sunday

Hi all,

the seller says it's a Lemond Zurich 1996-97 (which I don't know the meaning of), some pics below. Please ignore everything that is not the frame and fork, only them are for sale.
The brass gimmick in the last pic is upsetting me a bit, I have no idea what's it for and why it's there.

Should I pay about $200 for it? Size is pretty close to what I need.

Thank you.

bboy314

Brass gimmick? Might you be referring to the shifter mount on the downtube?

It’s a nice frame, I’d say $200 isn’t unreasonable but isn’t the deal of the century either - assuming it’s in good shape with no major flaws.

If it’s “pretty close to the right size”, that suggests to me that it’s not the right size, so I might keep looking were it me. Value also depends on what your plans for it are. Are you doing a frame-up build, or looking to replace a damaged frame, etc.?

sunday

I probably am, not that you're saying it. It is the first time when I see one without the shifter attached to it.

I would have liked a 54 TT and this frame is a 55, so I am certain I can ride it.

Regarding its utility - I'm thinking building a bike out of it, no clear plan ahead. It just popped out on me, and in a country where this kind of frames is not very often found. I have seen maybe 2 or 3 Reynolds 853 frames being advertised in the last couple of years.
I think I'll go see it and think further.
Thanks for the input.

bargainguy

The frame has seen a fair amount of use. Note the rub marks on either side of the head tube - typically where the housing rubs up against the frame. It spent a lot of its life as a multispeed before the current incarnation.

The fork might be a concern. Original is threaded, but it's been converted to threadless, and the locknut on the headset looks butchered. The whole headset looks kind of mangled, not sure what happened there.

I don't know if the headset is included, but in that shape, not sure I'd want it anyway. I'd want to fully inspect the threaded steerer to make sure it hasn't been damaged in the threadless conversion.

If you're just looking for a utilitarian frame and not too concerned about cosmetics, $200 is OK. At least the rear derailleur tab hasn't been removed - happens so many times on singlespeed / fixie conversions.

bboy314

My guess is that a threadless stem adapter was used, not really something to worry about if that’s the case. Generally if I’m buying a used frame, I expect to likely need to replace the headset.

AdventureManCO 

One area of concern to me is how corroded the bottle mount in the picture is compared to the rest of the frame. My mind is wondering why that is. Also, I think these forks were carbon and while most may be just fine, I have seen pics of some snapped off with the comment being that carbon in the same outer dimensions as a steel fork may not fare as well. Take my words with a grain of salt, though, as I have no personal experience with these bikes.

Im not seeing $200 here for the frame alone, but that is due to my market and what I have seen at that price. If these type of finds are far more uncommon in yours, you may have to weigh the price against overall market rarity. Then again, you could always find a killer frameset listed here, at anything under $150, and be right around your price w/ shipping included.

sunday

I am too noob to know a good deal when I see one. But I see your point, and thanks for your input.

himespau 

Just be aware that Lemond frames have a bit longer top tube than most, so many people say a 55 cm in Lemond rides like a 57 in most other brands.

zukahn1 

+1 the longer than typical top tube top line and fairly aggressive geometry will tend to make this one ride one or two sizes larger than the nominal size would indicate. As for value with some wear and visible rust I would say $200 seems a bit high on a local sale. Also I would like to see some good detailed pics of the frame set alone as being sold only the parts included before I would consider buying. Myself I hate when adds don't have accurate pics of what is actually being sold and typical auto pass on any such adds unless there is a big price discount, just a bunch off potential problems disputes IMHO.

SwimmerMike 

Seems like a steep price for just the F&F. Unless your parts bin is full, you will either need to buy another bike to move parts over or buy a lot of parts. For scale, I bought a Lemond 853 full bike, same era (I think same paint job and size). in the SF Bay Area (expensive market) for around $400.

ign1te

A serious seller will provide the frame and fork in a disassembled state for easier viewing. Request that of the seller or no deal.

sunday

Well, you guys definitely tempered my initial enthusiasm

I'll just wait for a better deal. Thanks everybody for their comments, I learned things here.

Mr. 66

Good choice on your part to look elsewhere.

I look at that bottle boss, those may even be cracks that have formed there.

I see that frame at about $60, as a whole bike about $300ish oem

sunday

What is the preferred source for this kind of frames/bikes? ebay?

bargainguy

If it were me, I'd suggest starting with anything but the giant auction site. Lots of stock, but you never know what you're getting until it shows up, and it can be a hassle to return.

If you want to buy at a distance, I'd suggest the classifieds here or a site like www.pinkbike.com as good places to start. Generally knowledgeable sellers that want to ensure you're getting what you need.

If you want to buy locally and inspect first, then Facebook / Craigslist / Kijiji / Gumtree or whatever your local market supports.

AdventureManCO 

Either here, in the sales section, from a trusted seller w/ a good history, or one of the many, many excellent finds in the 'Are you looking for one of these?' thread and find someone willing to facilitate. Best possible options aside from stumbling across something amazing in person.

zukahn1 

Even if you intend to completely rebuild with different parts on a bike like this or similar I would suggest you look for a complete bike locally that you can inspect check out in person. The current market is pretty soft most places so nice complete project bikes with really good frames show up pretty regularly starting in the $200-300 range with the occasional potential bargain for less.

Senior Ryder 00 

Like others have said, there can be better sources. I personally shy away from “cobbled” bikes. They tend to be poorly maintained and often abused. If you have a bike co-op or kitchen nearby, I would start there.
Cheers,
Van

Jughed

Word of mouth often works. Ask around local bike shops, local bike clubs, co-op's... You never know what people may be sitting on.

I put out word that I wanted a 2000' +/- Zurich, about 6 months later I got an email from a guy that had three pristine Lemond's in his garage. I'd been scanning Ebay and Facebook for over a year - bunch of bike flippers or bikes that were not in good shape.

As for the frame in your post - that would be a no go for me. I see evidence of corrosion and just general age - the frame looks to be end of life.

Price? You can find a complete Zurich in near mint condition for $6-700. $200 for a frame in that condition - nope.