Buying New vs. Used - Component Tech

[SteezBurgers]

I'm looking for my first road bike and my price range is $900-1200. I've ridden plenty of bikes that I enjoyed including the '12 Giant Defy 2, '13 Trek 1.5, '13 raleigh revenio 3.0.

I like those bikes but for the most part (as expected in this price range) they are aluminum, and I'd prefer carbon as the roads here in Wisconsin are pretty nasty and the smoother ride would be appreciated. They also also seem to have Shimano Tiagra/Sora components, while I'd really like to get 105 if possible.

Being the frugal man that I am I started looking at used bikes. Madison, Wisconsin is a great biking city so there are plenty of options out there but it seems like road bikes keep there value pretty well so I'm not seeing as great of deals as I thought I would.

I've seen some good deals though including a '07 Fuji Team for around $800 that's in GREAT condition, but I keep reading that because Shimano trickles down their technology every year, '07 Ultegra/105 components might not even be as good as the '13 Sora/Tiagra components. Is there truth in that? If so, is it even worth it to buy a used bike if all I'm really getting is a carbon frame and what USED to be a better component set?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[alienator]

Components aside, you should not rule out aluminum bikes because of the way they allegedly ride. The days of aluminum bikes being unforgiving to ride are long gone. In fact, bikes like the Defy and the Trek are very popular bikes, not only because of their prices but also because of their rides. Also, do not presume that a carbon fiber bike will have a comfortable ride. How a bike rides is a function of design, construction, QC, rider fit, and other things. Frame material is only one factor, and it's not the driving factor. The biggest factors in the bump absorption and vibration damping of a bike are the volume and pressure of air in tires and the mass of the rider/bike system. It would be hard to justify passing up a new bike--if it fit and rode well--in favor of a 6 year old used CF frame.

 

[ambal]

Most of us like new stuff, but it really comes back to the buyer making a value judgement. There are some great bargains on the secondhand market, but you're more often than not taking a hit on the technology side.

 

[SteezBurgers]

Thanks for the advice! After reading a lot on these forums and others, I decided that if I'm going to spend $1k on a bike, it might as well be new.

That said, I just found a '07 Motobecane Le Champion SL with carbon fork, Ultegra 10 speed STI drivetrain, FSA SLK carbon cranks, Ritchey stem & seatpost, superlight American Classic wheels for $400. Even though its a bit of a budget frame, it seems like a great deal.

How do the Ultegra of '07 match up to the Tiagra of '12 or '13?