OhLylo

Been looking for a racier bike to ride on weekends to complement my FX3 for commuting. I found a Giant TCR on my local craigslist for $475. Model year is unknown - seller says it's new/less than 10 ridden miles, but also that they got it at a garage sale, so who knows there. Google suggests it's from 2011-ish but, again, it's hard to say. The labeling on the frame indicates it's Aluxx SL with a carbon fork, and the components are Ultegra (2x9, not sure which generation that makes it). There are a ton of pictures and it looks as new as advertised. Seller lists the model as TCR Compact Road SL.

Think this is worth an hour drive to check out/buy? The seller is firm on price so no room to drive out and haggle.

chicagogal

That 9spd stuff is pretty old. Definitely older than 2011. I'd pass.

OhLylo

That was a good direction to look in. Found it on bikepedia, it's a 2004. Definitely older than I thought, and based on their price guidelines, overpriced. Thanks for the tip.

rms13

It's a pretty nice bike. Hard to tell exactly what you are looking at without a link. 9 speed Ultegra was a nice groupset. If it really is all like new condition and it fits then it would be a decent first road bike. If you are are in the LA area as your profile says then I would expect to pay at least $350-400 for that bike in the local market. Used bikes tend to be more expensive here then other parts of the country. I wouldn't drive an hour to pay $475 but it will probably won't sell for that so wait a week or two and make an lower offer. I'd also be 100% sure it's the correct size for you before driving an hour even if the price is right

Psimet2001 

I love giant and I would take a hard pass on that one. If you want to buy it I wouldn't pay more than $150 or so. Even then I would have a hard time. If I was buying it at the shop to re-sell it I would offer $50. I would re-sell it for $200 maybe - knowing I would probably have to drop some off the price.

TiHabanero

The bugger with older brifter systems is the hardened grease in the shifters or worn shift mechanisms.

rms13

Looking at recent ebay auctions you could easily get $150-200 for the 9 speed Ultegra group and I see similar generation aluminum TCR frameset sold for $150-200 recently. So if you could get it for $50 then you could definitely make a decent profit parting it out. I agree that where you are located it may sell for $200 or less. In LA area I have seen much more well used aluminum bikes of that generation selling for $300

Psimet2001 

there are a ton of solutions for that. As a shop we encounter it nearly daily as people bring in old bikes. I joke there is nothing like the smell of old Shimano shifter grease.

Hot water - either pouring it over the shifter or pulling the sifter and soaking it in hot water then repeatedly actuating the shifter through the shift cycle for like 5-10 minutes straight usually does it. the third technique is repeatedly soaking the shifter in rubbing alcohol/camp fuel. soack - actuate - blow it out with compressed air. Repeat. Some people will blow it with tri-flow or other lube but that just ends up causing more problem down the line in my opinion.