workingthrewit

Hello. I would appreciate if someone could give me an idea of what this Trek is worth. I know it depends on several factors, but could someone give me an idea, please? I would greatly appreciate it.

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/for/4982559501.html

Is the age of the carbon fiber going to be an issue for using it on local running trails? Sometimes you can get some bumps. I mostly use a road bike on the trails more than the road. Will it be able to handle hills okay?

zukahn1 

These retailed for $2600-2800 new considering age I would figure $700-1000 in very good used condition with no issues. This bike should be fine for regular riding on paved trails since this one has a compact triple it should have more than enough gearing for hills. There really shouldn't be any issues with the carbon on this one if there no damage.

Stucky

That's a really old one- one of the first years they made them- 50% of what it sold for new is TOO MUCH for a 20+ year-old bike- even the upgraded shifters are pretty old. First-generation lugged carbon is not that desirable. Really, you can get a much nicer bike/much better value for that kind of money. I'd think $500 would be too much for that bike; $850? In his dreams!

workingthrewit

Thanks for the replies, guys. Unfortunately, Stuckey, there aren't a lot of used options on CL where I live, if you look. It's not 20+ years old or 50% of its retail value, though. I wish I could find something good.

jwats

In smaller markets, it is harder to define a good value, because the choices are limited. So the choice becomes, "do I want to spend a few more $ for a bike that would be a good choice", or do I wait until a " better value" comes along? For example, assume you could buy this bike for $750..and a good buy would be $550...is it worth the time chasing craigslist ads and missing riding time to maybe save $220 for an equivalent bike? No right answer

Rollfast

It's worth whatever you decide to pay the seller, if they accept it.

The point being that you can contact the seller and chat, go see it and figure out it that suits you.

Just because you can get a million dollar gizmo for a buck wouldn't make it any less special or worthy, it means you got a bargain.

Likewise, it you bought a pile of rust for a million bucks because it was special to you and worth it...it was also a deal to you.

I think that if it's in great shape, and you are in it to ride it, then academics come into play after practicality, which isn't going to be determined unless you CHECK IT OUT.

Finally, I hear you saying you wish you could find NICER on CL...so you might already know your own answer. Of course, that's why we have a FOR SALE section here.

Since I'm not a road biker, but I'm a big fan of Trek and since it sounds like it has a nice package on it, have you considered trading here for the better equipment you want?

Stucky

It works the other way around, too. I live where there's essentially no road bike market either.....but I got a great deal on my Venge, because I was probably the only call the seller got. [He rejected my offer initially- but I called him back 2 weeks later, and then he took it]

Workingthrewit, that bike looks to be a '94 or '95, [HINT: It was converted from downtube shifters and quill stem] with slightly newer shifters (probably late 90's). How about adjacent CL markets? Like looking slightly out of your area on surrounding CL's? Drive a little further and maybe get a nicer bike with a better price. You can get a really nice used bike for $850- even a Klein! That's how I get most used items on CL- by looking at CL's in surrounding areas- often the seller will be willing to meet me part way. For some reason, there's never anything good on my local CL- bikes or otherwise! Too darn many cheapskates around here! All they buy is Walmart crap, and then try and sell it ten years later for what it cost new!

Don't be too anxious- $850 is a lot of money- be patient, and something as good but a LOT cheaper may come along; or something much better for the same money. Gotta be patient when buying used.

TugaDude

What lugs? Are you looking at the same bike?

khuon

BTW, this looks to be a 1999 model year 5200. The Trek 5200 is an OCLV bike. OCLV involves carbon lugs although later OCLV bikes began to use a three-piece sub-assembly construction method that is common practice today. Lugs aren't necessarily a bad thing if done properly and plenty of successful bikes used carbon-carbon lugged construction. It just is what it is. But the fact remains that Trek's OCLV bikes used lugged construction.

FastJake

Personally I think the price is too high. The combination of obsolete technology like a 1" quill stem with a modern carbon frame is weird these days. 9-speed Ultegra is not very desirable anymore. And those Rolf paired spoke wheels - it's been known for a while those aren't the best design. Overall, not a bad bike. But not terribly desirable either.

But I would sure love it if it's worth that much. Because that means I should be able to get significantly more for my 2003 Trek 5200 with full Dura Ace!

It's amazing how you can be so confident and yet wrong at the same time. This bike is nowhere NEAR "first generation." That would be the 1986 Trek 2500, with the carbon tube/aluminum lug construction I'm assuming you're referring to (completely different design than this bike.) Trek's first molded carbon frame, the 5000, came out in 1989 - ten years before this bike. Their first in-house OCLV frame came out in 1992.

Finally, a quick Bikepedia search confirms it's a 1999 Trek 5200T with the T meaning triple crank. MSRP was $2500. 1999 Trek 5200T - BikePedia

CliffordK

The Bicycle Bluebook puts it between $502 and $872.
1999 Trek 5200T - New and Used Bike Value

I'm not sure what kind of algorithm they use to set their prices. As others have mentioned, prices will vary somewhat from city to city.

I'm surprised KS City isn't a bigger market. Quite a few bikes show up with this search:
https://kansascity.craigslist.org/se...28carbon|cf%29

Around here, it seems as if there are very few road bikes worth over $500 on Craigslist, but they also don't move very quickly.

Stucky

Dude, '99's didn't come with downtube shifters (As this one did, as evidenced by the coinverters on the downtube); 99's didn't come with quill stems...as this one originally did, as evidenced by the quill stem converter. This an early 90's model- probably 93 or 94 at best, with a mish-mash of parts from the later 90's added at some point.

Don't get me wrong- I'm not saying it's a bad bike- just that it is seriously over-priced. The seller is either dreaming; doesn't have a clue; or bought it on Ebay being represented as a later model, and now is trying to get back what he paid for it. I wouldn't pay a dime over $350 for it. For $850, one can get a much nicer bike, that will hold it's value. I love old bikes...I ride a '97 Klein (Which is pristine, and came upgraded with Dura Ace) and THAT didn't even cost $850. The Trek is a decent bike...but there's nothing special about it which would make it worth $850.

Stucky

See below:

^Thank you.

(Only, as mentioned in my previous post, I'd take exception with it being a 99- as it originally had DY shifters and a quill stems...99's didn't. The wheels are likely from a late 90's; Not sure what era the brifters are- probably also late 90's)

FastJake

Wow, really? I'll post it again. CLICK THIS LINK: 1999 Trek 5200T - BikePedia

It's a 1999 Trek 5200T. The color scheme, graphics, components, and wheels match the Bikpedia link EXACTLY.

Stucky

You're right...it apparently is a '99. Doesn't add to the value though- I mean, what was up with TreK?! Looks like they basically took the frame they had been making all through the 90's, and just do a "conversion" on it. Pretty cheesy for a $2K bike.

bikemig 

That has not been my experience after living in a larger city with a hot market (Boston) and now living in a medium sized city (Des Moines) with a "tepid" market. Prices are higher in bigger cities (much higher often) than in smaller markets. Prices are very reasonable in medium sized cities and the availability is actually pretty good but you do have to be patient.

CliffordK

Convertable DT cable stops were a convenient place to mount barrel adjusters, and Shimano made indexed DT shifters up to 10s. I've been late jumping into Brifters, but the simplicity of DT shifters is still nice.

Stucky

Heh, I know. I'd prefer the bike if it had the DT's. I'm nit thrilled with brifters. I mean, they're O-K, but I like downtube shifters better.

workingthrewit

Thanks for all the replies.

People who are selling their bicycles are trying to maximize profit, so they act like they don't know the year when it's an older bicycle, act like they don't know what speed it is when it's something that is obsolete or undesirable, etc. They then proceed to tell you how much the wheels are going for on a "buy it now" on Ebay. LOL. I'm definitely not paying what he wants for the bicycle after my research and all of your replies. He said he would have to check what speed the bicycle was with "the person he is selling it for." Then, he calls me and talks about how he has been selling bicycles for 20 years and is quite knowledgeable about bicycles. He is full of it.

Also, I have searched all the keywords in the Kansas City area on CL. Seems like anyone with a decent bike wants way too much. I will have to look outside my area, I suppose. I will also check the marketplace here.

FastJake

For what it's worth, 1999 was the last year of the 1" quill stem on those bikes. In 2000 they switched to 1 1/8" threadless. I could be wrong but I seem to remember reading somewhere that 1" threaded was lighter. Not sure on that.

They continued to use down-tube shift lever bosses with barrel adjusters for several years. Right up until the Madone came out if I'm not mistaken. In my opinion the barrel adjuster setup was nice but probably a few grams heavier... Surly still uses this approach today with their Cross Check. It is indeed nice should you want to put down-tube shifters on the bike.

Stucky

The irony is: I prefer both downtube shifters and quill stems. I wish more modern bikes still employed those options. But if I were buying that 5200 in 1999 for two-grand, I'd think it was pretty cheesy that they just converted the old frames like that if they were switching to brifters. I mean, shoot, by 96 or 97, Klein had come out with frames specifically designed for the brifters, with the internal cable routing and everything. (I WISH my '97 Klein had downtube bosses though!!!!!!)

RoadGuy

Trek seems to have gone back and forth between threadless and threaded stems for a period. My 1993 Trek 2300 came with a threadless 1" stem, but the TREK 2300 made before (1992) and after it (1994) was made have 1" threaded stems.