> Used to ride often on my Trek bonded aluminum MTB (mostly road riding)
> and decided to start riding again. Also decided that a mid-high end
> used road bike would be my choice. My buddy has a 2000 Trek 5500 that
> he's ridden all of 200 miles in DC and he's decided that he no longer
> has use for it (other than a decoration) Apparently, he paid something
> between $4K and $5K for it (he usually buys the "best" of whatever he
> buys) back in 2000. I'm wondering if this is a good bike for someone
> who is just getting back into riding, if there are any things to be
> aware of with this model, etc. I know he has said that the frame is
> "tall" (whatever that means) but he and I are about the same height
> (6'1") and build.
>
> Given that the bike hasn't been ridden in a while, but has been stored
> in his living room are there any things that might need attention?
>
> Any opinions on what this bike is worth?
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts in regards to my questions.
The bike in question probably sold for about $3400, not $4-5k, but not a
small chunk of change either. Nice machine, but was not available in a
triple option (nor easy to convert) so if that's a requirement, you're
looking at a lot of extra expense. Obviously 200 miles are generally
insignificant for a bike, unless the bike was run into something... check it
over *very* carefully. Look for any dings in the paint even.
Sizing is very important, and goes beyond just getting the proper frame
size. At 6'1", we know that you take either a 60 or 62cm. The magic of
proper fit is largely accomplished by getting the right distance between the
seat and handlebars, as well as the correct amount of drop (difference in
height between seat and bars). This after first making sure the seat is in a
reasonable position in terms of fore/aft setting.
If you have access to a shop that's known to do a good job with bike fit,
you might see what they charge for their services and see first, if the bike
can be set up properly for you and, if it can, have it done.
But as for suitability, if you don't need a triple crankset and aren't
planning to ride gravel roads all day long, a 5500 would be a very nice
bike. There's nothing about it that makes it high-strung in a way that would
be inappropriate for a novice rider. It's handling isn't twitchy at all, and
you can tame it a bit with 25c tires instead of the stock 23c.
One thing to keep in mind though is that Trek's lifetime warranty, like most
others I've seen, is for the original owner only. This reduces its used
value a fair amount, so plan accordingly in terms of what you're willing to
pay.
Hope this helps-
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"biggziff" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
> Used to ride often on my Trek bonded aluminum MTB (mostly road riding)
> and decided to start riding again. Also decided that a mid-high end
> used road bike would be my choice. My buddy has a 2000 Trek 5500 that
> he's ridden all of 200 miles in DC and he's decided that he no longer
> has use for it (other than a decoration) Apparently, he paid something
> between $4K and $5K for it (he usually buys the "best" of whatever he
> buys) back in 2000. I'm wondering if this is a good bike for someone
> who is just getting back into riding, if there are any things to be
> aware of with this model, etc. I know he has said that the frame is
> "tall" (whatever that means) but he and I are about the same height
> (6'1") and build.
>
> Given that the bike hasn't been ridden in a while, but has been stored
> in his living room are there any things that might need attention?
>
> Any opinions on what this bike is worth?
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts in regards to my questions.
>
