Trek Fast Trek 470

[itguy12]

Hello all.

I am new to cycling and am looking into purchasing my first road bike. The budget is slim right now, so I'm looking at a used one. I have found a 1996 Trek 470 for sale for $230, but seller said he could go to $200. My question to you experts is, is this worth it? Visit the link for more details. Thanks!

http://nashville.craigslist.org/bik/2376162694.html

 

[alfeng]

FWIW. Yes ... and, no ...

I would probably be willing to pay $200 for the particular Trek ... but, I'm partial to bikes with steel frames ...

• the bike has a pretty good steel frame -- I think that may have been one of the many Treks from that era which were made with TruTemper steel
• the particular components are more than good-enough
• and, it can be easily upgraded should you want to venture down THAT path in the future.

If you were to part-out the bike OR try to assemble a comparable bike from acquired parts, the sum would be more than $200 ...

If I lived in Tennessee, I would be heading to that guy's house with a fist full of dollars, ASAP.

• Presuming that you don't neglect the bike, the frame-and-fork will last as long as you want them to; and (as I stated) it can be readily updated-or-upgraded with newer-or-"better" components.
• And, in the future, you will probably use how the frame rides as a benchmark against which you will judge other bikes.

Of course, others may disagree with me.

 

[jjgg]

i have a trek 470 fast track and it is made out of cromolly and it has been better then one of the 2012 fuji bikes

 

[Elvis1013]

I know this thread is 2 yrs old, but for anyone interested in a Trek 470 ... go for it.

It's a nice quality steel bike, wasn't top of the line, but well made sturdy and rides nice.

Two things to look out for are the rear spacing which is a tad less than modern bikes being 7 speed, and the brifters. The RSX Shimano brake-shift lever combos often stop working, usually because they stiffen up, either from dirt, grit, dried oil, whatever. The accepted solution is to flood them with wd40 (something you wouldn't normally use on a bike) or maybe t-9.

Seriously, the brifters not working is one fo the biggest objection i've seen to these.

Well, the rear dropouts can be respaced by any competant and half awake bike mechanic, and the brifters are easy to fix if they will fix at all (if they are totally shot just take some bar end shifters and use those with a mornal set of aero levers)

I got one of these given to me and it only took an hour fo fiddling to get the recalcitrant shifter to function again (altho mine was more complicated, had to take the front part off and reseat an out fo wack washer). Yeh, unlike later shimano brifters these can sometimes be partially disassembled.

Also not for nothing but the frame is a prime candidate to build up with traditional downtube shifters.