Been lurking here and on the Road forum, with occasional side trips to Classic and Vintage and have decided that my first "re-entry" road bike will be a used one off eBay.

Yes, I'm forgoing the LBS fitting, forgoing the endless test riding. Frankly, all the bikes in my price range I've ridden differed very little. Perhaps, as one poster somewhere put it, you need several hundred miles at least in the saddle to be able to really recoginze the characteristics of bikes and form an opinion.

I know my height, standover, frame size, (equivalent to a level top tube 51 or 52cm, depending) and that I'm a bit long in the torso. So I'll need to futz with different stem lengths.

I figure just about *anything* will be an improvement on my Trek 7200! I'll keep that for MUP rides.

So I'm looking mostly at compact geometry bikes (that eliminates the various Bikes Direct/Sprtymama offerings I was tempted by) if for no other reason than that it's easier to swing my leg over. I've set an $800 maximum including shipping. Right now I'm bidding on an '04 Giant OCR2. A somewhat "laid back" bike like that might be my best bet for re-entry. And after several hundred miles maybe I'll have a clear idea of its strengths and weaknesses and better know what I want in my next bike. If I'm lucky, I won't want another bike. For awhile...

Stay tuned

Search for Giant OCR on this forum & you'll find several regular riders. Best of luck in your bidding & keep riding until the 'new' / 'old' one arrives on your doorstep!

Wise way to go. Your first bike will take a lot of sorting- whether it be a new or a not so new one. Problem is- once you have sorted the bike to you- although you have an idea of how you want the Next bike to be- You will be starting the sorting programme all over again on the new bike. Think this is why most of us have more than one bike. Its not that we are greedy- or have more money than sense- its just that the old sorted bike -fits.

Couple of makes that you cannot go wrong with- and Giant is one of them. You don't need a local agent for them either as if you have to resort to an LBS- they are a conventional bike with conventional parts.

Good luck with the bids. You know it may not matter all that much what you jump back in with... as long as you're jumping back in!

+1 with Stapfam. I've "moved on" from one bike to another. But I can never part with the old "transitional bikes". I still have 'em all. It so happens that while you're waiting for the next bike, you add a new stem here, a better saddle there, etc. until you've got that transitional bike where you want it and have it set-up "just right". A newer, seemingly better bike comes to your garage....and you start the personalizing, tweaking thing all over again. Having more than one bike is useful and good for riding variety...although more expensive in maintenance...because soon enough you'll be tweaking 4 bikes instead of one.

Reminds me of the guy who keeps the plates spinning on that table top.

Sounds like you've done a lot of research and have an action plan. Good luck with your search, hope you find that special bike.

It's mine! Albeit not exactly on the cheap:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

I guess the accessories and upgraded(?) wheels/pedals make up for the almost-as-much-as-new price.

Can't wait till I show the other kids!

Sweet looking ride. We want a full report of our first. Congrats on your new best friend!