choosing my first bikes

assume I am approaching the final in the race for my first bikes

I have to select between the following 3:

TREK 1000 - 2 years old like new with a new rear cassette and Shimano Sora

Cannondale - 6 years old "SILKROAD" - CAAD 3 with front "shocker"

Fuji ACE - new

They are all having the same range of price - Cannondale is obviously the most expensive (600$) TREK
is 400$ and Fuji is 500$

what would you take?

 

Tuval Biran <[email protected]> wrote:

: TREK 1000 - 2 years old like new with a new rear cassette and Shimano Sora

: Cannondale - 6 years old "SILKROAD" - CAAD 3 with front "shocker"

: Fuji ACE - new

: They are all having the same range of price - Cannondale is obviously the most expensive (600$)
: TREK is 400$ and Fuji is 500$

: what would you take?

Hard to say, as I know none of these bikes and almost nothing on your riding style Best to read
some articles/advice on buying used bikes so you can inspect them properly, and also be sure to test
ride them. Trying them over the weekend could be a good idea.

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

 

>what would you take?

The Fuji.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

>I have to select between the following 3:
>
>TREK 1000 - 2 years old like new with a new rear cassette and Shimano Sora
>
>Cannondale - 6 years old "SILKROAD" - CAAD 3 with front "shocker"
>
>Fuji ACE - new
>
>They are all having the same range of price - Cannondale is obviously the most expensive (600$)
>TREK is 400$ and Fuji is 500$
>
>what would you take?
>

Without the ability to inspect these bikes so that I could know the condition, I would choose the
Fugi for the simple reason that it is new, it will come with at least 1 years manufacturers warranty
plus some sort of loinger term frame guaranty.

If the Trek has Sora components then there is really little to be said for it over the Fugi except
that it is not new, I would certainly pay $100 to get a new bike.

The Cannondale is pretty old and while a high end model, you are stuck with Cannondale for support
of the headshock, and Cannondale is having severe financial problems. It is most likely that the
bicycle division will emerge intact but it is a risk.

The Fugi does not have the Trek or Cannondale badge. Badges don't wear out but the rest of the bike
will. Wheels on road bikes are particularily vulnerable because they have to built properly,
tensioned and stress relieved in order to be durable. A bad rear wheel and that that $100 difference
between the Trek and Fugi is gone.

jon isaacs

 

>The Fugi does not have the Trek or Cannondale badge.

The Fuji also has a steel frame, as opposed to those other bicycles.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

"Tuval Biran" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> assume I am approaching the final in the race for my first bikes
>
> I have to select between the following 3:
>
> TREK 1000 - 2 years old like new with a new rear cassette and Shimano Sora
>
> Cannondale - 6 years old "SILKROAD" - CAAD 3 with front "shocker"
>
> Fuji ACE - new

I'd avoid anything with a suspension. Extra weight, hassle, complexity, maintenance. If it's a
cannondale, then you've got a Headshok unit that will likely not have any more replacement parts, as
that company is about to vanish, and its tooling with it.

That leaves the new Fuji and the used Trek.

The most important thing when you want to spend Real Money on a bike is how it fits you. If it's
uncomfortable when you first ride it--that is, if you cannot adjust it easily to suit your riding
position--then the bike won't get used very much at all.

Get out and ride the two bikes. Pick the one that feels better when you ride it, and go.

-Luigi

 

There are three possible disadvantages to a used bike-

#1: No dealer behind it to make sure it's an appropriate bike for you, and
to have it properly fit.
#2: Most warranties apply only to the original owner
#3: A temptation to think something's the right size because it's a "good
buy."

I'd be most concerned about the six year old bike, since that's going to introduce legacy issues
(particularly in gearing) much sooner than the others, particularly if it has RSX, '105 or Ultegra
9-speed STI levers, in addition to a proprietary front suspension system.

I'd also consider than a new TREK 1000, with improved components over the 2-year-old model, runs
just $550; normally I'd expect to see a great price spread than $150 between them.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Tuval Biran" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> assume I am approaching the final in the race for my first bikes
>
> I have to select between the following 3:
>
> TREK 1000 - 2 years old like new with a new rear cassette and Shimano Sora
>
> Cannondale - 6 years old "SILKROAD" - CAAD 3 with front "shocker"
>
> Fuji ACE - new
>
> They are all having the same range of price - Cannondale is obviously the most expensive (600$)
> TREK is 400$ and Fuji is 500$
>
> what would you take?

 

"Eric S. Sande" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> The Fuji also has a steel frame,

Well that's enough to rule that bike out.

He should keep in mind the most aesthetically pleasing frame must be no more than 52cm bb to tt and
keep the frame material something like Dedacciai's V107 AL tubing.

 

On Mon, 03 Mar 2003 00:39:46 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email protected]> from Shaw Residential
Internet wrote:

>He should keep in mind the most aesthetically pleasing frame must be no more than 52cm bb to tt and
>keep the frame material something like Dedacciai's V107 AL tubing.

Are you still hawking that lame aluminum alloy crap? Carbon!

--
http://home.sport.rr.com/cuthulu/ human rights = peace I want to dress you up as TALLULAH BANKHEAD
and cover you with VASELINE and WHEAT THINS ...
7:40:07 PM 2 March 2003

 

"Bill Kob" <[email protected]/\/\> wrote in message
>
> Are you still hawking that lame aluminum alloy crap? Carbon!

Right, and the only reason I'm not riding a Colnago B-Stay HP C40 with the NL11 paint scheme right
now is that I just maxed out my Visa and MasterCard buying team kit on ExcelSports.com,
Probikekit.com, and of course Prendas Ciclismo.

Luckly I can still make a CAAD frame look very good.

 

On Mon, 03 Mar 2003 02:28:42 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email protected]> from Shaw Residential
Internet wrote:

>Luckly I can still make a CAAD frame look very good.

No. You're just distracting attention away from it.
--
http://home.sport.rr.com/cuthulu/ human rights = peace a bike ouch over a shifty screaming nun
9:27:07 PM 2 March 2003

 

"Bill Kob" <[email protected]/\/\> wrote in message

>> On Mon, 03 Mar 2003 02:28:42 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni"
>
> >Luckly I can still make a CAAD frame look very good.
>
> No. You're just distracting attention away from it.
> --
You know what's really unfair about all this?

Guys like Henk Vogels and Chris Wherry get to ride nice new C40 B-Stays just because they are on
Team Navigators/Somerset, which is only a TT2 trade team doing some Euro and a bunch of domestic
races this season.

 

On Mon, 03 Mar 2003 05:42:11 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email protected]> from Shaw Residential
Internet wrote:

>
>"Bill Kob" <[email protected]/\/\> wrote in message
>
>>> On Mon, 03 Mar 2003 02:28:42 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni"
>>
>> >Luckly I can still make a CAAD frame look very good.
>>
>> No. You're just distracting attention away from it.
>> --
>You know what's really unfair about all this?
>
>Guys like Henk Vogels and Chris Wherry get to ride nice new C40 B-Stays just because they are on
>Team Navigators/Somerset, which is only a TT2 trade team doing some Euro and a bunch of domestic
>races this season.

Well, if you didn't have that lame job and could take the time to train, no telling what you would
be riding by now.

--
http://home.sport.rr.com/cuthulu/ human rights = peace A wide-eyed, innocent UNICORN, poised
delicately in a MEADOW filled
1:56:10 AM 3 March 2003

 

and what about SchwinnFastback with Shimano Tiagra model 2002

 

"Bill Kob" <[email protected]/\/\> wrote in message
> Well, if you didn't have that lame job and could take the time to train,
no
> telling what you would be riding by now.

What's not fair about all this is a guy like Vassili Davidenko gets handed a new C40 from team
Navigators. Ok, so he finished in second place last year at the G.P. des Rennes in France, but he
really made far too many tactical errors that day for my liking. And sure he's a strong kid who can
put the hurt on me if he's having a really good day and I'm on an off day, but what's with the deal
with him getting the new bike and not me?

 

On Tue, 04 Mar 2003 03:35:15 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email protected]> from Shaw Residential
Internet wrote:

>What's not fair about all this is a guy like Vassili Davidenko gets handed a new C40 from team
>Navigators. Ok, so he finished in second place last year at the G.P. des Rennes in France, but he
>really made far too many tactical errors that day for my liking. And sure he's a strong kid who can
>put the hurt on me if he's having a really good day and I'm on an off day, but what's with the deal
>with him getting the new bike and not me?

He just got lucky.

--
http://home.sport.rr.com/cuthulu/ human rights = peace Civilization is fun! Anyway, it
keeps me busy!!
12:49:09 AM 4 March 2003

 

"Bill Kob" <[email protected]/\/\> wrote in message
>
> He just got lucky.

Well it wasn't exactly luck for Vassili that day, what happened was Vassili was in the breakaway
group up the road, I really wanted to launch a massive attack in the last ten km and bridge up to
the lead group and contest the final sprint but Ed Beamon the Director Sportif in the team car
radioed me and told me to stay put in the pack because he was worried I would take one of the danger
guys from an opposing team up the road with me.

And that's the difference between amateur racing and us pros.

Hey Kevan, how come you're posting under a fake name these days?

 

On Wed, 05 Mar 2003 01:04:50 GMT, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email protected]> from Shaw Residential
Internet wrote:

>
>"Bill Kob" <[email protected]/\/\> wrote in message
>>
>> He just got lucky.
>
>Well it wasn't exactly luck for Vassili that day, what happened was Vassili was in the breakaway
>group up the road, I really wanted to launch a massive attack in the last ten km and bridge up to
>the lead group and contest the final sprint but Ed Beamon the Director Sportif in the team car
>radioed me and told me to stay put in the pack because he was worried I would take one of the
>danger guys from an opposing team up the road with me.

Man, you were in shape that day! You could have easily set too hard a pace on the bridging effort
for anyone to hang onto your wheel. Then you could have latched onto Vassili's wheel and rested
until the sprint. But I understand you have to be a team player.

>And that's the difference between amateur racing and us pros.

I may enter my first criterium ever this month. You know of any way to lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks?

Here's the race:

http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1045634

I think I can finish in the top five Cat 5's. Maybe.

>Hey Kevan, how come you're posting under a fake name these days?

Confuse the killfiles.
--
http://home.sport.rr.com/cuthulu/ human rights = peace DON'T go!! I'm not HOWARD COSELL!! I know
POLISH JOKES ... WAIT!! Don't go!! I AM Howard Cosell! ... And I DON'T know Polish jokes!!
10:01:18 PM 4 March 2003