HELP! New Bike purchase
 

Actually I'm thinking about buying a road bike on ebay. Check it out and let me know if it's worth it.

2003 Cannondale R1000 owned by bike mechanic says it's in great shape. $1200. Check out the upgrades.


Frame - CAAD7Optimo
Fork - Slice Ultra Si
Rims - Mavic Ksyrium Elite
Hubs - Mavic Ksyrium Elite
Spokes - Mavic Ksyrium Elite
Tires - Michelian Pro Race
Pedals - (Not Included)
Crank - Shimano Ultegra double 39/53
Chain - Dura Ace
Rear Cogs - 9-speed 12-26
Bottom Bracket - Dura Ace
Front Derailleur - Shimano 105
Rear Derailleur - Shimano Ultegra
Shifters - Ultegra
Handlebars - Oversized 6061
Brake levers - Ultegra
Stem - Cannondale 3-D forged 31.8
Headset - Campy hiddenset
Saddle - Fi'zi:k Pavé
Seat Post - Cannondale
Colors - Silver Metallic (gloss) (SLV

First road bike for me but very athletic, used to ride mtb for a little while and would really like to get into the sport. Auction ends tomorrow. please help.

What size is the bike. What size do you ride?
If you cant answer both these questions, you should NOT use ebay.

My inseam is 32.5 which works out to be something around 53.65 cm after the conversion to centimeters. The bike is a 54cm

Like MichaelW, I would like to advise you to be cautious.

Your inseam and the frame size might be close, but that is NOT how bikes are fitted.

It is true, though, that there are several formulas for calculating the 'optimum' frame size from one's inseam. But there are numerous other factors to be taken into account. Try a search on this Forum and you will undoubtedly get numerous, informative, contradictory, etc. results.

The bike's specifications certainly are impressive. It might even be a very good deal. But if the bike does not fit you, you are only doing yourself a disservice!

Believe me. I bought my first road bike from a non-specialised (or overly commercial) LBS. After four years of ever more intensive riding, and suffering (back, neck) and blaming myself for it--it turned out that the bike was just way too small and there was nothing in terms of swapping components that could be done to make it better.

With a little help from an expert, some reading and--not unimportant--my own experience and wishes, I was able to make the transition to a better-fitting bike.

Good luck!

Sounds like a "Banging " deal (as my students would say). Go down to you local Cannondale dealer and try a 54cm frame. I have a 31" inseam and ride a 54cm frameset, but all manufacturers are different. It may be that this is just the size for you. Everything else makes it seem to be a great deal. I ride the Elite wheels and have found them to be a real find. Light and very rugged. Only thing that would make it better is if it were Campy equipped rather than Shimano. But as stated above. Unless you know it is your size, don't buy it just because it is a good deal (which it appears to be).

I have purchased five bikes off of eBay over the past five years and have always been very pleased with them. Is the only way to buy, in my opinion.

Oh, yeah. Then join the Princeton Wheelmen, you local bicycle club. They have a bunch of rides and you willl meet some good people.

If u get it,change front der from the 105 to ulterga.105 kinda doesnt belong in there with the ultegra and DA.Nice bike if it fits

Yeah, go get fit somwhere. I have a 32.5" inseam and I ride a 57 ctc. That 54 might be to small for you. What is your overall height?

I'm about 5' 10"-5' 11"

Wow, that sounds awfully big.

I have a 34" inseam and the formula's specify a 56 c to c for me.

take care,

Jester

57/58cm for sure.Maybe a 56 but not no 54.

Don't forget that C'dales are sized center-to-top. They're smaller than some other frames of the same nominal size.

RichC

If I go to the Colorado Cyclist page on how to measure yourself for a bike, It looks like I would actually be a 55(cm) frame rather than a 54. Here's how I calculated:

Inseam=32.25
In (cm) = 32.25 X 2.54=81.915. let's say 82cm

Frame size is calculated by two formulas:

Center to top tube:
Inseam 82(cm) X .67 = 54.94 or 55cm

Center to Center:
Inseam 82(cm) X .67 = 54.94 minus 1-1.5cm for additional difference between C-C and C-T.

So depending on the manufacturer, you would have to measure either C-C or C-T to get the right frame size. ARGH! tough to buy over the net.

Here is the link for these calculations:

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/BikeFit/index.cfm

Thanks to everyone who submitted a reply. I think I am not gong to buy the bike online but rather get fitted properly by a bike shop and then apply those measurements to buy a new bike. Just hope that it comes out OK.

Thanks again!

i have 30.5" inseam and i ride a 54cm Fuji with about 2cm clearance...

I'm 5'10" with a 32" inseam... I ride a 55. 56 is a little too big and 54 is a little small but OK if the top tube is long.

You may have been wise to wait. Be careful... due to my long torso some fit systems try to put me on a 56. You sound similarily proportioned.

But of course Fujis are measured to the top of the seat tube, which makes them much smaller than their size would indicate. My 56cm Fuji and 52cm Novara are exactly the same size if measured center-to-center. And both of them have the same effective top tube length (a much more important dimension than seat tube length) as my 54cm Airborne.

RichC

Its almost the end of the season for lots of bicycle shops so you should be able to drive a pretty hard bargain in buying from them. You get what you negotiate. If you feel like driving south, then try Pro Pedals in Hammonton, NJ. They take great care of their customers and you'll like dealing with them. Small, family run business. You might also be interested in the Shore Cycle Club, which, like the Princeton Wheelmen is a fairly local club for you. Their website is www.shorecycleclub.org. Still lots of good road rides left this year, although you missed the annual Princeton Wheelmen's century this past weekend. Have fun!!

You can find better deals than that on ebay if you go with a steel frame and skip the STI/ERGO shifting. Top of the line bikes with full Record or Dura Ace gruppos for 600-900. Aluminum frames fatigue and develope cracks, steel frames can be repaired and are handmade works of art. Size is important if you want a bike that will feel right and thereby get used more often.

Standover height is not everything. Top tuble length is also important. Yes, that can be compensated for by changing out the stem, but you don't want the stem to be super long or super short.

I don't remember who said it, or what thread it was in, but someone said that if the frame doesn't fit, it's no bargain.