robb.

currently i have a 1997 giant kronos GS. it is too small for me (56cm, reach is way too short) and will be retired to town usage (probably converted to a fixie). i have 105 pedals on it that i bought NIB last year, and they were probably 2009 model.

i have been looking at getting another cheap used bike that fits better and is of higher performance. my majority use is for triathlons and solo fitness rides. i'm not interested in a tri bike yet. i've read the reports about how aero bars make the biggest difference in speed, and i'm not doing long enough races (or going nearly fast enough) to worry about the effects of proper aero positioning on my run times. there is also a strong probability that this will be used for more than just solo work, so at least mentally, i need something more versatile.

so i'm looking at used bikes in my area, and this is what i've come up with:

one of the bikes i came across was a 1999 bianchi alloro (57cm or 59cm, not sure). it has 9speed ultegra components, aluminum frame (celeste paint), and felt much more comfortably sized (especially. asking $500, needs some TLC.

another is a 2005 cannondale R900 (56cm). from what i have read on here, though, at 6' 210 i'm probably asking for problems with the wheelset. veloce gruppo is a matter of taste. respect for the CAAD-8 frame around here high. asking $900, which seems expensive.

a third option is to build up a 2001 trek 1000 frame i acquired from a friend at work. i'm not sure of the size, but he and i are the same height and similar build, so it should be close enough. it has a fork, seatpost and saddle, and handlebars and the front derailleur and sora flight deck levers. it might have brakes on it, too. so i'd need BB, crankset, cassette, wheelset, rear derailleur. though it still has some of the cables, it will probably need new. i've been looking for the rest of the parts, but it makes my head swim. i just don't have that much experience with bikes to know if what i'm looking at will work and if it's a good deal. at most bike shops the recommendation is to buy a new low-end road bike.

my question is, if you were faced with these three options, what would you do? right now i'm leaning towards the bianchi. it will probably be the cheapest (and best) option. any thoughts or advice you can provide would be greatly helpful.

thanks.

robb.

55/Rad

I'd keep looking.

The Alloro is probably the best deal but may not be the best bike for you, though size wise, it seems close. Certainly worth a second look. The R900 is a very good bike but it may be too small and the price is not that great. The Trek would only be a short term fix.

55/Rad

Dan The Man

Narrow down what you want price wise and set up an RSS feed of all of those results from the craigslists, kijijis, gear swaps, and other websites to your email morning. If there is a good deal out there, it won't last long.

Bikepedia is your friend. A lot of ads don't list model or year, so it's hard to tell what you are buying from the one blurry photo. A good deal might not be apparent if you don't have all the info. The more information you have, the better off you are.

Get an idea of what kind of rider the seller is. Did they buy it new and just ride it on nice weekends, daily commuter (rain and bad conditions can put a lot of wear on bikes) or are they a professional bike flipper that's turning a profit? Usually you don't even need to ask, a quick conversation gives you an idea about what the seller knows about the bike and what kind of person they are.

Give the bike a good look over. Check for loose or rough bearings in all of the rotating parts. Check the chain stretch with a rule. Check that the shifters and brakes work. Often times used bikes means broken shifting. If they are simple fixes, they often devalue the bike for people who don't know how to adjust derailleurs. Check for dents or bends in the frame. Gouges and scrapes on the shifters and handlebar tape are a sure sign of a crash.

Oh, and make sure you get a frame that fits.

robb.

thanks. i have been considering going back with my pedals to take the bianchi out for a spin. i did not cycle through the gears, but the brakes do function. part of the TLC is new cables for the brakes and shifters.

i assume you suggest i keep looking partly because it is an older bike that requires more knowledge to keep it in operation. what are the key items i should be looking for? how do i assess best fit in a limited market? even better question: how do i asses a good fit at all? since the giant was my first road bike, i have no idea what constitutes a good fit. how do i know what to look for?

thanks.

robb.

robb.

i got a PM related to this thread, but i can't reply because i don't have enough posts. you can send an email through my profile or leave me a member message until i hit the magic number.

thanks.

robb.

himespau 

If you don't want to have a full time tri bike but want to go aero part of the time, they do make clip on aero bars for just that purpose.

robb.

thank you, himespau. that is my plan. i missed out on a dura ace specialized allez from 2003-ish that had clip on aero bars. i'm really excited to try riding aero. i've never done it, but it sure would've been nice after getting out of the water in the one olympic length tri i've ever done. i swam relatively fast and my arms were TIRED.

robb.

eippo1

I had the 1999 Alloro in celeste and loved that bike. Sold it for $500 about 2 years ago. i actually think the buyer was in michigan, funny enough. It is a good bike, but see if you can get a better price. My Alloro was in pristine condition with only a couple paint chips and upgraded wheels (Mavic Cosmic Elites, which are similar to Aksium wheels).

Carbon Unit

If you are buying used a few things to think about. One of the bikes you are considering is a 2001 model. I bought a used 2001 bike and didn't know that most bikes built then had a 1" fork. At hough there is nothing wrong with them they are less common than a 1 1/8" fork. It just so happened that the fork on my used 2001 bike had a cracked fork and needed replacing. In the early days a carbon fork would have a steel steering post and they weren't very reliable. That problem has been fixed on the newer forks that are now all carbon. Also, bikes from the 90s might have Italian threads in the bottom bracket. Most everyone is using English treads now.

If you do buy used, check for cracks in the paint this could mean there are cracks in the carbon fiber, assuming you are buying a carbon bike.

My second used bike was a 2004 model and I will keep it forever. It looks new and has been a great bike.

robb.

CU -- thanks for that advice. i hadn't considered that older carbon might have subtle issues, but it seems pretty obvious now that you've pointed it out. the other thing i learned from my 1997 giant kronos GS is that bike technology changes quickly. what was good ten years ago is probably incompatible with what is available today. so i'm unsurprised to hear that it's not just 9-speed ultegra that is not up to date, but also the fork sizing and perhaps the BB. those are all good details to be aware of.

i added another option to my list, and it seems the most promising thus far. it is a 58cm felt S32 (2006 judging by the color) for $800. that is in the budget and has more modern components. pending response from the seller, that is top on my list.

robb.

55/Rad

All aluminum, TT specific frame with mixed components. I had one pass through a year or so ago. Nice looking bike...though I never rode it. I did notice it had a 1" headset, which means it has a 1" steer tube on the fork.

For $800, it better be in pristine condition.

robb.

i confirmed it's a 2006, so it has mixed DA/ultegra/105 components. it sold for $1,400 new, so i agree $800 is a little high. seller claims it has only 500 miles on it. the pictures certainly look clean, but that is easier to determine in person. there are some scratches on one of the pedals and a little piece out of the arm pad that the seller claims was from not clipping out soon enough.

since this is the second time a 1" steer tube has come up, is there a material difference in performance between 1" and 1-1/8" or is it just a size incompatibility?

thanks, again. this advice has been very helpful in determining what i should be looking for in a bike. it's like a bit of a shortcut to personal experience.

robb.

robb.

i rode the S32 and really liked the feel of an aero position, so i have been more aggressive in looking for tri geometry. i waffled on the S32 just long enough for someone else to buy it. but now i'm looking at a 2007 orbea ora. asking $1599, but i plan on offering $1200. i am also looking at a 2007 cannondale six13, asking $1,500. i'm definitley leaning towards the orbea. thoughts?

robb.