Bidaas

Hi . I am 5' 9" male upgrading from my Huffy mtn bike to a road bike. I am low on knowledge of road bikes and very low on budget. I plan to do 15 - 20 miles daily and more on weekends. No racing yet, but just enjoy the sport.

One of the used bikes I have seen has the following specs:

- Old (around 80s) "Specialized Allez" - Is there a way to check how old?
- Japanese made Tange - What is Tange?
- 55 cm steel frame. The sticker is a bit damaged. What should I check on the frame - wear / tear cracks etc? And how visible are they?
- Components are mixed. Shimano 600 Rear Der'lrs. Is that comparable to Sora or any other current Shimano? What should I look for in the Der'lr - wear/tear?
- Front Der'lr - Shimano 600
- Crank - Shimano 105 with 3 teethset. What should I look for in the crank?
- STI shifters on handle bar (as in most bikes now). 3 X 8 gears.
- Old wheels - AlexRim AT 450
- New tires - didnt see which brand
- Conventional 'welded' stem - not adjustable

The LBS has done some assembly - used a frame and components lying around.
I tried 'reverse' pedalling and the chain came off, and while biking for a few feet, there was a sound as if the gear was not in position, but the noise went away after I worked the shifters.

What all should I look out for and what can be the price on this bike.

I appreciate all the help.

Ebbtide

If it fits, cheap, and not beat to hell it sounds like a great starter bike. It was "quality" in its day, comparable to the Allez of today (if not a bit better).

"Tange" in your instance means steel, probably straight gage and rock solid.
Sounds like it was upgraded in the 90s to STI, 600 is comparable to Ultegra (IIRC). That, or you are looking at a bike from the 90s, not the 80s.

I hope this helps, I'm sure others will a more.

ehenz

glevii

What exactly is your budget first? It's awfully hard to quote a price on a bike without being able to see it. Sounds pretty solid, though, if it's in good condition.

Bidaas

My budget is < $250, and this apears to be in the range.
I would appreciate any comments on how to check the frame. I understand that, if needed, components can be replaced (though at a cost of course!), but a frame is a more important part of the bike.

Thanks for the help

Ebbtide

Don't over think it, if the frame is broken you would know it. Just look at it, if there are rust holes or cracks (they will be obvious) don't buy it. The frame is the cheapest part of that bike, a dime a dozen.

sydney

LOL....HaHaHaHa. Well, maybe if you are talking thrift store jumkola....LOL

sydney

Not necessarily straight gage. Tange made lots of different butted tubesets,and the lower end ones were common even on lower end Japaneese frames of the period.

Bidaas

Thanks. And what should I look for in the components? What could go wrong there through use/misuse.