Opinion on buying this bike, need help ASAP plz!
08-31-11, 07:14 AM
#1
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Opinion on buying this bike, need help ASAP plz!
Hi Guys,
I wanted to know your opinion on this reconditioned bike:
Someone is selling it for 150, with a 30 day warranty. I will be using for commuting a short distance to school.
Thanks!
I wanted to know your opinion on this reconditioned bike:
Someone is selling it for 150, with a 30 day warranty. I will be using for commuting a short distance to school.
Thanks!
08-31-11, 07:49 AM
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Find out what the seller did to recondition the bike. I would expect the following:
New tires or tires in excellent condition
Drivetrain adjusted and shifting properly. Possibly new cables and housing. Look for rust where the cables enter the housing. Take a test ride and run through the gears.
New brake pads or pads showing little wear. Brakes properly adjusted. Possibly new cables and housing. Ideally, you should be able to skid to a stop.
Head set adjusted. No wobble in the handle bars.
Grips in good condition.
Wheels true. Spin the wheels and look for lateral movement at the break pads.
Hubs adjusted and repacked. Take the wheel off and check for play in the axle (there shouldn't be any). You won't easily be able to check if the hub has been repacked, but you can ask.
Little to no rust.
Seatpost is not stuck and can be tightened to not move. Loosen the seatpost bolt and see if you can move the post.
If the bike passes all these tests I'd say it is worth $150. If it passes most of them, and failures are not terrrible, probably still worth $150.
Paul
New tires or tires in excellent condition
Drivetrain adjusted and shifting properly. Possibly new cables and housing. Look for rust where the cables enter the housing. Take a test ride and run through the gears.
New brake pads or pads showing little wear. Brakes properly adjusted. Possibly new cables and housing. Ideally, you should be able to skid to a stop.
Head set adjusted. No wobble in the handle bars.
Grips in good condition.
Wheels true. Spin the wheels and look for lateral movement at the break pads.
Hubs adjusted and repacked. Take the wheel off and check for play in the axle (there shouldn't be any). You won't easily be able to check if the hub has been repacked, but you can ask.
Little to no rust.
Seatpost is not stuck and can be tightened to not move. Loosen the seatpost bolt and see if you can move the post.
If the bike passes all these tests I'd say it is worth $150. If it passes most of them, and failures are not terrrible, probably still worth $150.
Paul
08-31-11, 08:59 AM
#4
This bike is cat approved
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I am agreement with what Paul said. From what I can tell in the pics it looks like the bike is in pretty good shape and it seems like anyone that goes to the trouble of putting a tag on the bike and gives a warranty (pic could be better) probably went over it at least to some reasonable degree. Pluses for this bike include a rack mirror and it looks like there is a bell.
08-31-11, 09:12 AM
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make sure it fits you.
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Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),
