pcourpron

Hi there!
Im getting back into triathlons after an 8 year pause! I found a felt f75 61cm for 300€ with mavic cxp 22 rims and shimano 105. There are some cosmetic chips and scratches and a bit of rust (very minor) between the handlebar and the frame but otherwise the bike is in good shape!
I just have a couple of questions
1) is it fairly easy to fix chips/scratches on a bike, 2) is the rust something that can be fixed / should be worrisome?
3) is this a good price for the bike?
thanks!!

blacknbluebikes 

a good-name bike in your size with mavic rims and shimano 105 -- IN THESE SUPPLY CONDITIONS? probably a take. might not be your long-term Tri solution, but if you need a 61 and you want to start training now, not 6 weeks from now, then offer 250 and try to meet in the middle. just my two cents. Decent $300-325 (yeah, usd) are fairly rare around here.

canklecat

There shouldn't be much steel to rust in that bike, other perhaps than the stem bolts. Specs show the frame is aluminum, fork is carbon fiber with aluminum steerer, etc.

What appears to be rust may be a combination of dried old sweat and corrosion from dried electrolytes from the previous owner drooling while sipping from a straw/tube. Electrolyte drinks are salty and can leave a crusty, sticky residue if not cleaned up after every ride.

That's what infiltrated the Chris King headset on my early 1990s Trek OCLV. At a glance it appeared to be rust but after I disassembled the bike, the brownish crust wasn't rust. It was dried scale from sweat and electrolytes drooled onto the headset area, from the previous owner using it as a TT/tri-bike, leaning forward over the headset while sweating and drinking. It cleaned up well with some dilute lime scale remover soap and gentle scraping. However it practically destroyed the King headset, so I replaced it.

The FSA headset on that Felt should be easier to inspect, disassemble and service if necessary.