2006 Specialized Sirrus for $420 - used half season - should I buy?

Hello cyclists,

I am in the market for a good bicycle suitable for loaded touring, commuting, and an occasional touring club day ride. My ideal bike would have fittings for both front and rear racks; fittings for front and rear fenders; durable wheels, preferably 36 spokes; flat bar (no drop bars); the ability to take tires as small as 25 mm and as large as 38 mm; and of course, it must fit. Lighter weight is always nice too but durability is paramount. I want a mid-price range - $400 to $800.

I've been looking at used bikes on Craigslist, because I believe there are a lot of people out there who buy an expensive bike new then hardly ever use it. I've found from many postings that this is indeed the case. I have my eye on this bike:

Specialized Sirrus Bike - $420

The owner isn't most knowledgable about bike terminology and specifications so here is some additional detail:

Size "M" for men's medium. It says on the bike that it's a 54.5 cm top tube and a 54 cm seat tube.
Butted A1 Aluminum frame, with hourglass seatstays and CrMo steerer
Toe straps and pedals (my preference; for commuting and short trips, clipless is too much trouble)
32-spoke wheels - each spoke cross other spokes 3 times
24 speed - 48-38-28 teeth chainrings
"Milano" saddle - well it was comfortable when I tried it
Suspension seat post
Shimano Sora rear derailleur
V-brakes
Alex DA16 rims with 700C by 28mm slick road tires

Other specs are most likely quite similar to the 2007 Specialized Sirrus.

It has everything I want in my list above, except it does not have fittings for fenders, and the wheels are 32 spokes and not 36 - would these wheels be a problem with durability or while touring carrying about 240 pounds?

My gut tells me this is a deal. I rode it and it was good, but neither the seller nor I had tools to adjust the bike to fit me, so the saddle was too low, and I won't buy a bike without knowing that it fits. Does this sound like a bike that would fit me? There are only 2 sizes that are bigger than "M," and my clearance is about 3" above the top tube - is this about right or is it too much on a compact road frame? I am a man who is 5'9", 165 pounds, and take a 30" inseam in pants (that's 175 cm, 75 kg, and 76 cm pants inseam).

I want to make a decision quite soon because this seems like quite a good bike and I don't find many other suitable bikes for sale used. I see lots of racing/sport bikes, LOTS of mountain bikes, and some cheap hybrids, but not too many mid-priced straight-bar road bikes that fit.

My 10-year-old Giant Option hybrid is breaking spokes every month now, so wheel quality is a primary concern, especially since I'll be touring loaded in September.

No replies huh? It's probably too detailed for most people to bother with. Well I'm going to fit it again on Saturday morning, this time with wrenches. I'll probably buy it buy then if it does indeed fit and there is no reason I shouldn't.

I am looking for something suitable as a touring and commuting bike mainly, but still fast enough for an occasional club ride.

Alex.

Hello,

I'm just getting into riding, but I just bought a Specialized Sirrus last week and I love it! Just make sure it fits well. When I bought mine I tested 2 different sizes. I thought the first one was perfect until I tried the second, sorry but I forget the frame sizes I tested, but anyway, just make sure it "really" fits and you should be happy with the bike... GL!