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.
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.
