Advice on buying a used bike?

Originally Posted by addictedcyclist

This is my first post as I am new to cycling forums. Well, I got a road bike 6 months ago and now my mom wants a road bike to keep up with me on our rides. I was searching through craigslist and found this add. I think it is perfect for my mom because she is 5'2" same as the owner of the bike(and the other fitting adjustments I guess can be at a bike shop). Anyone have advice on their experience of buying used bikes. I was thinking of meeting the person selling it at a bike shop so we can have it inspected before we buy it. Lastly does anyone know what year TCR-1 model it is. I can't tell if it is the tcr alliance, composite, or advance. Thanks for the advice and help.

This is the add on craigslist

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Giant TCR Like new Small Frame - $1000 (menlo park)

Reply to: sale-388475420@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-08-03, 10:09AM PDT


Like new Giant TCR-1 road bike. This is a fantastic bike, the colors are awesome and it's light as a feather. This is a small frame bike (52cm) as I am 5'2".

I bought this bike brand new for $1500, used it less than a month and it's been collecting dust ever since. I took up soccer instead.

Nice components: All Shimano Ultegra, carbon frame (total bike weighs about 9lbs) 10 speeds(sorry no granny gear) and has less than 100 miles on it. Not a scratch on her. The picture shows the same bike as mine. It's perfect weather, take her out and ride!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by rparedes

Go to Giant's website, look under archives (home/bikes/road/archives) for the model year that fits the specs.
This is a great bike (competition type). I don't know if your mom has ridden before or how much/type riding she intends to do but this is a bike that starts getting into the "serious bike" category. (I wish I could afford one like it)

Originally Posted by addictedcyclist

Like new Giant TCR-1 road bike. This is a fantastic bike, the colors are awesome and it's light as a feather. This is a small frame bike (52cm) as I am 5'2".

Originally Posted by alfeng

First, it's undoubtedly a nice bike; but, it is actually too big for your mother.

Presuming the 52cm measurement is the top tube, it is probably too large for the original owner, too! Sadly, this underscores why it may often be pointless to buy from a local bike shop since many often foist what they have in inventory on the unwitting buyer ... what good is a "professional fitting" if the bike that rolls out the door doesn't fit the intended rider?

The seller AND your mother will be better off with an even smaller frame (i.e., one whose top tube is closer to 50cm).

I reckon a bike with a 52cm top tube is better suited to a rider who is between 5'4" & 5'6" ... depending on their individual proportions.

BTW. Not that it matters (since you shouldn't buy the particular GIANT for your mother), the bike probably weighs closer to 19 lbs. than what you transcribed/cut-and-pasted.

Look in the back of BICYCLING or VELONEWS for mail order bikes (e.g., www.bicyclebuys.com, www.bikesdirect.com, www.cambriabike.com, eBay, etc.) with comparable components and BE SURE the fit is correct!

Cambria is relatively close to you. There is probably a Performance Bike shop near you. Almost ALL 2007 bikes went on sale in June -- 20-to-25% off list. New 2006 bikes that are still in stock will be discounted more ... extremely small & extremely large sizes are hardest for the shops to sell.

Locate the threads on frame sizing OR go to www.coloradocyclist.com and use their sizing info as a starting point to estimate the "correct" size.

BRING a (metric, if you have it) tape measure with you when you go shopping.