trade for one size larger. My kinda well used ugly green & scratched original Randonee may be put out in their "garage sale" in a month or three..... and sold for a mere pittance.

If in fact it's gonna be a steal-of-a-deal, and if I can snatch it up before somebody else does, I will! I would have to buy a set-back seat post, I want to put a sprung Brooks on it, and then I wanna change out the handlebars to those of a wannabe hybrid. It'll cost me some money to change out the brake/shift levers (or maybe I can go ghetto and simply flip the drop-downs upside-down). Then I can use the tires to replace my worn out tires on the road bike, and put some fatter more comfortable tires on the designated around-town hybrid.