ddeljoui

Hi there,

I am thinking of getting a used carbon bike, and I could use some advices. I have narrowed my search to this two options:
- 2010 Felt Slipstream Chipotle with Dura Ace components for $1,000
- 2014 Trek Madone 4.7 with 105 components for $1,200

Both options are in great conditions. My budget is tight so if the difference is negligible I would go for the cheapest but I still want the best deal.

Any thoughts?

alcjphil

My thought is this: How do you know that these bikes are in good condition? Don't rely on the current owner's information.Be very skeptical about what you are being told about them. Why carbon fibre? there are other options that may cost less. If you have a tight budget, negotiate price with that in mind and do not be afraid to walk away.

icemilkcoffee 

Have you budgeted for:
helmet
shoes
jersey and shorts
pump
tool kit
pouch/ phone holder
lights
change of seat (or 2, or 3)
change of handlebars
if you’re buying a nice > $1000 carbon bike I assume you are going to buy at least ‘name brand’ level accessories, right? It adds up quickly!

Litespud

if I were new to cycling, I’d be very wary about buying a 6- or 10-year-old used carbon bike, without at least a more experienced and trustworthy second opinion. There are many things that might be wrong, that you as a starter may not pick up on, and you can’t trust the seller to point out. You also need to consider fit. Do you know what size frame you need? Will you have the opportunity to ride these bikes first? I’m not saying don’t buy one of these, but go in with your eyes open.

BillyJohnLee

I have to agree, buy a cheaper, ally bike and save the rest for all the extras you will end up wanting.
if you are new to cycling, you wont notice the difference tbh

Maelochs

@ddeljoui,

You say you are new to riding? Are you new to bicycles also? It is unlikely that you could tell a good from a bad bike if you were not familiar with bicycles, and not every seller is scrupulous.

Also, $1000+ is a lot ot pay for a ten-year-old CF bike if you don't know for sure about its provenance. CF is indeed stronger than steel in certain respects, but it is also fragile in certain respects.

Based on just what you get over the internet (a few words, a price and a tiny picture) you really can't tell, and with CF, you really cannot tell unless you have the frame examined by ultrasound (though some people do rely on the coin-tap test.)

As for accessories ... most bikes don't come with pedals, which means either you would need to use the pedals the seller provided or buy your own.

This can be an issue because most people ride pedals which clip onto their shoes, and every brand is different. You would have to buy special cycling shoes and install the cleats which suited the pedals, or buy plain old flat pedals, which is also fine. But be ready. hard to take a test ride if you can't pedal.

If you are really bent on buying one of those bikes you need to taker along someone who really knows bikes, who can tell you how much you are looking at in repair and replacement to make them safe. If you figure just tires, tubes, and maybe cables and brake shoes, that could top $100 right there---if you do your own work. Add $100 if a shop does it.

If you get a bike with a bad headset or bottom bracket .... much more money. And if the frame is damaged (and CF damage can be invisible on the surface) then maybe you won't find out until you hit a bump going downhill at 40 mph and smear yourself all over the road.

Also a bike which is five to ten years old will have had a lo of drive train parts replaced---and probably will be ready for more. A cassette can cost $50, a chain can cost $30, chain rings another $50-$100 ..... Unless you can immediately spot this wear and talk the price down ... then add another couple hundred to the price to get the bike road-worthy.

if you have about two thousand dollars to spend on a new bike then yes ... you can find a really nice used bike for $1500 and save the rest for repairs and accessories. But you will need to be Very patient. No sense buying a $1500 box of problems.

Also ... for $1500 you can get a lot of new bikes which are probably better than the ten-year-old bike, because everything which was expensive and new ten years ago is entry-level now.

If you are going to buy a used bike and actually plan to ride it a fair amount for a fair amount of years, you will need to sit back and patiently wait for that bike some guy paid way too much for and never rode, which sat in his garage for five years, and which he is now selling to get rid of.

Buying some bike some guy has ridden hard for ten years, even is he has taken decent care of it, is not always a good plan. Think about it ... if you had a good bike, you would ride it a lot, and every so often fix what needed fixing ... and when it was time to fix it one more time---maybe a big repair bill---you might decide to sell it instead, and buy a new bike. So you'd take the old bike and wash it, wax it, shine it, and sell it---knowing it needed a few hundred dollars worth of work, at least.

And maybe if you crashed hard, and were a little uncertain if the frame were damaged or not ...


"Buyer Beware" is a phrase people repeat for a reason.