CraigB

Since I can't afford a new bike right now, I don't know why I'm scouring Craig's List, but I am. Yesterday I found a bike that caught my eye, but the closer I looked, the stranger it seemed. Tell me what you all think:

It's an '05 Trek Madone in my size (56), all carbon, and they're asking $1050. The ad says it's never been crashed and has always been stored indoors. Price aside, that's good info for starters, but the seller posted quite a few large pics and it seems that this "never crashed" bike has significant abrasions on the faces and outboard edges of both brifters, and even the rear wheel QR lever is heavily scratched up. OK, maybe it wasn't crashed, but it sure looks like it's been dumped a few times. The frame looks OK, though given the state of these other parts, I'd sure want to take a good, close look at it.

Then I looked at the other pics. This thing has Ultegra brakes and front derailleur, but the rear derailleur is Dur-Ace, and the crank is Tiagra. Weird, huh? Sort of a Frankenbike. My thinking is that this guy is not the first owner, and what he's saying may be true about his time with the bike, but not necessarily the original owner's.

Any comments?

MrClyde

It's ALIVE!

Yea, sounds like a bike put together with leftover or used parts, or a crash replacement frame with the old parts.

bautieri

I think I'd pass on it. Seems a bit over priced for a six year old bike. Local markets varry...but I don't think it's that great of a deal for an 05.

I don't think I would ever buy a used carbon bike, especially as a clyde.

rumrunn6

I'm shopping for a car. I had a conversation with a salesman yesterday. I told him I needed to settle on a particular vehicle first (brand and model). then I would look for the right individual car. I might suggest the same for you. decide what you want - then and only then start looking for it.

treebound 

Email and ask.
Could be a scam, or a lie, or as noted above a replacement frame with old parts.

Hard to inspect a C/F frame or fork.
I'm starting to think c/f parts are like rock climbing gear where if you're not the original owner then it's impossible to know the history or the part. Many climbers will not buy used gear, and I'm getting that way with c/f bikes. YMMV

Ps, I'm not a hard core rock climber but have taken a few lessons and have known some adept climbers. (Didn't want to misrepresent myself. )

Daspydyr 

The seller is hoping for a less experienced buyer than you. Its too bad we don't have some Kelly's Blue Book pricing guide for bikes. Frankenbikes are necessarily bad, but you have to know what you are looking at.

Wogster

Some bikes are built using a component group known as road mix, which could result in one part being DA with the rest Ultegra, although with a Tiagra crank, I don't think so. Given scratches and abrasions on some parts, I would say that it's been in a significant crash, or it's been in a collision. Not knowing which Madone, there were essentially 2 that year, the 5.2 which was all Ultegra, the and the 5.9 which was all DA. The 5.2 sold for $2,999 and the 5.9 for 5,499 bicycles are a little like cars, they lose about 40% value the first year, then less and less until they get to a settling point at about 15 years of age, where all bikes tend to be worth $200, unless they are something special, some will increase in value after due to speciality or rarety, the rest will stay around $200 for decades. Given that it's mostly Ultegra, it's probably a 5.2, so if we figure it was worth $3000 new, it would be worth about $2,000 at a year old, and $1500 a year later, $1050 is on the high side, $800 - $900 is probably a lot closer,and that's with the bike in similar to new, but slightly worn status. You will need to replace the brifters and crank to get them equal to what the bike should have, probikekit lists the Ultegra brifters for around $370, and the crank which would be optional is worth $160, plus $20 for the skewer, plus installation for $50 and your looking at a discount from the value of $600, so even at $900 the bike is worth maybe $300 as is.

There is a good possibility that the owner was involved in a crash and replaced the frame, putting the components he could on the frame, and replacing the others. Personally, I wouldn't trust used Carbon....

Daspydyr 

I picked up a nice CF Scott on the condition that I had two months to complete payment for the very reason that it was CF frame, seat post and bar. I had shops test it. The local REI actually had the best stressing tests to look for unusual bending under pressure.

Mr. Beanz

I have a buddy that bought a cf frame on ebay, sweet Specialized so he thought. Same claim, never been crashed. He received the frame only to find that one of the Specialized decals had been replaced, somewhat repainted around the area with a soft in the carbon (3 X 2) under the decal.

exile

Don't feel bad CraigB, I do the same thing. I even check craigslist from other areas. It's an addiction and we need help. However, Dr. Phil will not do a show about us.

CraigB

I forgot to mention that the closeup of the crankset also showed a couple of teeth that were broken, or at least severely worn.

I'm thinking the guy bought it second- (or third-) hand, and it was this way already. I refuse to believe someone who would buy a new bike that expensive, and put it through what it's clearly been through, would then advertise it for sale as "never crashed; stored indoors." And put such clearly incriminating photos in the ad, to boot. I think it's a newb who for some reason bit off more than he could chew when he bought it used, not understanding its condition.

At least that's the story I've concocted in my own mind.

ecovelo

Are you looking for CF? There are many options out there now in CF if that is what you are looking for.

I would say if your gut is suspicious... go with your gut. Many scammers out there trying to get back (part) of what they paid.

IMHO, CF was overpriced as recently as 07' - and that's when I succumbed to an "unbeatable deal", and purchased a previous years model Cannondale Synapse in my size! The purchase was "quasi" impulse - a combination of rewarding myself for riding more + plus a great deal on my favorite bike IN MY SIZE, within 100 miles of where I was on this particular day! The stars lined up you could say... The bike was beautiful, felt great on my short test ride, and I adored the looks of it hanging in my study, while I still (sparingly) rode my older bikes. I put <50 miles on it before I ended up selling it in 2009 (at a slight loss of course) to a woman who was training for a charity ride - it all seemed right. Basically, I just paid a couple hundred bucks to babysit a gorgeous bike till it got to it's rightful owner!

But my point (and I do have one) is that I think I was mesmerized by the allure of carbon; believed it would solve any and all discomfort/pain issues AND basically, I just let it sit, believing that when I was more fit I would then put all the miles on it I was originally intending. Bottom line though is... I'm just not a CF kinda rider.

Skip boring story above and jump to helpful information here: Like Bautieri mentioned, that price seems quite high for a used CF bike. Sounds like the seller is trying to collect off the "Madone" name and the mixed components do sound rather sketchy. There are so many CF options out there in todays market, and the prices have really come down. If you are really interested in a CF bike, (and since you have to wait a bit anyway), I would be more inclined to check out LBS inventory, test ride, and see if they have anything in stock that is last seasons model.... and or wait till end of season sales to begin. I personally would not buy "used" carbon fiber, unless you can find a seller who put <50 miles on a bike that otherwise has been hanging in their study

It is NOT a crime, nor an illness to continually be perusing the CL and/or EBay listings for bikes - at least that's what I keep telling myself * In fact, I believe it is the responsible consumer in you (and me) to keep an eye on the value of new and used bicycles!

* I have bikes to sell, and am finally happy with the bikes I have to ride - and I still scour bicycle postings!!

Good luck!

himespau 

I don't know, sounds like the ad should be flagged whether or not the seller is an intentional scammer.

motobecane69

you should link the ad here so we can take a look. I agree with everyone else, whether or not it's been crashed is one thing, but it's definately been pieced together.

bassjones

Craig B., is this on the Indy Craig's List?

bassjones

never mind... found it on there. The red, white and blue one in Castleton, right? Worse than a newbie who bit off more than he could chew, this guy has quite a few bikes for sale. He's the equivalent of a curbside automotive dealer. He's always asking premium prices too. That frame is gorgeous though. But lots of scratches on the brifters and Tiagra crank tell me that this bike as been down hard. Or it's something where he bought the frame and then threw on some components he had laying around, which is entirely possible given all the bikes and bike stuff he's always got for sale.

CraigB

That's the one.

bassjones

I'm always checking the Indy, Muncie, Lafayette and other reasonably close to Ft. Wayne Craig's list ads for 56cm bikes. There are two guys in Indy who always have bikes listed and they're both always asking premium prices for them. BTW, if you see one on the Ft. Wayne list you want me to check out for you, I'm more than happy to do it. I'm looking for one the same size for my daughter (5'10" at 12 and still growing...), but nowhere near that price range. There's one up right now - a CAAD9-6 - but the guy wants too much for it. We had talked about a straight trade for my Bike E, but he wanted me to throw in $150 and he was going to take off a bunch of the accessories. The bike was $750 new and he's asking over $800 for it because of the accessories, which is crazy. I might just sell him my Bike E outright, but he was only offering me $400 and won't come up off that... Tempting though, because there's not a huge demand for them and I could use the money to finish paying off my layaway.

Tom Stormcrowe

If you find something in Lafayette, I can directy look at it for you. I live here, remember. PM me if you find something. The right timing, and I could even run it up to the Fort if I'm going up to the lake for the weekend. It'd only be a bit out of the way, or we could meet at Wabash, or something.

jethro56 

bassjones: I was up in your area today. Had a buddy who's truck broke down in Miford Junction. Went up and got it with my trailer.

CraigB

For the curious, here's the ad in question.

himespau 

it is a pretty frame, but there's no way I'd trust it with that damage to the other parts.

Wogster

The original bars on that bike, were Bontrager Race X lite, so the fact that a different bar is on there, and the brifter levers are hacked up, I would say, whoever said it was never crashed, may not have been telling the truth..... There is also considerable wear on that Tiagra crank.

himespau 

and even the bars there look a bit roughed up. hopefully even the newbiest newb who goes there to buy that recognizes the issue.

bassjones

The more I look at it, the more I think it's a new(er) frame that he threw some parts on he had sitting around. Who would put a Tiagra crank on that bike, let alone with Ultegra and DA parts mix for the rest of the build? I would think that groupset would call for at least an Ultegra crank.