tovin

Hello All,

Just wanted to get some more qualified (than mine) opinions on a bike I'm considering purchasing. It is a used 2011 Trek Madone 3.1 with (supposedly) low miles. The guy claims he just bought it new 3 months ago at a bike shop for a little over $2000 with tax and still has the paperwork to prove it. He is asking $1200 for it and said he is just selling it because he needs the money. Assuming nothing is wrong with it when I look at it, is that a good price for such a bike? It sounds like a good price to me, but I wanted to be sure before I spend that kind of money (especially when buying it used from someone where there's no warranty or return policy).

Also, is there anything specific I need to check when looking at it, other than the obvious things like brakes and tires?

Thanks!
tovin

Dan333SP

I got a 2013 Madone 3.1 around 3 months ago for a little over 2000, the 2012s were ~1900 at my shop and I'd imagine an unridden 2011 would be a couple hundred less, but if he has the paperwork I guess it's legitimate and the shop must not mark down old stock. If it looks to be in good shape, I'd say that is indeed a great price. Just make sure the chain, chainrings, and cassette don't look overly worn, and play with the shifters and brakes to feel for any hesitation or grittiness from old cables. Since it is carbon, be sure to carefully inspect the entire bike for even the smallest crack. Paint chips are fine, they happen from pebbles, but cracks are bad news.

ultraman6970

Wait a little bit more until lance's confession and you will be able to get a 2012 @$#@ for 100 bucks.

Flannol

Your life.

Would you really risk that for saving a few hundred quid for second hand carbon?

tovin

Thanks for your help, Dan. I bought the bike and was able to talk the guy down to $1050. The bike seems to be in perfect condition so I think I got myself a great deal (he even had the manual/papers/DVD that came with it, unopened). Heck, I might even sell it and make a little money, although it would be hard to part with it now that I have it.

As a side note, the guy was a fellow cyclist who wants to go biking and/or mountain biking with us (us being myself and a friend of mine who I brought to help check the bike before I bought it). He said he had a Trek hybrid with around 8000 miles (I also have a Trek hybrid but with only about 2000 miles) and he is looking to buy an inexpensive, used mountain bike (as am I). So, I got a great deal on a bike and potentially made a friend, LOL. All in all a good day!

seymour1910

Be nice if there were pics of said bike

Aeolis

Wouldn't pay more than 1400 for a used CF bike.

calamarichris

You jumped too fast and paid too much.
Not just because of the recent Lance news, but also because you don't have the lifetime warranty that the seller had when he bought it.
If you haven't already, ask the seller for the original receipt and see if the dealership will honor the lifetime warranty. They probably won't, but it can't hurt to ask.
Don't be in such a rush next time.

tovin

LOL, sorry, but I really have to disagree with you. From all my research, including pricing these bikes everywhere I could think of AND even talking to the guys at my LBS, I feel I got a GREAT deal. I don't think the recent Lance news has anything to do with the value of the bike. Even if it does, it wouldn't cause the value of them to drop several hundred dollars (which is what I saved). This is a great bike, regardless of what Lance did or didn't do. I was not in a "rush" as you put it (I did my research), and $1050 for a practically new 2011 Trek Madone 3.1?! Are you kidding me?! That's a GREAT deal!

If you have data to prove me wrong then I will be glad to eat my words. Until then, your "opinion" is noted.

moppeddler

On what do you base your opinion? The OP has seen the bike, done the research, and decided that it was a fair deal for him. Why rain on his parade and act like you're some kind of expert on something that you know little about?

calamarichris

My mistake. So the lifetime warranty is transferrable? Great deal if so. If not... ...still a great deal if you think so.

gevad 

+1

tovin

Thank you, moppeddler; well said (or written ).

I don't think the warranty is transferable, but I'm not too worried that it has, or will develop, a defect that warrants a replacement. To me, spending an additional $600-$700 is not worth a warranty, as I could get a replacement frame for around that price. The bike will probably be replaced long before the frame needs to be. Even if the frame does need replacing in 3-4 years, I think I would have gotten my money's worth.

I think of it like this: I could spend the $600-$700 more now on the front-end to get a new bike with a warranty, or spend the $600-$700 later IF the frame needs to be replaced. Granted, I would have a new bike (2011; a 2012 or 2013 would be even more) instead of a 3-month old used one (2011 model, but purchased new 3 months ago) with 60-80 miles , but that price difference is just not worth it to me.

Dan333SP

I agree with you 100%. Unless the previous owner crashed, you have almost 0 chance of developing some sort of frame crack because of flawed manufacturing, the 300 series bikes are so overbuilt it's almost a joke. Mine feels like a tank, particularly at the head tube and BB. If you DO drop it in a race or something and need a new frame, you can use 400-500 of the 700 you saved and buy a really nice looking Chinese no name ride, swap all the parts over, and still have money left over for new clothes or tires or whatever. Great deal! I'm actually really jealous after paying so much for mine

waterrockets 

You have the right frame of mind about the warranty: ready to eat the cost if necessary. Trek will still probably offer a 20% discount on a frame in lieu of a warranty. Note I broke the BB shell on my used Madone after a few months of use (seems it wasn't designed for 1' intervals), and so I was left with the parts. Trek would have nothing to do with warranty work, even though they clearly screwed it up, because I wasn't the original owner.

Enjoy the ride. I wouldn't worry about the safety of riding a used CF frame, as long as you went over it carefully to make sure nothing is cracked. For piece of mind, it might be worth pulling the fork off to make sure the crown and steerer tube are looking normal.