jpjuggler

Hey folks,
What do you think of the price for this used trek 520?
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik...436658281.html

And do you think I could raise the stem somehow to get the handllebars higher?

I was surprised to see it has v brakes.
JP

bargainguy

"Expertly inspected and refurbished (and totally sanitized!)" - really? One look at the chainrings tells me that cleaning is apparently not part of refurbishing.

Could you put a taller stem in? Sure, if the frame fits you otherwise, but if you're trying to squeeze an extra size out of this frame, don't bother - just get a bigger frame.

V-brakes instead of cantis - maybe someone got sick of setting up cantis!

TugaDude

Are they sure on the frame measurements? Doesn't look like a 23" frame to me. It appears one size down.

andrewclaus

The brake levers probably aren't compatible with those V-brakes. They probably work for a test ride okay but have lower leverage, and more stopping distance under load.

Changing the stem may need longer cable housings. Changing back to cantis would need new housings and frame/fork stops.

cb400bill

Pic Assist

mtnbud

I am wondering about that also. I'm very bothered they have the chain on the small chain ring up front with the small cog in back. Is that something an "expert" bicycle mechanic would do?

OP. If you're close by drive over and take it out for a test ride. Bicycle co-ops are fun to check out. You never know what you might find.

tkamd73 

Small ring, small cog is how I park all my bikes, takes the tension off the cables.
Tim

bargainguy

Why are the barcons pointing up? In the neutral (i.e., no tension on the cable) position, they should point down. Whoever set up this bike is winging it. Pass.

sloppy12

that doesn't seem like a bad price to me for that bike.

you should for sure be able to raise the stem.

I would rather have vbrakes anyway, and those tektro levers which are not original do come in a version with the right pull rate for vbrakes.

Im not sure what all the fuss is about the bike it looks CooP clean and if it fits that is a nice touring/commuter bike.

ClydeClydeson

1. Small-small gear combo is possibly because wheel was removed or some other maintenance was completed where the gears were shifted through their range and just left there with no particular reason. I don't have much faith in most home mechanics' (or flippers) skills, but having the bike in small-small isn't a major clue.

2. I have seen a few Trek touring bikes that had full length V brakes and short pull levers. I got the impression some may have come from the factory like this, but I don't know for sure. What I do know is that, even if you can get such a setup to work acceptably on the repair stand, any additional friction in the system, or a tiny bit of lateral runout at the rim, will make them work much less acceptably. From the picture I can't tell if those are short pull levers or aftermarket long pull levers like Tektro make.

​​​3. ​bargainguy may have noticed something important - those bar end shifters might be installed upside down, which is a sure indicator that whoever assembled the bike doesn't know their arse from a hole in the ground. I would not assume anything is properly set up after seeing that. So, yeah, unless you are experienced and fully competent to do a full rebuild on this bike I would pass.

sloppy12

shifters are upside down...

fishboat

The asking price is fairly reasonable for a 520 in that condition. That said, anytime I see "has been expertly gone through..." my first assumption is it needs to be completely gone through. I agree it looks more like a 57cm frame than a 59. While upside down shifters and other minor tuneup stuff can be addressed without too much more than some effort, the bike's wheels would be important to take hard look at. If the wheels are poor then even inexpensive replacement wheels will be $300 or more.

ClydeClydeson

This is exactly my concern. If the person didn't know enough to get the shifters installed correctly (and it's not like bar end shifters are new technology) I can't tell you how much I would want to avoid that bike if I suspected the same person tried to rebuild the wheel bearings.

wrk101

Yep, my theory is that if what I can see is obviously messed up, then what I can't see will be just as bad or worse. Attention to detail counts in my book.

There is a flipper in my area and his work is terrible! I try to buy stuff before he touches the bike, as I know I will have to redo everything. The "worst" expert I bought a bike from painted the rusty cables with model paint, so they looked new. Of course, as soon as you moved a shift lever or brake, the cables would get stuck in the housings!! He professed to have over 30 years in the bicycle industry....

Another expert bike I bought, the bottom bracket cups were sticking out. Huh? Opened it up, the guy had put the caged bearings in backwards, cage was hitting the spindle, so the cups could not seat fully. Ouch.

Now these are exceptions. Most are much better. But I look for tell tale signs.

SurferRosa

Is that the original fork? Why is the headset stack height so tall with that huge, ugly spacer?

Gross build.

jpjuggler

Thanks for all the info. I didn't catch the bar end shifters being up. Total red flag. Thanks