Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
But, spend a few minutes making sure the fit is right first.
I found a great deal on a bike on-line, but spent between 5 and 10 minutes checking frame measurements carefully to make sure that the fit was right.
Then bought it immediately after I was certain that it would only need a new stem.
Am very happy with that bike. But if it did not fit well, would not have been very happy.
..well..I'm assuming a person has some idea of what bike size fits them. Perhaps that was too much of a stretch.
If it looks like it'll fit, or come close, then it comes down to taking a chance by buying it, possibly have a winner, or sell if for +$300 if it doesn't. While I (personally) don't offer much love to flippers, a calculated risk on a personal rider is worth the effort. Can't win if you don't play and you can't gain first hand experience theoretically. If a bike looks like it might fit, the only way to know is to get on it and ride it..preferably more than 5 minutes and two blocks.
The key point, which is fairly obvious, is don't find a great deal and then post a thread for a couple days asking whether it's a good bike. By the time the dust settles here, the "great deal" is a rather academic exercise. If it's a private sale..then there's all kinds of time to research things.