thehammerdog

c-dale is a great deal

rumrunn6

advice I've heard and heeded: don't rush it, ride before you buy and don't get emotionally attached to any one bike in particular, as in be prepared to walk and think about it. you want to avoid buyers remorse which occurs more often than we like. good luck and enjoy the hunt!

MNX1024

That's a great deal and bike! How did it go, did you end up buying it?

rcracin

I ended up drinking a lot more than I should that night, missed the meeting time, and the guy sold the bike the next morning. I'm really pissed I missed that deal. I'm on the hunt for another good deal.

Sdjclevland

How tall are you just out of curiosity?

RT

Mental note: No benders prior to cool bike sale.

rcracin

5'6". I'm thinking I need to be on a 52 or 54 bike. It really seems to be coming down to preference, but I have no preference since I have no experience. I just don't know what to look for when I go out on a test ride for a road bike. To top it off, I won't even be fitted properly when I leave on a road bike. I'm leaning more toward the 52 because it's sort of a middle ground as opposed to going with the max largest frame of 54.

RT

Easier to fit a small bike bigger than vice versa, IMHO.

rcracin

That's currently where I'm at now. I'm certainly leaning towards the 52. If I find that I need bigger or if I become more competitive in a few years, I'll shop again.

MNX1024

54 might be pushing it for you unless you have a rather large in seam(not sure if I'm wording it right). I'm 5' 8" and I ride a 51 on a Jamis. Tried a 54 Cervelo S2 and that was almost at my limit.

rcracin

I believe my inseam is 31. That's a very rough measurement.

rcracin

I tried sending you a PM, but I need 50 posts to do so. I haven't heard of Jamis until your post.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/3884727442.html

That look like a good deal?

MNX1024

Not sure if you noticed that I've sent you a PM concerning that bike. Anyway, how did this deal go?

rcracin

Hey, I did get the PM. I think that guy is a dealer though. I think I'm mentally stuck on a CAAD 10. Sucks that I like expensive things. I'm out of town on training. I'll look more when I return over the weekend. Thanks!

JamisJeff

A comparable bike to the caad you're looking at is the Jamis ventura race, I have the 2009 version of it and love that bike...new you can probably get it for a little less money than the caad...but if that 2011 is available at $850, that is a steal for a bike with 105 on it!

MNX1024

Like what JamisJeff said, the Ventura Race is definitely a comparable bike to the CAAD 10. You don't have to worry about the CAAD 10 being better. The difference between the two is that the CAAD 10 is for a more aggressive position, where as the Ventura Race provides a more upright and relaxed position.

tran.300

Remember, don't forget to get something you want to ride and do give yourself some time to think about all your options.
Go to different shops, pick some (within budget) you think look neat, then ride it to make sure it is comfortable and have the shop adjust it, accordingly. It's a lot of dough - so they should be nice enough/welcoming enough for you not to feel bad about taking their time, especially if they want your sale.

I was extremely biased toward a Specialized Tarmac and somehow ended up with a Bianchi Sempre for a very, very, good price after a couple months of waiting and mulling it over. I dig it. Don't worry so much about "better" or comparison between bikes too, in the end, you might just end up changing everything out. Also, your body will adjust to the various geometries.

ok. I'm done.

rcracin

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm still shopping around and taking my time. A 54 is now out of the question. It's too big. Standover isn't too good neither is my reach. My elbows are too straight. I tried a 50 and it seemed comfortable. Now to try a 52.

Latest craigslist deal is a 2012 caad10 105 with fulcrum 3 wheels. He's asking $1400. I might be able to push lower, but even at 12-1300, it's still expensive.

RT

Which is why, IMHO, when you are in this price bracket, go to a store. Get a new bike with a warranty even if it has a step down in components.

WhyFi

+1 A short time ago, when Tiagra wasn't 10-speed, you could more easily argue that the equipment drop-off was more significant once you went under 105, but that's not the case now.

rcracin

What's the big deal about warranty? How often does it really come in handy? Not trying to be rude and would like a genuine answer.

At $1200 for a CAAD 10 105 with Fulcrum 3's, I don't think that's bad at all. The wheels seem to be pretty expensive. From my searching around, wheels are about the first thing people upgrade on road bikes when they can afford to.

RT

Warranties are like insurance - if you don't have them, it sure does suck when something unexpected happens. When you need it and you have a warranty, you thank yourself for going that route.

Just a word of caution.

rcracin

I get it. I've always fixed everything myself though. Never felt like dealing with warranty and the nonsense companies put you through. Unless it's a lemon or some major manufacturing defect, most products work as they're supposed to. So if I'm buying a used bike that's been used for a few hundred miles and everything is working perfectly, it's likely not a lemon.

I'm a hardass when it comes to warranty.

RT

It is less about the components and more about the frame, or things you can't fix with a wrench. When you are talking carbon, I stay away from CL and eBay. Some have perfectly good luck with these, but I am not a risk-taker.

Whatever you do, good luck, it is all personal preference :-)

rcracin

I agree on that. I'd be weary of a used carbon bike unless it was someone I know who has had the bike since new.

Aluminium on the other hand, I can weld. Not sure if that's a good idea though LOL.