help in buying a used road bike
 

anyone have info on khs triathlon found here? second bike in the pictures.
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/i...hbc/?start=all

Also do you guys think $280 is too much for the road bikes posted on that photobucket?

Also is it true that the difference between centurion iron man dave scott and the iron man dave scott master was the components on the bikes? 105 on regular dave scott and 600 on dave scott master?


I have been scouring ebay and local CLs (los angeles/orange county/san diego) for about 2 months now. Looking on these sites everyday, and reading any reviews I can find about the bikes I see for sale. This is almost become an obsession. I spend about 3 hours a day looking through ebay and CL, and roadbikereview or bikeforums, and I'm a college student and should be studying. But i'm the type of person that when i have my mind focused on something, its hard for me to focus on other tasks till its done. After all this searching and comparing prices, I'm still not sure how much I should be spending on an old, used road bike.

I would like shimano 105 or 600 components. I would also like it to be a lightweight bike made in the 80s or 90s. I am looking to spend $350 max. I am also trying to get the best bang for my buck. I also want a quick, responsive ride, so no touring bikes, preferably road or triathlon bikes. What price range would you guys tell me to look at? I dont want to get duped buying a used bike for more than its worth. My friend said that if its used and from 90s, he wouldn't buy it if it was over $200. But then again he owns a 2006 $700 specialized allez and I dont think he realizes the appeal and life old school bikes still have.

Does it seem like I am being too picky? Am I spending too much money?

So far I have narrowed down to centurion dave scott (there are some listed in the photobucket and here: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/bik/895948886.html), cannondale r600 (http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/bik/896179760.html), and a trek 560 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=180300986707) that I am going to bid on tomorrow.

I hope to use the bike to ride for long distances (+40 miles) and to explore orange county with it.
Do you guys think old school aluminum bikes are too harsh for long distance? For example i've read cannondale r600 or raleigh technium trilite (also in the photobucket) are really harsh and can give you carpal tunnel.
I want to go fast on the bike. I do own a fixed gear that I ride everyday to school but sometimes I feel it is not fast enough, therefore the switch to gears.

What do you guys think is the best choice?

Also if you have owned any of the above bikes, could you please describe how the ride was on the bike, any pros, and more importantly cons. it would be very helpful. thanks. :)

You won't know for sure which bike to buy without riding it. That said, the one that catches my eye is the white with splatter Paramount for $300.

I prefer old steel over aluminum. I think you are somewhat limiting yourself by focusing on Shimano 105 or 600. SunTour's high end components were also very good in the mid 80s.

I think your friend is wrong about how much you should spend on older bikes. If you are spending about $250, then a mid-80s bike is a very good value compared with anything else you can buy in that price range. Local markets vary a lot so it is hard for most people elsewhere to comment specifically about what price is reasonable in your market. If you are spending hours every day looking at CL and ebay, then you should know your local market much better than your friend or anyone else who hasn't spent the time looking at your specific local used bike market.

In terms of which bike to choose, the centurion and the Trek 560 would both be awesome bikes. If they are in great condition, there's no way you should expect to get bikes like that for under $200. The one that fits you best and feels most comfortable is the one you should get. Many sellers do not feel comfortable letting a stranger take their bike for a long test ride, but that is what you really need to do. When I'm selling a decent used bike and I have a serious buyer, I suggest we go together on a 10 minute ride, with me on another of my bikes. Maybe you could ask the seller if that would be possible.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=480705

some posts there about Centurions.
I'm not sure that Ironman came with indexed shifting.
I have the same size, color, and it's friction Shimano 600, so someone may have upgraded.

Fit is the most important.

After that, I kind of like Centurions, and I'd go for the Ironman.

none of these are *bad* choices, given what you say you want to ride. My personal choice would be the Trek (but I doubt that it'll stay that cheap on an eBay auction, and that's the worst way to buy unless you've already ridden one exactly like it) and I'd lose the cranked CF seatpost. Given your location, you'll have to get very lucky to find an equivalent bike for less than $200. I don't think these prices are out of line, but I'm in a market where junk is offered for $300 and up, with not so much as a blush.

I can only speak for the Ironman models, and maybe the Lemans. I found the Ironman the best bang for the buck regarding the bikes I buy and have bought. I've gone after a Bridgestone RB1, a Trek 1400, a Panasonic DX 3000, and a Fuji, and didn't win them because they were going for more $$. I would love some Columbus tubing, but you're spending $350, so we won't go there....The Ironman will go fast and handle well, is easy to work on, will likely come with Shimano 105 or 600, but the Suntour GPX is no slouch group. Earlier Ironman models in the metallic colors will generally have friction, not indexed, shifting, and if you don't mind that, the Comp TA and Turbo are almost the same bike and may be cheaper.

And your buddy with the Specialized? A BF member bought a steel Allez not long ago, Shimano 600 tri-color group, really nice saddle, great tires, and a real pretty bike. I think it was $250.

Get your proper size fit first, then shop bikes. And good luck, ride safe.