Used road bikes newbie

Never rode a road bike, could be useful experience though. This week there's going to be a police
auction, maybe I can pick up something nice there, or somewhere else. Some questions though...

What should I expect to pay for a decent road bike from 3-10 years back? (Eg. something with Sora or
similar...)

When did Shimano introduce 8-speed components? (Could switch components between bikes...)

Anything special to check? Except to see if there's any broken stuff, and that the fit is ok...

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi

>Never rode a road bike, could be useful experience though. This week there's going to be a police
>auction, maybe I can pick up something nice there, or somewhere else. Some questions though...

>What should I expect to pay for a decent road bike from 3-10 years back? (Eg. something with Sora
>or similar...)

This is hard to determine, depends on the market locally. In general, my experience with police
auctions has been that there are few if any good bikes, most are junk and that in the auction
atmosphere, people are willing to pay rediculous prices. I avoid them. But, it might be different in
Finland...

>When did Shimano introduce 8-speed components? (Could switch components between bikes...)

Something like 1992 for some most groups, probably a bit earlier for DuraAce. Probably best to avoid
an older bike with 6,7, or 8 speed DuraAce as the shifters and derailleurs and non-standard and rear
free hub is also a unique and expensive design.

>Anything special to check? Except to see if there's any broken stuff, and that the fit is ok...
>
>--

Look carefully at the wheels for signs of damage or corroded nipples. Road wheels are rather
suspectible to abuse and replacing a set of wheels can be a significant expense. Check the frame
carefully for signs of cracks or damage, make sure the fork is straight and true.

I have written a few pages about how to evaluate and purchase a used bicycle. If you are interested
I could Email them to you.

jon

Years ago I went to a police bike auction.

I was appalled. Most of the bikes were low end "department store bikes". I don't recall a single
decent bike coming up for sale and many were in terrible condition. Also, people got competing
with each other in the bidding and the bikes often went for prices that were very close to the
same bike new.

<risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi> wrote in message
news:b9vrnd$g65$1@oravannahka.helsinki.fi...
>
> When did Shimano introduce 8-speed components?

Who cares, Campagnolo is now either 9 or 10 cog cassettes.

You'll get dropped by the guys if you show up with only an eight. And if you go Jap don't even think
105 groupo.

Jon Isaacs <jonisaacs@aol.com> wrote:
: This is hard to determine, depends on the market locally. In general, my experience with police
: auctions has been that there are few if any good bikes, most are junk and that in the auction
: atmosphere, people are willing to pay rediculous prices. I avoid them. But, it might be different
: in Finland...

I'll try to keep that in mind, and remind my friend as well... :-)

:>Anything special to check? Except to see if there's any broken stuff, and that the fit is ok...
:>
:>--

: Look carefully at the wheels for signs of damage or corroded nipples. Road wheels are rather
: suspectible to abuse and replacing a set of wheels can be a significant expense. Check the frame
: carefully for signs of cracks or damage, make sure the fork is straight and true.

Thanks for hints...

: I have written a few pages about how to evaluate and purchase a used bicycle. If you are
: interested I could Email them to you.

I think most convenient would be to have information on the WWW and just link to it. I even think
somebody posted urls to some used bike FAQs/guides here, but didn't yet search for them...

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi

Jon Isaacs wrote:

> >Never rode a road bike, could be useful experience though. This week there's going to be a police
> >auction, maybe I can pick up something nice there, or somewhere else. Some questions though...
>
> >What should I expect to pay for a decent road bike from 3-10 years back? (Eg. something with Sora
> >or similar...)
>
> This is hard to determine, depends on the market locally. In general, my experience with police
> auctions has been that there are few if any good bikes, most are junk and that in the auction
> atmosphere, people are willing to pay rediculous prices. I avoid them. But, it might be different
> in Finland...
>

Thats how it was at the police auction in Vancouver in April '03. Dime store junkers for more than
new. 10 y/o decent brands for near new prices even tho they were worn out, etc. I didn't bid at all.
Watched many bikes with totally bent wheels (ruined by thieves) sold for "as new" prices. The crowd
was eager to pay. Bernie

risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi wrote:

> Jon Isaacs <jonisaacs@aol.com> wrote:
> : This is hard to determine, depends on the market locally. In general, my experience with police
> : auctions has been that there are few if any good bikes, most are junk and that in the auction
> : atmosphere, people are willing to pay rediculous prices. I avoid them. But, it might be
> : different in Finland...
>
> I'll try to keep that in mind, and remind my friend as well... :-)
>
> :>Anything special to check? Except to see if there's any broken stuff, and that the fit is ok...
> :>
> :>--
>
> : Look carefully at the wheels for signs of damage or corroded nipples. Road wheels are rather
> : suspectible to abuse and replacing a set of wheels can be a significant expense. Check the frame
> : carefully for signs of cracks or damage, make sure the fork is straight and true.
>
> Thanks for hints...
>
> : I have written a few pages about how to evaluate and purchase a used bicycle. If you are
> : interested I could Email them to you.
>
> I think most convenient would be to have information on the WWW and just link to it. I even think
> somebody posted urls to some used bike FAQs/guides here, but didn't yet search for them...
>
> --
> Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi

I found an old Myata touring bike at a garage sale for cheap this spring. It looked like my size. I
was excited about it, so I walked away a while and thought the deal over. Went back and looked at
the frame again.(everything else can be easily replaced) The forks had a small wrinkle just below
the lugs, on the rear side. This bike had had a collision, and the forks were bent. Since I was
garage sale shopping for a $20 bike, I went on my way.. Best regards, Bernie

risto.varanka@secure.from.spam.helsinki.fi wrote in message
news:<b9vrnd$g65$1@oravannahka.helsinki.fi>...
>
> What should I expect to pay for a decent road bike from 3-10 years back? (Eg. something with Sora
> or similar...)
>
I got about a 10-year-old Schwinn Le Tour road bike complete with a speedo/computer at a YMCA garage
sale for $20. Had a little rust but otherwise ok. A little chrome polish and it was nice and shiny
again, 6 months later got a tune-up, a few new parts in the gearing/drivetrain, so got her top gear
back and now it's just dandy! It is my primary bike now. But it did require about $110 total
investment (incl. purchase) to reach that point.

Jon Isaacs <jonisaacs@aol.com> wrote:
: This is hard to determine, depends on the market locally. In general, my experience with police
: auctions has been that there are few if any good bikes, most are junk and that in the auction
: atmosphere, people are willing to pay rediculous prices. I avoid them. But, it might be different
: in Finland...

In this auction there was one road bike, pretty good shape, frame seemed ok, no rust in the wheels,
shifters shift. Campy 9-speed Mirage/Xenon gruppo, no pedals. Price was just over 500 euros :-) Btw
the frame seemed some 2 inches too small for me, and I'm not a very big person...

Also several fully suspended mountain bikes, almost all just 200 euros. Seemed quite good shape, but
dunno if they were all some no-brand department store bikes (retail for 270 euros or so here). Eg.
one was Insera Takeda, RST 156 front shock. Didn't take a close look at these, but I think I will
after the summer... :-)

Then there were a million bikes many over 10 years old, some with bent wheels or even some rust,
sold for about 60 euros...

One Nishiki kick bike in apparently good shape sold for 50 euros (sounds nice), and one upright
trike for 5 (!) euros I think.

I never bid on anything but friend got 21-speed ladies bike for just 190 euros, apparently ok but he
told me later it's missing 2 spokes.

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/ varis at no spam please iki fi