1991 Trek 1200
 

Any info on this bike I need to know? I know the basic specs...but anything additional would be good. I found a listing on craigslist for one, and it seems like its in great condition. Would this make a good first road bike? Is 400.00 they are asking for it a good price?

From what I found its only a 7 speed...I'm worried that may not be a wide enough range, since my area has lots of hills. Input?

Happen to have the exact same bike. Bright yellow right? 7sp really is fine, I've upgraded my bike to 8sp but that was strictly a by-product of my Dura Ace upgrade. High quality frame, I love mine. I ride mine to school, work on nice days, and have done some Tri's with it. 400 is too much. I bought mine for $260 shipping included. With the RX100 components that came with it that just seems like too much unless everything is in absolute pristine condition.
Jeremiah

Price is insane. More like $250 is about right.

If you have a lot of hills, you probably either need a triple up front, or a compact crankset.

Lots of hills around here too. I have a couple of triples, and one compact crankset myself (along with a standard double that I use for flatter terrain).

ya im in upstate ny, so there is no such thing as a perfectly straight and flat country road here, LOL

anyway, I have a 21 spd hybrid now, and even on lowest gear i have trouble at times on some hills.

i thought the price might be too much for an 18 y ear old bike.

Going with more gears on the cluster doesn't necessarily give you a better climbing.

It usually gives you more gears in between.

You can get a 5 speed cluster that is 14-34, or a 10 speed 11-23, and the 5 speed will have a lower gear, assuming you have a derailleur that will handle it.

Even a common 14-28 5 speed will climb better than the 11-23. ;)

im confused LOL im still trying grasp all the science in this cycling world.

If your hybrid is anything like the one I had a long time ago it weighs a LOT, even though it probably has an aluminum frame. Don't tell me, it has a front shock too. Mine wasn't good for anything except maybe riding around a campground slowly.

I couldn't sell mine fast enough,(and that wasn't easy) once I found out about a nice steel bike that's 22 years old and costs less than that tank thing I had.

Hang around here for awhile and it will all become clear.

trust me, i want a road bike...i just made the mistake of letting buyers guilt get a hold of me. i had 1,000.00 set aside and ready to spend when i went in my LBS, but I just couldnt do it (can you tell i usually dont buy things for myself LOL).

So i settled on a hybrid, because it was cheaper, to make sure it was something i wanted to do, BUT i've always wanted the road bike.

I've had to update the bike of course, but as it is now (I have it on 700 x 28 tires instead of the 38's it came with, I installed butterfly bars, and have been slowly tweaking as i go along), its actually not that bad for what it is....ive taken some crazy hills with it already, and its actually been perfectly fine.

Do i still want a road bike with every fiber of my being LOL of course...but having a functioning bike allows me to wait a little bit for the perfect bike and opportunity.