TGabe15

Hi,

So I found this 1989 Trek 1000 on the local CL.



Its listed at $250. Has Suntour Blaze and Shimano Exage components... But new Vittoria tires/tubes and a Prologo saddle. Missing brake hoods, which aren't too expensive to replace anyway.

I got the seller down to $180 and will be meeting up in a few days. I'm a total bike newbie, so just want some second opinions if this is a good deal. I want an OK bike for commuting to school without spending too much money.

Thanks!

fettsvenska 

As long as that bike doesn't need a whole lot of work or refurbishing, I would consider $180 a pretty darn good deal. At that price I think that you would get your money out of it again if you ever decide you want to upgrade or anything like that.

TGabe15

I'm a college student, so I can't afford anything more than $200 or so... and I don't think I will be able to find anything better at this price. I guess if anything were too break down it wouldn't be too much of an investment to replace any parts.

fettsvenska 

Just make sure it fits

TGabe15

There's also this 1993 Cannondale R800 with 105 components I was looking at. It doesn't have a rear tire, but for $150 that's not a big deal.



I'm about 6' tall, they're both 56 cm. I'm not sure what my size is but I think that'll do.

Steve Whitlatch 

If the Shifters work the C dale is a very good deal as well but looks like it might need an overhaul and two tires. The Trek looks ready to ride.

oddjob2

Nice value, but the Cannondale is too racy to be a decent commuter. Limited room for wider rubber, erect frame geometry, no rack brazeons.

Too bad the OP isn't schooled in bike maintenance, otherwise he could buy both, fix the Cannondale up and resell it to pay for the Trek.

TGabe15

Yeah that's what I was thinking, I don't have enough experience with fixing bikes for the Cannondale. It'd probably be better to go with the Trek.

Thanks for the feedback.

Steve Whitlatch 

Yeah there is money to be made off of that Cannondale. It may need a new set of wheels though. I would be looking at it to flip if it was near me.

oddjob2

Waco or Austin, Tx

RoadGuy

The Dale is a better deal, if you are looking for a an aggressive ride. The Trek will make a more comfortable commuter bike for most people. Dale have a reputation for a tight, hard ride. I can't be positive by looking at the photos (I'm not a Cannondale Expert), but frame on the Dale looks to be at least 58cm or 60cm, while the Trek looks to be about a 56cm.

The Dale being a newer, more deluxe model than the Trek (which has downtube shifters), has Brifters (integrated brake and shifter levers). Many newer/younger riders prefer Brifters to the older style downtube shifter, stem shifters and barend shifters. Brifters are more temperamental, more expensive, more maintenance intensive, and will not last as long as any other type of road shifter. If there are monetary or budget constrictions, you should consider the fact that a used set of brifters can easily cost ($150-$250) you more than you are planning on spending on this bike. In contrast, if downtube shifters, barends, and stem shifters need replacement (doubtful) the cost will be $20-$50.

The Suntour Blaze components on the Trek but it at a disadvantage to the Dale. The Suntour components are no-longer supported, since Suntour (as it was) went out of business in about 1993. The only source for replacement parts are used parts bins bike stores and eBay. The Shimano Exage components are of decent quality, and higher quality Shimano components can be bolted right up of necessary or desired, and they are available everywhere.

The frame size can be translated into a standover height of 32" for the Trek, and either 33" or 34" for the Dale.

How tall are you, and what length pants do you wear? If the Trek 1000 is a 56cm figure about 32" for pants, and for the Dale, either 33" or 34" for the pants, depending on how big it turns out to be.

You need to go see both bikes to see how you will fit on them. When looking for a bike to ride, a bike that does not fit is not a bargain if it does not fit. You can stand over the bikes to get an idea of the fit, just remember that tires add about an inch of height to a bike when you are standing over the bikes since the tires are missing on the one bike.

Personally I bought a 88 Trek 1000 (DT 6-speeds, that I'm finishing up) for my oldest son to try road biking this year. I also bought a 90 Trek 1100 (DT shifters just upgraded to 8-speeds), 93 Trek 2300 (8-speed brifters), and a 97 Trek 1400 (7-speed brifters) this year to experiment with for myself.

If you can afford to experiment, buy both bikes, and try riding both of them to see which you prefer. You're going to notice that they have different personalities, and you might discover that you don't care for one or the other. Or, you might discover that you enjoy riding bikes with different personalities, and you keep both bikes. At the price you're paying, you will not lose money if you decide to sell after riding for a while.

If you're serious about buying one or both of these bikes, you should move to see them immediately. When you go to look at the bikes, carry cash and be ready to buy on the spot if they fit. Good deals will not last.

After inspecting and trying the fit, if the bike/s still look good, make an offer. If the bike has serious mechanical problems (like a dented, or cracked frame or loose joints) WALK AWAY, there are always more bikes out there. Odds are that the Seller has padded his asking price, because Buyers almost always make an offer that less than the Seller advertised the bike for. The Seller can accept whatever price he has in mind, when he's ready to sell. Remember, if you don't ask, you don't get.