unfortuN8

Hi all, I'm new to both this forum and touring in general. I have done recreational riding but I want to get more serious in long distance touring. I have a tight budget (in college, low income) but would like a touring bike. I found this Kona Sutra frame on ebay and it doesn't seem like a bad price, but I'd like a second opinion. I figure I could get a B17 saddle for $100 and put on some tires and have a functioning bike (minus racks and panniers of course). Also, I've done some calculations which I will attach below to estimate my frame size because I have only ever had a MTB. Do you think this 56cm frame will be too large? What do you think will be the total cost besides the frame to have a functional bike? Thanks for looking!

Kona Sutra Men's Bike Frame Handlebars 105 Shifters 105 Drive Train 56 Cm | eBay

Measurements:
inseam: 31
trunk: 27
forearm: 12
arm: 25
thigh: 23
lowerLeg: 21
sternalNotch: 56
totalBodyHeight: 68

Fit Results:

Eddy Fit:
centerToCenterED: 52.2 - 52.7 cm
centerToTopED: 53.8 - 54.3 cm
ttubeLengthED: 53.6 - 54 cm
stemLengthED: 9.7 - 10.3 cm
bbSaddleED: 69.3 - 71.3 cm
saddleHandlebarED: 52 - 52.6 cm
saddleSetbackED: 4.8 - 5.2 cm

Competitive Fit:
centerToCenterCO: 51 - 51.5 cm
centerToTopCO: 52.6 - 53.1 cm
ttubeLengthCO: 53.6 - 54 cm
stemLengthCO: 10.8 - 11.4 cm
bbSaddleCO: 70.1 - 72.1 cm
saddleHandlebarCO: 51.2 - 51.8 cm
saddleSetbackCO: 3.6 - 4 cm

French Fit:
centerToCenterFR: 53.9 - 54.4 cm
centerToTopFR: 55.5 - 56 cm
ttubeLengthFR: 54.8 - 55.2 cm
stemLengthFR: 9.9 - 10.5 cm
bbSaddleFR: 67.6 - 69.6 cm
saddleHandlebarFR: 53.7 - 54.3 cm
saddleSetbackFR: 4.3 - 4.7 cm

bikemig 

Most of the research you've done suggests that the bike is too large. My guess is as well given that you are 5 ft 8. Plus you can do better than this bike. You'll need wheels, seatpost, and saddle at a minimal. The frame plus parts will run you $265 (with shipping). Wheels aren't cheap; nor are the other parts you will need.

If you want to save money, craigslist is your friend. I'd be patient and keep looking until a touring bike shows up. The NE has a pretty active market for used bikes so something will show up.

veganbikes

From the Bicycle Blue Book:

MSRP New:
$1,299

BicycleBlueBook.com Value:

$287 - $295 (Like-New)
$274 - $282 (Excellent)
$255 - $263 (Good)
$173 - $178 (Fair)




So I would say the bike is not worth it. If it was a complete bike I would say it wasn't too bad but it is not complete and getting parts is not always cheap unless you buy cheap stuff which generally you would want to avoid for touring. My best suggestion is get a job at a bike shop and you can get better deals on bikes. If you work at a shop that is a QBP dealer you can pick of a disc trucker or LHT cheaper as well as parts and such.

fietsbob

But Touring season and the season for the Work at the Bike shops are the same Months .

Unless you can save enough to go on a tour in the tropics or Southern Hemisphere during the winter, In the north.

mstateglfr 

huh?

veganbikes

Sure but still it is useful for cash monies. Plus sometimes shops need help around the holidays not as much as in the spring summer but still.

fietsbob

not here .. Summer Sales to Locals , Repairs and service .. Cycle Touring drop in repairs arriving Via coast route

has to carry the other 3/4 of the year.

djb

this bike blue book value thing doesnt make any sense, these values are so low it doesnt reflect at all a real world market for a used bike.
A $1300 bike is going as high as $282 in excellent shape?

certainly doesnt reflect the real world numbers I see for used bikes, and especially not for a good touring bike , of which there are not that many in the used market.

I can't be the only one to think this?

djb

ps, I only now looked at the ebay ad.
Yes, no wheels, no discs on the avids, no seat and who knows the condition of the chainrings, cassette, chain....

so a bit of a crap shoot for perhaps having to change out stuff and obviously get some wheels...so it starts to be a bit of a crap shoot for how much one would spend on it to get it road worthy.

and yes, at 5'8", a 56 is going to just be too big. I'm 5'10" and being long legged and shorter torso'd, a 54 works well for me (54.5cm top tube ish)

mstateglfr 

You rent the only one.
Bbb is woefully inaccurate since it doesn't take into account location or current inventory or comparable bikes.

It's sometimes high and sometimes low, but rarely just right.

veganbikes

It is a 10 year old bike not a more recently made tourer. Granted yes it is not that old but it is still on the older side and it is a touring bike. Those generally see a lot of use and abuse (not always intentional abuse but riding with weight on rougher roads or off road). BBB I think sometimes is a touch off but they probably have to factor in a lot of things that may not be as needed on a touring specific bike.

djb

I am constantly amazed by the prices of used bikes around here. To me they are usually much much higher than I expected. I helped someone look at and buy a used bike a while back, and couldnt believe how much was being asked, and yes, the buyer paid the price, depsite me saying that it was too high. The seller knew it, and stuck to his price, I imagine he buys and sells bikes often, so knows the market, especially among students looking for a bike around the time schools start up.

the vast majority of used bike ads I see are just stupidly overpriced, for the quality of the bike, the condition, you name it. But its a free market, the demand sets the price.

veganbikes

I did that with a friend, he bought a low end 15+ year old hybrid with lowest end shimano components (I believe full on tourney but maybe acera) and rotted tires and spent $200 on it after I repeatedly told him not too. People just don't listen to those who have experience anymore. I ran into it at the bike shop where I worked all the time. "I am not sure, let me call my friend who rides a bike" because there friend who rides a bike every so often knows more than the guy who lives and breathes bicycles for a living and for fun. Or I would get the people who thought they could ride a bike that was way to big for them and I would always tell them it just isn't going to work and they would insist to try it making me do extra work and then have them realize I was right and they are complete and utter morons who should be wiped from the face of the Earth...sorry still a little bitter ; )

unfortuN8

Thanks to everyone for the responses. Lots of good info. For someone who is new to this, I was excited when I came across BBB but it seems like thats not as useful as I had hoped. Any recommendations for where/what/how I should be looking for? I want to stay in teh $500-600 range. Everything that is near me seems to be at least 800 for a touring bike. I had hoped this would work out, but as many of you pointed out its going to get expensive very quick. Any and all suggestions are welcome! I've been searching craigslist and ebay for about a month now with no luck :/

Edit: found this on ebay. obviously a project bike but being so cheap, I couldn't help but look.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Specialized-.../141722064401?

saddlesores

oh, man, what the heck are they teaching the yutes in collidge nowadays!?!

skip the multiple measurements exercise.
this is the real world....go try a real bike for sizing.

in the meantime, you can tour on your mtb.
slap on some lighter tires for road touring.
get this here bob trailer clone for 80 bucks!
holy carp, free shipping!

attach to mtb. go on tour.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Steel-Bi...3D141722064401

unfortuN8

I have found the same Specialized Hardrock for sale on my local craigslist for around $100 in better shape. Worth going for it?

unfortuN8

While this would be the ideal solution, the bike I have been using is not mine unfortunately so I am not able to do this

saddlesores

not able to do what?

change tires? (can change back after tour)
attach a trailer. (bolt or clip on. not welded on)
take bike on tour? ...........

unfortuN8

Can't change tires or take on tour. current bike (giant Acapulco) is a shared bike that I just have been using because I don't have one for myself.

mstateglfr 

A Hardrock is/was their entry level and a low level bike. It being a rigid bike(instead of suspension) is good since itll be lighter and you don’t need a cheap suspension to ride.

If the $100 Hardrock is in good mechanical condition(shifts as it should, brakes as it should, cables arent rusty, wheels spin without wobble) then $100 would probably be worth it.
You could put some butterfly/trekking bars on it for $20 which would give you a lot more hand positions for comfort.

The bike needs to fit- ride it. For at least a mile. Should do more, but the seller may not be ok with that. If it doesn’t fit, it’s the worst deal in the world for you since you will be uncomfortable every day of your tour for hours on end.


You are in NJ…there must be bikes that would be more suited for dedicated touring for $500 and ready to ride or close to it. But hey, the Hardrock could be a good around town/commuter too, with some slicks.

unfortuN8

Trust me when I say you are by far not the first person to mention this I have heard that this (along with after new years) is a good time to shop for a used bike as people are looking to sell, but I can't seem to find anything. I'm thinking that perhaps im looking in the wrong places but i'm not sure. I've searched for terms such as "touring bike" "road bike" specific bikes such as "surly LHT " Trek 520/720" "Kona sutra" "specialized" but nothing that is neither A) overpriced (LHTs going for around $850-100 here) B) Totally rusted/abused or C) way too big or way too small. Are there other places I should be looking besides craigslist and ebay? I don't know of any shops around here that have used bikes. I have tried thrift stores but didn't have anything close.

unfortuN8

What do we think of this bike? Trek Antelope 820 Mountain Bike | eBay

I know its a 46cm frame BUT the frame i'm currently riding on is a 46cm MTB frame as well and doesn't feel too small. Do you think this could work for touring? Won't have to pay shipping as I am local enough to drive to pick up and test ride. I figure if I could talk my way to $70, I can replace tires, saddle, bars, and brakes which should put me around my budget. Worth looking at?

bikemig 

$100 plus shipping isn't worth it; you can get that quality bike at that price locally and not pay shipping. But first you need to figure out your frame size.

mstateglfr 

This isn't a great time to buy, at least in my area. People tend to pack away their bikes and sell em starting in March.
Funny because the refurbished bikes I do over the winter, I list then too. There is little competition and the bikes often sell quickly as a result since even in the winter, people are looking.

As for searches, keep it more general.
'touring'
58cm
58 cm
22"
22in
19"

Going for a frame size helps a lot, I've found. Couple reasons- it weeds sellers out who list junk or don't know enough to know that bikes come in different sizes. It wastes less time for you trolling thru hundreds of non applicable listings.
Being newer, you may benefit to buy from someone who knows what they are selling and if they know to at least measure and list the size, there is a better chance the bike is quality and the seller took care of it.

The above isn't a firm rule, but I've found it to apply quite often.

Look 2cm above and below your size in 1cm increments. Often times people mismeasure. Look in cm and in.

mstateglfr 

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/5322977092.htm

This isn't a 43cm as advertised(see, exception to what I just said you should try for)
It's an 88 Saratoga. I have a 90 Saratoga. Good frame and components on the 88.
Those hexagons on the fork are an add on, not sure what that's about.
But if you get the seller to measure the standover, it could be a good option.
High for my area, perhaps, but no idea about yours. If it fits and is in good mechanical and cosmetic condition, is $50 or whatever a big issue?



Something to think about too is you have months and could use 'tempest' to search all around your region. You choose the radius. A lot are old listings that are deleted and haven't fallen off their search program, but it's been valuable to me when I will be traveling for work or a family trip.