Is this a good buy?

[wll6568]

Hello Guys,

I am a complete road bike newbie, and saw an ad selling a second hand road bike. Just wondering if anyone think it's a good buy:

Microshift 2X9
105 LOCK
Selle italia SEAT
Racing 7 tyres plus extreme light TUBE$ v& U4 ?; `; U5 ~( b1 q% a (don't know what that means...)
Speed indicator

Selling for $600.

[Duck!]

If that's a quote from the ad it sounds like the seller doesn't have any more clue than you do; there is virtually no useful information there.

[bychosis]

They just put snake oil on the chain and plenty of elbow grease in the bearings though so it's ready to ride.

[wll6568]

LOL. Okay, here's the photo:



Any clue if it's worth it? Or if there are any questions worth I ask him?

[jasonc]

the giant scr wasn't ever sold in Australia as far as i know

[Duck!]

the giant scr wasn't ever sold in Australia as far as i know

It was, but as the OCR. It's a decent entry-level bike, but given it sold for about $900 new in 2008, $600 is too much.

[wll6568]

the giant scr wasn't ever sold in Australia as far as i know

It was, but as the OCR. It's a decent entry-level bike, but given it sold for about $900 new in 2008, $600 is too much.

Oh... how much should I bargain for it? Should I even get it?

I am an entry level rider, never ride a road bike before, but keen to try. Or should I get something brand new? I went into Giant store and almost everything was over $2000.

What to check on when selecting a bike?

[jasonc]

Should I even get it?

no

keep looking

[Duck!]

$400 would be tops.

[macca33]

Brand new Giant Defy road bikes are heading out at around $700-1000 at present - why not buy brand new???

cheers

[MichaelB]

First thing that you need to work out is what size bike you need. The photo is a very small frame, so you must be pretty short to ride it.

Secondly, what sort of riding are you doing now/planning on doing ? Depending on what the answer is, will determine the TYPE of bike you buy.

Then, look around new/old and see what is available. Just because some is cheap doesn't mean it is good. Conversely, it may mean the opposite too !!!!

[HappyHumber]

+1 size and size again.

A bargain aint a bargain if don't fit.

[wll6568]

Okay, how about this one?

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/west-lak ... 1081569283" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[wll6568]

First thing that you need to work out is what size bike you need. The photo is a very small frame, so you must be pretty short to ride it.

Secondly, what sort of riding are you doing now/planning on doing ? Depending on what the answer is, will determine the TYPE of bike you buy.

Then, look around new/old and see what is available. Just because some is cheap doesn't mean it is good. Conversely, it may mean the opposite too !!!!

Hm.... I am 173cm. I guess I'd be riding it for training. As in, I wanna go tour de taiwan one day, lol. That's what attracted me recently to wanting to get one. Was thinking to ride it to work as well... but not sure how practical it would be lol.

[wll6568]

Or this: http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/beaumont ... 1085858756" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or this: http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/aberfoyl ... 1087030007" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LOL, sorry... gimme some advice. Complete newbie here.

[Duck!]

From one end of the scale to the other!! The Advanced LE is a very nice bike, and the 7800-series Dura-Ace running gear is still some of the best around. "73cm" size is out-of-the-box before the integrated seatpost was cut; it is equivalent to a 50cm normal seatpost Giant frame, which with you at 173cm would be in the right size range.

Really important!!! The seatpost design requires cutting to length to suit the rider. Once cut there is limited scope to raise the post. Of course it is possible to lower it by cutting more off. This whole process requires professional input!

The Advanced 1 is also good; the normal adjustable seatpost is a much simpler beast. It's a size smaller than the Advanced LE, but at your height you're in the crossover zone between both sizes, so depending on your leg/torso proportions either would work.

The Advanced 2 (last one linked) is too big for you, so forget that one.

[wll6568]

From one end of the scale to the other!! The Advanced LE is a very nice bike, and the 7800-series Dura-Ace running gear is still some of the best around. "73cm" size is out-of-the-box before the integrated seatpost was cut; it is equivalent to a 50cm normal seatpost Giant frame, which with you at 173cm would be in the right size range.

Really important!!! The seatpost design requires cutting to length to suit the rider. Once cut there is limited scope to raise the post. Of course it is possible to lower it by cutting more off. This whole process requires professional input!

The Advanced 1 is also good; the normal adjustable seatpost is a much simpler beast. It's a size smaller than the Advanced LE, but at your height you're in the crossover zone between both sizes, so depending on your leg/torso proportions either would work.

The Advanced 2 (last one linked) is too big for you, so forget that one.

Thanks for that!! Although too many technical terms... Lol

What are the difference between advanced LE and Advanced 1? Which one is higher end?

So you're saying the first two links are okay for me? What about their pricing? How much should I bargain it?

[Duck!]

Although it's older, the Advanced LE is a considerably better bike. The frame uses higher better grades of carbon fibre (stronger, stiffer, allowing less to be used, therefore lighter), all of the components are top of the line. The running gear on the Advanced 1, although a later generation, is a step below, and the shifting action of the gear levers is inferior.

However, I cannot stress enough that it is essential to seek professional assistance to set the LE up properly.

[rodneycc]

Brand new Giant Defy road bikes are heading out at around $700-1000 at present - why not buy brand new???

cheers

This. You have suddenly started looking at $1500 bikes so you may as well buy something new. I'd forget about the TCR and look more at the Defy as a newbie. If your local LBS is selling nothing under $2k then you need to find another shop.
They will do a proper fit and you will get a warranty, two more reasons.
Good luck.

[wll6568]

Brand new Giant Defy road bikes are heading out at around $700-1000 at present - why not buy brand new???

cheers

This. You have suddenly started looking at $1500 bikes so you may as well buy something new. I'd forget about the TCR and look more at the Defy as a newbie. If your local LBS is selling nothing under $2k then you need to find another shop.
They will do a proper fit and you will get a warranty, two more reasons.
Good luck.

But then most of the ads says brand new would be costing around 4, 5K. Don't feel like spending over $1k I guess. That's including all accessories.

[swin1]

Hi wll6568, don't worry too much for your first bike, prices start to level out as bikes become cheaper and you'll kill yourself trying to get the perfect bike for the lowest price first go.

As others have said just make sure you get the frame size right, go to a couple bike shops and get some advice on the right size.

I prefer second hand bikes particularly if you are just getting into it, bikes have a small carbon footprint in the scheme of things but aluminium is one of the worst environmental materials so best to re-use/recycle where you can!

Safety is obviously important so like buying a car ask about any accidents, look at the profile of the bike and make sure the forks are straight, run fingers over whole frame and check for any big scratches or cracks, make sure rear derailleur looks straight and adjusted.

Giant bikes are good value in Australia. The above bike is probably too small but $500 or less for that model/components would be fine. You can upgrade or change bikes later as you learn more about what you want and can then spend more money on something better/lighter.

[Duck!]

But then most of the ads says brand new would be costing around 4, 5K. Don't feel like spending over $1k I guess. That's including all accessories.

Of the ones you've been looking at, the LE was around $6k new, the Advanced 1 was around $3k & the 2 $2.5k.