dc4441

Bought a used 2011 Trek Madone 5.2 on CL. The original owner said he hadn't ridden it much prior to having health concerns and can't ride now. To my untrained eye the bike looks to be very low mileage/use. I am quite anxious to ride it but am wondering what maintenance/inspection things should I do before taking it out. Can I ride it without damaging anything prior to taking it to my LBS? Should I tell them the "story" so they can look for specific things?

Thanks

70sSanO

Since it is a little used 2011, it is probably fine.

First, I'd grab a hold of the crankarms flex then to make sure the crankarms/bottom bracket are not loose. Have someone hold the rear wheel off the ground and then turn the crank and shift through the gears to make sure it is indexing properly also to make sure the chain doesn't fly off because the stops are not set right. Spin the wheel and make sure the brakes work. Then handlebars tight and pick the front wheel off the ground and bounce it to make sure nothing rattles. Lube the chain and brake pivots. Take a test ride in the neighborhood to make sure everything works, especially the brakes. Make your first ride fairly short.

Eventually you will ned to learn how to do maintenance or take it to a LBS and have them check it out.

John

MZilliox

Its most likely ready to ride. things to look for. do gears change smoothly? do tires hold air? is chain loose? are handlbars straight? is the bartape good to go? if so then ride.

obed7

you are not likely to damage anything by taking it for a test ride...but if you can not do your basic maintenance yourself at this point (you will learn in time), then it would not hurt to take it to your Trek dealer and have him give it a once over and a tune up. You can watch some utube videos on bike service and see how most anything you need to do is done.

PepeM

Didn't you test ride it before buying it? I say take it to a shop for a full tuneup when you get a chance and ride it around the neighborhood in the meantime. As long as you don't go on crazy 100 mile trips or something you should be fine.

mack_turtle

have the shop check over the usual wear items- chain, cables, bar tape, brake pads, etc. make sure it is not damaged. ask the owner where he bought the bike. you may or may not want to know if it was stolen.

more importantly, does it fit you? it might be worthwhile to have a trained eye look over the fit with you.

Dave Cutter

+1 Fit (and color) are the number 1 and 2 most important things to look at/for.

I like to test ride before I buy.... as well as a close inspection. That way I know before I part with my money that I am getting a working bicycle in exchange. However... it is almost impossible for me to emotionally separate myself for the bicycle purchase. So I have never actually felt like I was emotionally detached enough during the inspect/test ride/negotiation process. I'd like to think... that's a good thing.

Then when I get the bike home the 1st thing I like to do is scrub the bike spotlessly clean. I use a old toothbrush on occasion to get any grit, grime, or reside out of any nooks or crannies. If there are any cracks, rust, chips, dents, or defects... I'll find them.

I check the skewers tightness... and the wheel alignments (re-set the wheels). I check each and every spoke for tightness, and the wheels for trueness. I also measure and lightly oil and wipe-down the chain, as well as a drop or two of oil on the derailleurs and brake moving parts. If the chain is stretched/worn... I order/buy a replacement (and inspect the cassette more closely).

I inspect the cables and cable housings for rust, breaks, cracks etc. You shouldn't see any cable problems on a 2011. I put the bike on my work/repair stand check the shifting and brakes. [actually I wash my bikes in the repair stand... so that is the first place bikes go].

Lastly I set the saddle to a predetermined measurement and adjust the handlebars accordingly. First test rides are short... around the block at best.

Doctor Morbius

Don't all listings on Craig's List claim "low mileage" and "like new"? I've never seen one state "10,000 actual miles" or "ridden hard" before.

bovine

I know that I, for one, only ride my bikes 0.75 miles (roundtrip) to church every Sunday, wiping the chain and relubing at both destinations.

Doctor Morbius

It's probably a good idea to have a Priest bless the bike while you're there. No need to take any chances.

bovine

He blessed the lubricant, so hopefully I'm covered. Will come in handy if I ever encounter any undead as well. Bonus!

dc4441

Thank you for the replies and useful information and insight. I hadn't considered the possibly the bike could be stolen. Since the seller was in law enforcement I think he is legit. obed 7 you mentioned taking it to the Trek dealer for servicing. There is a Trek dealer in my town that is a large chain sports retailer. I have always used the local bike shop that sells Specialized and Giant. I prefer to use them since they are local, family business and the money is more likely to stay in town. Is my thinking flawed that they could service the bike as well as a Trek authorized mechanic?

vatdim

Brakes and gears are very important to check early on and are the most likely to need a tune-up, e.g. getting rid of excess slack in the cables, changing the brake pads if they are worn, etc. I don't think there's much that you could damage, but take it easy when you go on your first ride, try to avoid busy streets and test as many things as possible to obtain a clear picture of what the bike's potential problems could be. If you are new to bike maintenance, you might want to bring the bike to your LBS for a quick check-up, just to be on the safe side.

Doctor Morbius

Provided they have competent mechanics, they should be able to service the bike. They won't be able to handle any warranty claims, but since you're not the original owner that probably won't apply.

bovine

No, it's not like auto mechanic shops that specialize on particular imports. For bikes, pick the LBS you like most and their mechanics will have no issue servicing your bike, regardless of what brands they deal in.

Dave Cutter

I've often thought about that. My old daily rider has become my rain bike/back-up bike. It still looks (and rides) great. But If I sold it... would I mention (at least in the CL post) the miles? It is nearing 10,000 miles. Or would I just list: Like-new tires and handlebar tape.

PepeM

Good old car saleman trick. Remember looking at a used liter bike from a dealer. It has 15k+ miles. First thing the salesperson tells me is 'it was owned by an old man who used it once a week to go to the grocery store, never rode it fast.' Darn thing even had raised rearsets.

molten

Depending on the State: Isn't a special license needed, to operate a business in selling used bicycles?