rombick

hi, im looking to buy my first road bike, this bike is being sold for 300, its 2001 gt zr 4.0, 22 in , aluminum frame. do you guys think its a good deal?
https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...e#.UFfMaI2PV8E
it has regular pedals instead of clipless original.

https://imgur.com/a/Qijiu

edit: i am a student and i dont know what i am doing, the way i found this bike was posting a request on kijiji that im looking for road bike with 700 wheels , lightweight frame and right size.

the other option i was just sent is this peugeot super sport https://i.imgur.com/1UiTl.jpg.. 300 as well. i feel like gt is a lot better option.

Aeolis

Changed mind

rombick

why second one? can you please explain for a newb like me? as it seems to be much older to me. thank you.

AK404

The bike in the second link is not the same as the bike in the first link. The components are Sora (an entry-level groupset), not Tiagra (a step up), and from the look of the brifters and right crank arm, that bike has either been crashed or has been leaned on the drive side a lot. The rims don't match, either - not a good sign. That bike is not worth $300.

On the other hand, the Peugeot Super Sport seems to have been well taken care of. I'm not sure of the year, though I'm willing to bet 1979-83. It has simpler mechanisms - plain ol' brakes, probably uses friction DT shifters, steel frame with what looks to be good lugs, it's sturdy, and according to the linked article, weighs between 25-28 pounds. Most importantly, all of the components are made of steel or alloy, unlike the Sora parts on that GT, which are made mostly of plastic and stamped aluminum.

Oh, and unlike the Giant, the Peugeot will have some resale value. Just my two cents, I could be wrong.

iareConfusE

I prefer the first. Yeah, it's got cheap components, but at least if you ever need to service the bike there will be parts readily available for it, and maintaining and working on a more modern bike (in my opinion) is so much easier than those older bikes because of the tools required. I've built and ridden plenty of bikes equipped with Sora/Tiagra/Microshift, and although they're considered entry-level components, they were designed to at least function properly and last long enough to satisfy a customer for the price - maybe indefinitely if properly taken care of (I've actually never seen a Sora or other entry level components break in my two years working at a bike shop).

So, again, I prefer the first and would suggest you choose that one, assuming the size is correct for you. Inspect the bike, test ride the bike, if it shifts through all of the gears properly, if it brakes properly, and it feels comfortable to you, then buy it. It's not a bad deal at $300, but you might be able to haggle him down a bit if you feel like it. Worth a try.

AK404

That's just the problem, IMHO: the bike is over ten years old, so what if the original owner didn't take care of them properly? There's no telling what the original owner put that GT through. It's the reason I suggested the Peugeot: the parts on that one might be harder to find, but they're fairly simple by design.

And well, steel frame.

Aeolis

I would actually keep looking if I were you. Save up a few extra bucks and keep looking

iareConfusE

That's why he's gotta test ride it and inspect it closely Anyone with basic knowledge of modern shifters and brakes should be able to tell whether or not something is wrong with it. Judging by the pictures, honestly, it doesn't look that bad apart from the mismatched wheels, which leads me to believe he might have crashed it and taco'd the front wheel at one point before. Just inspect it carefully, and thoroughly. Bring a flashlight if you want to look for cracks in the fork.

Aeolis

With winter coming the price of used bikes will fall slightly.

iareConfusE

This is a good idea also.

rombick

thank you, everyone, i think i will just keep looking

Aeolis

Keep an eye out for an older cannondale, many can be had with good old components for a bit more than you have.

AK404

But OP has already admitted that he doesn't have that basic knowledge, which is a warning sign.