rooibos1986

So I'm going to look at and possibly buy a bike tomorrow. Owner has sent me a few pictures, but doesn't know the year/model. And they aren't willing to dig into it too much. It seems a pretty good price, so I'm not wanting to bug them too much. Can you experts help me identify it so I know a bit more going into things tomorrow?

And what you think bike is worth would also help

EastTNrider

Not sure of the model but it's most likely painted right there in the top tube. Judging by the style and those Cosmic wheels I'd say maybe 2002-2004 or so

hamster

2002 Felt F45R - BikePedia

EastTNrider

^^Well there ya go !

rooibos1986

You guys are amazing. Thank you! Curious as to your thoughts on the worth. Owner says ridden very little and always kept dry. Should the fact that it is twelve years old count against it? Well i guess it definitely does, but how much?

a1penguin

I still enjoy riding my 2003 Trek. If it's clean, rust free and rides well, buy it if the price is fair. Are the tires in good condition or dry rotted? You might use that as a bargaining point. How much are they asking for the bike? I'd say it might be worth $400-500 in excellent shape. I could not find any of these on ebay.

rooibos1986

Yes, I checked as well. Almost nowhere do I see them selling. Good and bad sign I guess. Asking 350. They seem firm on the price. Maybe would take less - $50 would probably be pushing it.

a1penguin

I think $350 would be a good price for that bike. Not sure where you live, but a coworker bought a real beater for $200.

rooibos1986

Thanks. So they bought a beater on purpose? Or got scammed for $200?

a1penguin

Bike availability. In the bay area, the good bikes get snapped up quickly. He rode the bike to work and didn't have to worry about anyone stealing it. The bar tape was yellow and very dirty, but in good condition otherwise. The seat had a tear in it. He was happy with bike overall.

That Felt looks very clean: derailleur and chain have no signs of rust that I can see. The seat looks pretty clean which also would indicate the bike is not high miles.

I don't know what used bikes on craigslist look like in your area, but I don't think you'll find a better road bike for $350. And that could be a sweet ride!

If it fits :-)

hamster

Somewhat off-topic: does anyone know/think that the MSRP in the bikepedia link is accurate? $1060 for an alloy bike with full Ultegra sounds suspiciously cheap to me.

EastTNrider

I was thinking the same thing when I looked it up

rooibos1986

Thanks All. Any drawbacks to buying a really old carbon frame like that? I guess what I'm wondering is if it's bad for a bike to sit for 10 years with little or no use? Or does it just mean it wasn't used and is generally as good as when it was bought?

dtrain

Check the brake tracks and true of the wheels, and the functioning of the STI's. That's a solid deal if the condition and fit are good. Not a 'really old' frame at all. Sure there have been advancements, but unless that's been trashed it'll serve you well.

rooibos1986

Thanks. So as far as checking if a wheel is true and brakes tracks are OK - at least for what I'd be able to do there. Is it pretty much that nothing is visibly bent and that the brakes don't hit the wheel as it spins? Tires I'm guessing I'd be looking to see if anything looks cracked or very dry?

dtrain

Yes, you should give the wheels a spin. They should feel smooth and spin for some time. Eyeball the rim as it passes the brakes...shouldn't wobble side-to-side too much. Also, concave wear/grooves in the rim's brake surface indicate heavy usage. They should feel flush, if that makes sense. The shifting will likely be a touch off and that's okay. But you want to make sure the basic functionality of the shifters and derailleurs are there. Tires and tubes are FAR easier to replace than shifters, derailleurs, and rims/wheelsets.

rooibos1986

This really helps. Thanks.

justkeepedaling

There's also a ton of bike availability, though. I've made numerous successful deals in the Bay on craigslist

hamster

It's not a carbon frame, it's aluminum. It'll need a refresher of lubrication all over and there may be signs of rust on steel surfaces (e.g. bolts), but these are for the most part cosmetic.