nob

guys - can someone give me their opinion on this bike? Originally I was planning on a Trek FX2 since it's a nice hybrid and I can put a front or rear child seat and only plan to ride 5-10 miles twice a week. However, trying to save on some costs and this person is willing to sell for $250 which is 1/2 the cost of the Trek FX2. I really don't know much about bikes but does this look like a quality bike from the description and a genuine Gazelle? Where do I check its serial number and how many digits, etc should it be? Just want to ensure it's not a fake. Also if someone can put a guess on the year of make, that'll help as the seller doesn't know

https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/bik/6171079506.html


Thanks

jimmuller 

You'd probably do better by posting in the "What's it worth?" thread. Sorry I can't tell you if it is a Gazelle. I do have an '86 Gazelle Champion Mondial and it is nice indeed. Very different from that bike. Gazelle makes lots of bikes.

dabac

Those are not disc brakes.
They're roller brakes.
The things looking like rotors are cooling discs.

And that stem looks scary high.
Check for minimum insertion mark before riding.

daf1009

Gazelle makes a lot of bikes like this, particuarly in Europe..."City" bikes. Not sure about your market, but in Atlanta this would be a bit overpriced in my opinion.

Cute Boy Horse

This is a real Gazelle.

"checking serial numbers" makes you sound a bit weird, to be blunt. These are common as dirt commuter bikes - i have one just like it waiting for it's owner to come back. Nobody is faking these.

BillyD

Moving to General from C&V.

jefnvk

It is probably worth noting that is a fairly modern bike, not a C&V.

fietsbob

Gazelle is a NL bike company making a full range of different styles of bikes..

they make Quality stuff and have, for a very long time.

I dropped by their HQ in Dieren , in 1988.. there I saw how efficiently they produced lugged steel race bike frames.




...

Stadjer

Yes, but quality standards have been lowered, but are on the rise again. Obviously this is a recent bike, with Nexus8 it's probably less than 5 years old, so I think it's safe to say this is a quality bike. Well made, durable but probably not as much as the pre-80s Gazelles.

A new Orange8 cost about 800-900 euros in the Netherlands, and Gazelles are branded more high end and exclusive in the US while there's customs and transport, so the seller would probably have paid more than 1500 dollars for it.

corrado33

$375 isn't a bad price for a nexus 8 + roller brake equipped bike. The nexus itself is ~$200. The rollerbrakes are probably $50 a piece.

Cute Boy Horse

The new plastic gazelle chaincases are hilarious. there's a big gap on the top where the seat stay goes past, and it fills up with water.

fietsbob

Function: More trouser guards than hermetically sealing the chain to never need oiling .. they still need that..

blakcloud

I think it is a great price for that bike. Roller brakes, lighting, fenders rack, chain case, these are all great things. I wouldn't hesitate to buy that bike as long as it fits.

italktocats

for usa i guess its a decent price
just grease the thing because they rust

Wildwood 

Tire sizes can be confusing.

OP - If you get the bike look at the tire and get the ERTRO number, in this format example: 35 - 622; where 35 is the tire width in mm, and 622 is the inside diameter of the tire (also the outside diameter of the wheel's rim). This 622size tire is sometimes called 28", as that is the OD (approx) of the tire. The tire width is sometimes expressed in inches rather than millimeters. In another system the tire would be 700x35. So the same tire may be called different things based on the 'system' being used. ERTRO is a good number to reference.

edit: My point was, 622 tires and the corresponding tubes should be available at any bike shop. I never go into a WalMart so I cannot speak for them. Also when buying replacement tube, be sure to get the same style valve.

The above assumes we are talking about current bicycles, not going back 25 years and more. Also, does not include any special applications.