Testing how fast everyone is.
 

The frame on my beater bike is busted on the weld and I refuse to ride it. No matter, it's an unknown brand.

Anyway, this guy is selling his Trek 830 (I believe 1999) and it has been garaged, and only ridden 3 times (they are all only ridden 3 times, aren't they?) It's basic, entry level, but BEAUTIFUL and very clean. I know nothing about this bike spec wise, but I need it to ride around in the rain and as a loaner to my friends.

I am waiting for him to tell me what time to see the bike tonite. It's an hour drive to his place. He wants $110. Is it worth it? Not really, huh? If not, how low should I talk him down to?


Alu frame
RST 28l forks, 2.6" travel
Altus front der
SRAM 5.0 rear der
Lee Chi brakes (old school, huh?)
Weinman rims
Shimano BB

110? I think thats a good deal, snag it

$50. And that's being generous.

[e] And here's why only $50. The fork is crap, Altus is the lower end component stuff, Weinmann rims can be heavy and all the other stuff is bound to be crap too. Plus he couldn't have paid more than $300 for it so it's an expensive ride for him, but that's no reason for you to pay for his lazy ass.

I am mocing this to General Cycling.

Thanks

hi565
MOD

But hi565!!!! I put it in foo because all of my friends are there! :(

And where is YOUR opinion on this bike?:p

apollacrapola. No thanks at any price.

Merton, YOU get a new bike. I don't need a new bike. I have my Kona :love: I need a beater.

Since this is Australia where everybody gets rooted buying bike stuff, he may get that sort of money on ebay for that bike being wellknown brand.

I got an old "3 times ridden" Giant Boulder 520 with steel frame, no suspension, for $50.

Ha! Finally figured how to post the pic. What do you think? Clean? I know, I should ask for closer pics but he said others are calling. I didn't want to be pressured so I said I won't come tonite. Maybe tomorrow if he still has it.




http://b.im.craigslist.org/W6/Lr/VLU...AQLTo9jhap.jpg

http://a.im.craigslist.org/gg/Ng/ztD...vaNC9ldl67.jpg

Thrift Store, Pawn Shop, or Craig's List

Craigslist. I'm getting the feeling I made the right decision.......:rolleyes:

Maybe what attracted me to the pic was ..............................the...........................pretty orange that I always wanted my Kona to be....

But! I still need a beater.

It's the list you could do.

Hardy Har Har, scottogo....:p

Thanks you guys for saving me a few bucks:)

Here's one on ebay,frame only, definitely a '99
http://cgi.ebay.com/1999-Trek-830-AL...QQcmdZViewItem

Call him tomorrow, if it's still for sale, check it out and see how YOU like it, but don't offer more than $75

I don't know how a '99 compares to my '88 but mine ain't no pile-o-crap, Beko me boy! Damn thing is bombproof! Very similar to my 520 in tubes and construction - including the fork. I have no idea what it's worth - prob'ly nuthin', but ya hurt me, man, ya hurt me!:D
http://i1.tinypic.com/v63gb5.jpg

You buy it?

'88 and '99 were two TOTALLY different decades in bikes. Maybe your bike is all good, JCM, but a thang with grip shift, a mix of Sram 5. and Acera, Weimanns, lame brakes and the ilk, just ain't worth it. That's my opinion.

Siu can do lots better.

I found a bike that looked like that dumped on the road side. I donated it to a local farm worker as lbs repairs would run up to $200-300 and the bike was not worth that new. Will the guy go with you to a bike shop to get a repair estimate? $50 for a beater bike sounds good.

Where do you live? Is it a steel frame? If you lived nearby I'd offer to weld it for you.

Thanks Jeff. It is steel but I'm in Cali. I appreciate it, though~:)

So I wrote to the guy that I couldn't come up last nite because of other plans (well, because I was asking YOU guys about it). Since he told me to let him know right away (others were calling), I told him that then I'd have to let a lucky person have it because I couldn't make it (read: you ain't pressurin' me!). He wrote back this morning saying that he will hold it for me since I was the first serious person. Maybe I should just ask him the lowest he will go before I make the long drive out.

I'd figure out how HIGH you are willing to go. Offer him that over the phone and be done. He ain't got any other hot leads or he wouldn't be catering to you at all. Like he said, you are his only lead. So make him an offer that you can afford and then cut the strings.

hmmm. Sounds like he's ready to make a deal and will go lower than $110, you just need to know what his bottom line is. Call him up and ask lots of questions about the condition, history and why he's selling the bike. Again I would not offer more than $75, If he doesn't bite then turn to your local Craigs list, these's always bikes on there around $100.

Good luck

Don't be afraid to start negotiating with a low-ball offer! It's a fun game! If you're willing to pay $75, offer him $50 to start...

Danno you'd love my boss's boss. That's how he does salary negotiations. Other manager: "We're going to hire an intern, I was going to offer him $12/hr." Boss's Boss: "Offer him $10 to start, see if he takes it."

Dude, that's just wrong. You know an intern will take anything you offer, and $2/hr isn't even the difference between "Bic" and "Papermate" pens for the supply closet.

[edit] BTW I didn't mean to imply I was disagreeing in this case. Two regular folks dickering over a price is a totally different situation. I just felt like sharing I guess :rolleyes:.

Okay. I just emailed him saying that "Before I take the drive, are you willing to negotiate the price?"

So now what do I do? I haven't done this before and I don't want to be an a-hole or insult him.

Well, do you want the bike? I'd go check it out, and if it isn't up to snuff, you just say, "no thanks, this isn't quite what I'm looking for."

No harm no foul, you haven't BOUGHT the bike yet. No obligato. Caveat Emptor.

Bring a chain checker, psych the guy out. worn chain, poss worn drive train, poss new rings cass, chain. rims true?

anything you don't like about it can be your reason not to buy.

I think Bekologist had it right the first time. That bike's not worth it. Wait for another one to come along.

jim-bob.....Yeah, you guys are right. Too many of you are saying no. I'm in no rush. I almost went for a Kona Hahanna with a project 2 fork but the more I spoke to him about Kona, the more he tried to convince me not to buy it. I actually asked him if he was trying to talk me out of it and he said that it wasn't what I was looking for. ********** Then he said that there was a little rust here and there and that the bike wasn't perfect and ..........you get the picture. I guess he was surprised that I knew a little about Kona. He told me it wasn't worth coming up for. Then he wouldn't send detailed pics. He only had one of the whole bike from a distance.