Originally Posted by
tjj1089
So I am new into cycling and bought a basemodel 2015 I believe, Specialized Allez E5 off Craigslist. I got a great deal because the rear wheel is out of true. Bike rides alright but you can tell that the wheel is not true. It is not rubbing on the brake or frame but to my lay opinion I'm not sure that it can be salvaged. It is a Axis Classic 622x16. I would like to buy something fairly reasonable as this is a base model road bike and just want to get out and enjoy it.
Any advice would be great!
Thanks in advance!!
Where are you located? Craigslist invariably has some decent 700c wheels available at reasonable prices because that's where people sell their stock wheels when they upgrade to high end wheel sets. In most markets, you can find a perfectly good 2nd hand rear wheel for $25 to $50. I just bought a good older wheelset (Shimano tricolor hubs, Campagnolo Omega rims) - front and rear, with a nearly new 8 speed cassette and two nearly brand new good tires, for a total of $60 for the two wheels, with cassette and rubber.
Also, is your current bike 9 speed, 10 speed, or 11 speed in the back? 8, 9 and 10 speed are compatible with each other, whereas most 11 speed is not, and good used 11 speed wheels are much harder to find at low prices than 10 speed or less wheels are.
Also, does your bike have rim brakes, or disc brakes? Disc brake compatible wheels will also be harder to find a good used cheap one.