bradyweb

I'm a very new rider and have been riding my cheap box store mountain bike on the paved trails. I am now riding 25-30 miles at a time and I love it! I really want to get a road bike now and I found this one one listed for $195. I've texted with the guy and plan on looking at it in the next couple of days. Obviously I'll try to get him down on the price but overall what are your thoughts? Is this a decent bike? I can't break the bank so that's why I'm going used. I've read that it's better to get a better older bike than a $169 new bike at Walmart. Thoughts? It won't let me post pictures yet so try copying and pasting the links below. Add http to the beginning.

://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af112/bradyweb1/00Z0Z_1f9stJLB59B_1200x900_zpspd7lgves.jpg

://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af112/bradyweb1/00y0y_af4wt6pE8RC_1200x900_zps2rzv748y.jpg

plonz 

Welcome to Bike Forums. Looks like a well maintained, ready to ride, Raleigh Technium. Nice bike that should be worth the $170-$200 range.

Only thing I'd point out is this is going have an old school shifting setup on the down tube. It may, or may not, be indexed and will be quite a bit different from the more modern style you're likely to get on a Walmart special. That would be the only potential compromise as this old Raleigh will be a better bike in every other category.

bradyweb

Thank you very much, plonz. I can see what you mean by the shifting being on the down tube, however I'm not sure what you mean by indexed. I'll look it up. But it's promising to hear it should be a better bike than a cheap new one. I think I will be able to go look at it tomorrow so I will give it a test run and see what I think about the shifting. Thanks again!

T-Mar

Tri-lite was actually a series of about five late 1980s , triathlon oriented models manufactured by Raleigh. Scott Tinley was hired to endorse them, after WSI had great success with their Dave Scott endorsed Centurion Ironman model.

The subject bicycle appears to be a 1987 model. It appears to have the white Dia-Compe Royal Compe brakeset, so the derailleurs should be SunTour Cyclone 7000 AccuShift. These are indexed, which means the levers click into each gear, without need to fine tune the lever position for smooth and quiet operation. At least, that's the way it works in theory.

Shimano popularized indexed shifting in the mid-1980s with their SIS and it quickly became dominant as it was the first and best system. Campagnolo and SunTour rushed their Syncro and AccuShift indexed shifting systems to market in response to the success of Shimano's SIS but they were not fully developed and the early versions could be finicky. What is on the bike should be first year AccuShift. Compatible replacement parts can be hard to find but you always have the option of running traditional, fiction shifting mode.

FYI, this model originally sold for $525 US in 1987. Assuming it is your proper size, is ready to ride and the AccuShift is in good working order, then the asking price is FMV but I'd offer $175.

bradyweb

Thank you for all the info! Fortunately the bike is 57cm which should be right on for me. I'm eager to go check it out. I think I will get over there later today. Thanks again!

oddjob2

You snooze, you lose, so hurry on down, ya hear?

Apparently, the seller lowered the price a few days ago. I wouldn't push the price too hard, the paint is perfect on the bike.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/bik/5999320202.html

bradyweb

You got it! Yeah, after seeing what I could buy new for $150-$200, I think even if I paid the full $195 I would still be way ahead with this bike. All assuming it's in the condition it appears to be in.

Kevindale

The ad lacks a clear side-view photo, but it I'm confused by the statement "Size: Full 105-57 cm". That doesn't look like a 57cm frame to me, but something much smaller:



The upside is that the "full 105" part may mean that it has Shimano 105 components, which I think would be a good thing. Take an set of Allen keys so you can adjust the seatpost (and make sure it's not seized), and make sure it fits. Looks like a very clean bike otherwise.

bradyweb

I appreciate the tip. I'll definitely check that the seat will adjust and give it a bit of a once over on the other fittings.

T-Mar

Yes, full 105 would be a very good thing but I have my doubts about it being full 105. Era correct would be Shimano New 105 and there was a Tri-Lite pro 105 that was so equipped. However, the brake levers are definitely Dia-Compe and the calipers look like the OEM Royal Compe. The headset isn't New 105. The rear derailleur appears to have the travel limit adjusting screws located under the parallelogram. Shimano SIS derailleurs locate theirs on the back of the upper pivot housing but the parellelogram location is standard for an AccuShift derailleur of the era. The rear derailleur also has a cage that is offset, below the parallelogram. This is also typical of SunTour Accushift of the era, whereas Shimano had the pivot on axis with the parallelogram. This rear derailleur appears the OEM SunTour Cyclone 7000. The only thing I see that might be New 105 are the shift levers.

Edit: Regarding size, the Technium tubes were oversize, so the frames will appear smaller than actual measurement. Also, the seller may be measuring C-T-T.

Kevindale

That all fits with the seller calling this a 57cm frame - I suspect it's being flipped by someone who doesn't know much about bikes, and is parroting what they've seen in other ads without really understanding it. Still, it seems like an appropriate price.

bradyweb

I went to see the bike and it was not 57cm as advertised. It was 54cm. I think that is at the very bottom of my wheelhouse. Everything looked good. All parts were clean and seemed in working order. The seat adjusted up and down with no problem. Gears shifted smooth and brakes worked. I bought the bike for $180. I would have preferred the 57cm but I figured if anything this will show me what a nice bike is like and in the meantime I will keep my eyes open for something slightly bigger. I'm just so ready to get off the Academy MTB. BTW, it's amazing how light this thing is. I think my MTB is 38lbs. I can about lift this thing with 1 finger

The only thing I'm unsure about it the tires. I just don't know enough about these 700c tires. They are Innova Tires. They look ok but that's all I know. Dumb questions, but do these have tubes? They have the different type presta valves that I'm not used to so I have to figure those out.

oddjob2

Yes it has tubes. You can buy shraeder valve adapters for about $1.50 or get a pump with convertible head.

What dimension are the 700c tires? 23 or 25 probably.

bradyweb

They are 23. I was finally able to use the air compressor that plugs into the car outlet and get the tires aired up and actually see the pressure. I do need to buy new adapters though. It just came with one plastic one that is pretty worn out.

merziac

I think you done real good, almost full Cyclone group alone would be tough to come by at all let alone in that good condition. Very cool bike and a very good starting point for C+V fun, good job!

bradyweb

Thank you! I can't wait to get out for a ride!

merziac

Make it so.

merziac

Also as far as tires, my vote is for Continental Gatorskins, tough, reliable, should be able to get them on sale for around $35 each. Get some help and figure out the biggest ones that fit and you will be good to go.

plonz 

Great find. That is a very clean Raleigh Technium and those Suntour Cyclone components are very nice.

You may find you can make the 54cm fit. I fit best on 59/60 but the bikes I'm fastest on are 56/57. Longer seatposts and a stem with more reach makes the smaller ones fit just fine.

DMC707 

That bike looks like a time machine back to 1987 - nice find

Clang

The tires look new. Don't worry about replacing them for a while.

bradyweb

I'm probably going to roll with the current tires just for right now. Soon I think I would prefer the 25 width. So far all I had to do was replace a tube.

I actually took it out for a ride this morning for the first time and it was such a different experience. It's so much lighter and so much faster...it's great! The only thing that really held me back was that it was really windy here. Even with that I was way faster and set plenty of personal bests on several segments. I'm looking forward to my next ride!