Schlenkerb

I had an Iron Horse Triumph 5.0 bike, 54cm. It was a 2007/2008 or so. Got that for $572 after tax on Amazon. Good fit and I liked it as my first road bike. Considered a decent deal at the time for an entry level bike. Stolen this week and I won't get it back.

Now, a similar bike seems to be about $1000+ from the big brands these days. (Trek, Cannondale, etc.) I've been wanting to upgrade, but upgrading and the bike being new is looking to be in the $1500 range for very modest upgrades. (Tiagra to 105; same everything else) Used, I can get ultegra and a carbon frame for <$1000. (Kestrel RT700, Ultegra, American Classic 420's) I'm wary of used bikes, but only because I am not an expert at buying them. I don't want to get a used bike that is at the same level of what I had. (The price difference between new and used at that level is also not so large)

Suggestions?

cannondale125

I can tell you this! Stay away from Kestrel!! I had to get rid of one a few weeks back because the derailleur hanger broke and they have no customer service. I emailed them and they responded go through your dealer we don't deal with the public. Well my dealer said we can't get it. So I had a carbon pos. just sharing my mishap with you.

gc3

I thought this was going to be a thread about post-divorce personal gratification...

cannondale125

Lol!! Me to!

BoSoxYacht

Wheels Manufacturing probably makes the hanger you need. Find a good LBS, and ask them to do some research. A small bribe like a 6-pack of craft beer will probably help to encourage them to to a little searching for a tiny part with almost zero profit for the shop.

A 6-pack doesn't cost much, but it's a nice little gift for the guy that goes on the wild goose chase.

cannondale125

i here ya there. Ya I tried them and a few others with no luck. I traded the frame and fork for a Ritchey carbon superlogic post and some fsa parts. Bars,stem and some cables. Lol!!

Long Tom

I just bought a Novara Strada from REI for $879 with their 20% member's coupon. Not sure if that's still going? It would have been $1099 otherwise.

105 shifters and deraileurs, aluminum frame, carbon fork. An absolute ton of frame clearance and long-reach brakes allow big tires. Eyelets for fenders and racks. A very versatile bike. Nice-looking, too.

BoSoxYacht

I've worked in the cycling industry for almost 30 years, and find it hard to believe(unless it's an old frame) that the hanger is unavailable. A Kestrel/Fuji dealer should have been able to get the part. I know you dumped the frame, but what model & year was the frame?

gc3

Now we know why you're so grouchy all the time....

cannondale125

hard dr to believe but do. I have a old kestrel dealer that ordered it and it came in wrong and he said that was it and I was wrong. Lol!! It was a 2006 kestrel Evoke.

BoSoxYacht

Schlenkerb

So...

dralways

Not bad specs on that guy. Stock 25s right, and it fits the 32s and fenders no problem? How's it feel going back to aluminum? Congrats on getting what you want (new buy syndrome I still think lol).

MinnMan

Iron Horse? I thought that was a big box store brand, like Huffy and "Schwinn"? Do they make anything worth north of $500? Alloy frame? what kind of drive train?

zymphad

For a $1000-1500 you can find some really nice bikes on Craigslist.
- People are always buying really really really nice bikes with the intent somehow they are were going to start riding, exercising, getting healthy and fit. And then they discover just because they bought the bike, they are still lazy, still fat and barely riding. So they sell the bike, practically brand new.

That's what I would do. Buy a bike from these lazy mofos who thought buying a 2K bike would magically make them more disciplined and motivated and ride. Craigslist is chalk full of them.

Schlenkerb

Tiagra front/rear/shifters, FSA crank (probably the lowest end you could get?), 6061 aluminum frame, carbon fork, ... never payed much attention to the other componentry. Amazon.com: Iron Horse Triumph 5.0 Adult Road Bike (54cm Frame): Sports & Outdoors They filed for bankruptcy in 2009, apparently. They were mostly a mountain bike company from what I gathered.

It was sora price for tiagra gear. It was nice.

Long Tom

I hope it's what I want. Seems like a good swing at the ol' piñata! But we'll see. We are definitely in the honeymoon period, me and this bike, as you point out.

Initial impression is that the frame is quite stiff and the ride is a bit sharp. That's on 25's though. The smallest tire I'm planning on using on it is a 28, and in summer 35's, and I'm thinking the bigger tires will smooth the ride anyway. So I have heard.

Like the 105. Like the frame & brake clearance. Like all the eyelets. Like how it looks. Loved the price. We'll see how it goes from here.

TheSame

My buddy bent his hanger on his Fuji. Dropped by Performance bike and just dug through a box of hangers until he found on that worked. They had tons for all sorts of bikes... didn't need to order.

rpenmanparker 

Hate to tell you this but wheels Manufacturing make a pants load of hangers. Not to mention others sellers. Surely one would have fit. Google is your friend!

Can you get the bike back? What happened to the parts? Nothing wrong with them I assume.

rpenmanparker 

I hope you didn't trade to the same dealer as couldn't get the right hanger. If so, sounds like he took you for a ride, and I don't mean on a bike.

rpenmanparker 

OP, Performance has 105 bikes on sale all the time under $1,000. Generally aluminum, of course. In store is your best bet.

cannondale125

Lol!! No to a friend that's gonna make it ss.

Schlenkerb

I'll look but I was hoping for a bigger step up than tiagra to 105 and that's why I looked at used. I'm not sure what you guys think of that bike I posted as to whether that kind of bike is a decent deal.