Nice used bike vs. LBS Decent bike need some advice

[Jason Ambrosino]

In a little over two hours an ebay auction I am watching will be ending and I am torn on what to do. I am 230-240 lbs depending on the day 5' 11" and I just started getting into century rides...finished my first century this past Saturday (6 hours 30 minutes, not so bad for first time and only three weeks of training I think) and followed it up with 75 miles on Sunday. My current bike is a late 80's model?? I don't know...I bought it for $100 bucks from a guy that completely painted it and it had Shimano 105 components so figured it would do the trick...I had some significant wheel problem75 miler on Sunday. I decided I needed a better bike. I think my local bike shop has talked me into a 56cm Raleigh 3.0 with 105 components for $1000. But, now this auction is catching my eye...:

Cannondale CAAD 9 54cm Campy Full Bicycle....[FONT= 'Times New Roman']54cm Cannondale CAAD 9 with Campagnolo components. Frame[/FONT] was made in the USA, the last of the CAAD models with this distinction. The bike has been raced for two years and is in very good shape.

• Wheels -- Fulcrum Racing 1
• Brake lever/shifter -- Campagnolo Chorus ergo power
• Brakes -- Campagnolo Chorus with new brake pads
• Derailleurs -- Front = Campagnolo Chorus, Rear = Campagnolo Record
• Cranks -- Campagnolo Chorus, 172.5, 53 x 39
• Stem -- FSA SL-X aluminum with carbon face plate, 100mm (brand new)
• Handlebars -- FSA Wing Pro Compact, 42cm (brand new)
• Seat post -- Easton EC 70
• Seat -- Fizik Antares (brand new)
• Chain -- Campagnolo Record (brand new)
• Cassette -- Campagnolo Chorus, 12 x 27 (brand new)
• Tires -- Vittoria Diamante Pro (lots of life left)
• Handlebar tape - Fizik

There are a few minor scratches and blemishes as would be expected from two years of use. These include: small scratch in clear coat on top tube near head tube, paint chipped off rear brake boss on top tube, and other minor blemishes from use. Otherwise the bike is in excellent shape. The frame, fork, wheels, seat post, and crank set are 2 years old, the front derailleur is 1 year old, the brake lever/shifters and rear derailleur are 6 months old, and the seat, handlebar and stem are brand new. Additionally, the chain, cassette, and cables and housing are brand new.


I think it will end up going for $1500...so that is my dilemma...do I bid on this gem or do I buy the Raleigh.

 

[davereo]

Myself I would buy the Raliegh. The CAAD listed on ebay has many upgrades but you are left with buying the bike sight unseen and never ridden it. I have a CAAD 9 and the bike is awesome although some people find the ride to be harsh.

 

[danfoz]

Your sizes seem a little varied. Seems like a wad of dough to spend on a bike you haven't seen and don't know if it fits. There's a good deal on eBay every week. For $1500 you can get a brand new CAAD10 w/105. Just some thoughts.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by Jason Ambrosino .

... I am 230-240 lbs depending on the day 5' 11" and I just started getting into century rides...finished my first century this past Saturday (6 hours 30 minutes, not so bad for first time and only three weeks of training I think) and followed it up with 75 miles on Sunday. My current bike is a late 80's model?? I don't know...I bought it for $100 bucks from a guy that completely painted it and it had Shimano 105 components so figured it would do the trick...I had some significant wheel problem75 miler on Sunday. I decided I needed a better bike. I think my local bike shop has talked me into a 56cm Raleigh 3.0 with 105 components for $1000. But, now this auction is catching my eye...:

I think it will end up going for $1500...so that is my dilemma...do I bid on this gem or do I buy the Raleigh.

FWIW. While a different bike might seem to be the answer, I think that YOU may be better off if you were to simply update some of your current bike's components with parts that YOU want ... at least for this year's riding ...

• of course, I commend you for looking at a bike which has Campagnolo components ...&nbsp

Without trying, you should be able to buy a set of 10-speed Campagnolo shifters (and, cables/housnig) + Shimano rear derailleur (if needed ... yes, it is "compatible") + Shimano-compatible rear wheel & Shimano-or-SRAM Cassette (8-or-9 speed) for under $500 ... closer to $400 ... [COLOR= rgb(0, 128, 0)]even less if you try just a little[/COLOR].

Add $29 for a copy of ZINN AND THE ART OF ROAD BIKE MAINTENANCE (or, borrow it from your local library) OR use on-line resources ...

Add some money for bicycle specific tools, if necessary ...

• generally, almost any 5mm Allen Wrench (but, not the Park 3-in-1 tool since it is too stubby for installing brake levers) will accommodate the majority of installation/maintenance needs ... other sizes may be necessary
• a Cassette Lockring tool is a good thing to have ...
• a BB tool is only necessary if-and-when you will be working on the BB ...
• a good set of "dikes" which are capable of cutting cable would be a good thing to have -- the built-in wire cutters in HARBOR FREIGHT's pliers can do the job (at least, the ones which I have) ...
• a Flat File is a good thing to have for smoothing cable housing ends.

Initially, only the Cassette Lockring tool will be the only bicycle specific tool that you will need.

The majority of the cycling components (except for the cables/housing) can be transferred to another bike in the future if you decide on a different frame in the future.

BTW. Since I am 5'9" tall, I would tend to think that a 54cm frame might not be the best size for you ...

• ... because MY current preference is for a 54.5-to-55cm top tube with a 120mm-to-110mm stem, respectively ...
• when buying a bike in-person, I recommend that you bring a tape measure even if you think you know the bike's dimensions (i.e., manufacturer's theoretical specs) -- a 56-to-57cm (c-c) top tube (real or virtual) will probably suit you well

----

WHAT was the actual wheel problem that you experienced?

WHAT type of 105 components does your current bike have?

What size frame is your current bike AND are you otherwise comfortable on it?

 

[dhk2]

A 54cm CAAD9 is likely too small for you. At 5'11", you'd typically want a 56cm or 58cm frame. And if I'm not mistaken, the CAAD 9 would be in "race geometry". To ride this bike, your seat post would be way up, resulting in a major drop from the seat to the bars. Might work for a skinny pro rider with good flexibility, but not the best for a guy your weight just getting into century rides.

Second point against the CAAD9 would be that it's been raced for two years. Most racers I know are pretty tough on the hardware. If the racer was a strong sprinter-type who put 20K miles of training and racing on the frame, alot of it's life may already be used up. It's also probably been in a crash or two. CAAD frames are high quality, but as C'dale explains in their owner's info and warranty, they are ultra-light race frames not designed to last forever. Like the other major brands, normal wearout (fatigue failure) of the frame isn't covered by the warranty.

Bottom line, getting a bargain on the wrong bike isn't really a bargain. Further, buying a used bike online without knowing it's history and inspecting it closely is a risky way to look for savings.

 

[danfoz]

I'm with Alf on the upgrade. Of course getting a new bike is always a genuine thrill, but if your current bike did the century and you were excited enough to do another long ride immediately after, maybe just a new set of cheap but strong wheels from the LBS. At your weight you'll definitely want to stay away from the "off the shelf" low spoke count wheels. And chances are any wheels that come on any new bike will need swapping anyway with your clydsdale status. Sadly most of them have a 210-225lb rider weight limit. Getting the right set of custom wheels (which ironically are usually cheaper than off the shelf) will allow you to use them for years to come, possibly even being migrated from one bike to the next (even if you switch from Shimano to Campy down the road, a cassette body swap could be had for around $50-200, depending on the brand of the rear hub+installation cost).


Otherwise I'd go for the LBS bike, maybe not that particular model (although there's nothing wrong with it whatsoever), but getting the right fit sooner in one's cycling carreer is more important than a good deal IMO. A good bike shop will help you tweak things like stem lenghth etc. A good bike shop should also help with all those things even if you didn't buy the bike from them, it may just cost some $$.

 

[tottenham21]

Good luck with whatever way you decide to go but in my own opinion I wouldn't get any bike from eBay or online period as you do not know the real history behind the bike plus as anybody will agree you are better off goin to your LBS and get fit onto a good bike, you are willing to fork out $1500 for a bike so that amount of mulla will get ya a really nice brand new bike and then worry about the upgrades...