Trackr

Searching for an entry level $1,200 road bike at a reputable store downtown, I was offered a full-carbon road bike which originally retailed for $5,000 for only $2,000.
It looks in pretty good condition for its age, but is it worth it to buy an old carbon bike versus a new aluminum one?
Appreciate the input.

sw20

If I was spending 2k on a bike I would buy new. If I was buying a used bike for 2k, that bike would have to be immaculate regardless of what it cost when new!

znomit

Nope, not with that derailleur.

Lazyass

$2K must be a joke for that ragged out bike.

Bald Paul

2014 Trek Madone 5.9 C Ultegra Di2 - Bicycle Details - BicycleBlueBook.com


That is for one in Excellent condition.
Which the one you show isn't.

Trackr

I think you guys are forgetting that the cheapest carbon bike here (in Israel) is $5,000. This is the best price I've seen.

Trackr

Honestly, it looks a hell of a lot better than my 2 year-old Cannondale Bad Boy considering it's 7 years old.

Trackr

2k what? Pounds? Why would you expect a $5,000 bike to be immaculate if it's being sold for $2,000?

sw20

Because I could buy a brand new carbon R8000 equipped bike for around £2000, why would I buy a beat up bike that cost 5K when new unless it was immaculate and looked after?

kingston 

Things are worth what people are willing to pay for them. I think a new aluminum bike with lower-tier components is a better starter bike than a beat-up old carbon fiber bike for the same money.

PoorInRichfield

I find it interesting when sellers ask top-dollar for a bike and don't even bother to give it a good cleaning. I agree that I wouldn't buy that bike after seeing the condition of the rear derailleur. Why is the RD so banged-up? Was the bike crashed? Did the owner use the RD as a kick-stand? It's not a horrible bike, but I'd sooner put the $2k towards something newer. Unfortunately, now is just a bad time to buy a bike in general.

mstateglfr 

The RD is scratched, but what else is visibly bad? Maybe I am missing the obvious...

topflightpro

From the pics, I'd put it at about $1200.

That is considering the current market for road bikes.

Bald Paul

Oh, sorry. We must have been thinking of some other "downtown".

spelger

With the defensive replies I think you have already decided to buy it. Or already have and just want to be reassured.

Dancing Skeleton

Those aren't the original stock wheels, they appear to be Bontrager XXX carbon clinchers, a considerable upgrade from stock.
I don't believe that those are eleven-speed compatible, so tho may be a ten-speed bike, albeit Ultegra Di2.
If the RD is just scuffed, and the shop guarantees that the chain rings, cassette & chain are good, along with the brake tracks
on the wheels, you may be OK, but $2K may be a little high.

MinnMan

Agree with spelger that your defensive come-backs indicate you've already made up your mind.

I'm not sure why entry-level bikes cost $5k now in Israel, as you indicate. I think an entry level carbon bike in the US is about $2k now (e.g., specialized tarmac sl6). If everything in Israel is 2.5X more expensive, then we don't have much perspective on what a good buy would be in your parts.

hose

I would say - try to find a really good steel frame with ultegra/ dura ace if thats what they're trying to push for 2k
Max offer for that is at most 1200 and thats if you really are in love with it.

znomit

Because depreciation follows the second most reliable formula in cycling ( after N=n+1 ):
Take half off for rolling off the shop floor, then drop another 10% every year. So around a quarter of original, even without that beat up derailleur.

Ramshackle

I'd wait if I could since prices will come down as the supply chain loosens up. As life gets back to normal, more people will be selling the bikes they bought in the pandemic. Alternatively, you might get a better and cheaper deal if you bought it in Europe and had it shipped.
​​​​​

guachi

Good catch on the wheels. The XXX line (now RSL) is their top-of-the-line wheels and likely weren't cheap when they were new.

topflightpro

Still, the value on non-disc carbon wheels has plummeted in recent years. And if they are limited to 10-spd, that hurts the value even more.

MinnMan

Half off for an as-new bike? Seems high. And definitely not the working model of The Pro's Closet.

(Here's the first one I saw on Pro's Closet page today. 2020 Pinarello for $2833; MSRP was $2850)

Another 25% off for a 7 year old item means that it loses an additional 10% each year?

Sometimes you might arrive in the same place by combining wrong turns. There was a reason that those old math teachers used to say, "show your work"

himespau 

Yeah, even at the current crazy pricing model, I wouldn't go over $1500. To be fair though, I'd probably buy a frame and build it up as I wanted from that and end up with something a fair bit heavier and without electronic shifting (though set up exactly as I wanted it) and be well north of $1500 without realizing it and have a bike that (again while exactly what I wanted) would be objectively worth less to just about everyone than this bike.

cyclezen

yeah, I think Americans forget there are differences in world marketplaces, especially 'used'.
also, I've found 'Bluebook-com' pricing to always be UNDER on a private sale cost...
Putting 'cosmetic' a bit to the side (is also important, but then figure a primo 'looking' bike to be 50% of 'retail'...) overall condition, in order of priority:
frame condition
wheels - condition, true-ness, hub/cassette hub condition/bearings..., spokes at head/nipple condition, rim for 'pulls'/cracks, etc.
BB condition especially for press-fit (needs hard-out of saddle accels in parklot to see if there's any 'creaking') , any perceived wobble
crank condition - tooth wear,
then Derailleurs (I wouldn;t know much on checking Di-2 stuff...), cssette, headset ... then pedals, bars/stem, seatpost, saddle, yadda,yadda...
chain stretch will tell a lot on prior owner maintenance level - if it is stretched beyond 1% and still on the bike... as would tire wear- like tire casing showing thru center area...
'cash' is still king, when negotiating...
everything considered. it is 'used'
if it fits, feels like a 'ride' you like... consideration of RIM vs DISC, these are some of the 'unquantitative' values which everyone must decide.
and overall bike supply for sale will be tight even thru next summer season (my estimate...)
Ride On
Yuri