# new and advise maybe on a purchase?



## newrider (Aug 28, 2013)

I talked to my LBS and did the "bike calculator" online and range in frame size 52-54.. that being said i went on the hunt for a decent starter bike hunting craigslist and such.. I can get a schwinn for 269.99 but I know it isnt great equipment on it at that price.. but might still be better then the dated components on the used bikes im looking at.. maybe you can tell me..

I have narrowed things down to..


this is a trek and have heard nice things on the brand.. the age and model shows to be maybe mid 90sbike?
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/bik/3988857875.html


diamondback and was picked up from an auction and he is flipping it formore money from what i gathered from him. componenents i dont know if are better or worse then the trek.. but comes with aerobars and such. from what i read its the next bike that replaced the ironman series of bikes.
http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/bik/4023723938.html

or the shelf bought schwinn from academy
Academy - Schwinn® Men's Volare 1300 29" 14-Speed Road Bicycle


i know i will hear dont buy used like im looking.. but i dont want to dump 2k on a bike when i am just getting started and dont know if i will enjoy riding enough to invest that amount of money before knowing.. any ideas and knowledge/help is appreciated


----------



## newrider (Aug 28, 2013)

100 views and no one has a reply  The main thing I want to know is about the durability of the components they come with.. The two used bikes are higher line bikes then the schwinn... but they are older now and needed to know how they compare to the schwinn in todays market. If one was a clear choice over the other for a new rider that doesntknow anything  Thanks ahead of time on any info


----------



## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

IMO the schwinn is a dead end. what's your max budget?

the used bikes you posted would be more durable, better performing, but also use the older style downtube shifters vs. the more modern "brifter" which has an integrated shift lever on the brake levers.

if you can afford $500-ish, these would be better options, assuming they fit you. 

SPECIALIZED Allez Sport Road Bike w/ MAVIC Wheels
Cannondale Synapse 5 105 54CM Road Bike
RIDLEY ICARUS ROAD BIKE 54


----------



## newrider (Aug 28, 2013)

for my first bike I would like to stay around the $325 or below if possible..I want to get something that wont push me away from the sport.. but also dont want to buy an expensive bike new to the sport and waste money that could be used wisely once I know and understand more about the bikes..

I also dont know if the older bikes are able to be upgraded with the new style shifter or gears if needed later down the road


----------



## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Bikes are a lot like running shoes. They really have to fit.

Frankly, I don't like any of the bikes. I think the two Craig's List bikes are 80s, possibly early 90s. Not middle 90s. The sellers are asking too much. I'd see them as $100 bikes, if they go, stop and shift. They're not really classics, IMO. Just old.

OP, I've been riding more-or-less seriously for about fourteen years. I bought my first $2000 bike this year. People buy what they can afford, and there are reasonable bikes at most pricepoints. What is your pricepoint?


----------



## newrider (Aug 28, 2013)

it looks as if i edited my above post while you both were posting with corrections 

I can get both for less then asking price.. I know the older bikes will be out dated to the more expensive bikes out today.. but for the range I want to enter into the sport I wanted to know if one was clearly better then the other


----------



## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

newrider said:


> for my first bike I would like to stay around the $325 or below if possible..I want to get something that wont push me away from the sport.. but also dont want to buy an expensive bike new to the sport and waste money that could be used wisely once I know and understand more about the bikes..
> 
> I also dont know if the older bikes are able to be upgraded with the new style shifter or gears if needed later down the road


yes, they can, but it takes a few tricks o' the trade to put modern equipment on an older downtube shifted bike. however, at that point, the new components and assorted equipment are going to cost you, at minimum, $400-$500. guys who retrofit older frames with modern equipment are doing so out of love, not out of economy. It'd certainly be a better value to buy a newer bike with the components you were looking for as a complete unit. Case in point, I built up a '83 Bianchi with modern campagnolo 10 speed components. I reused as many original parts as possible (headset, handlebar, stem, seatpost) and found a used groupset for pretty cheap ($450), but in the end I had a bike that cost me about $1200-ish to build. 

I edited my above post with some good links from your local CL, and those bikes at a higher buy in may require more money up front, but i have no doubt you could ride either for a year and lose very very little money reselling them down the line if you were to "upgrade." 

and I agree with andrwswitch, an older downtube shifted steel bike has to be a special bike to be worth more than $200. we're talking classic frames from the best vintage frame makers.


----------



## newrider (Aug 28, 2013)

price point $325 or less for now


----------



## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

newrider said:


> price point $325 or less for now


It's not gonna be easy to find something good on this budget. I would advice you to wait until you save at least $500 and then start looking...


----------



## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

Roland44 said:


> It's not gonna be easy to find something good on this budget. I would advice you to wait until you save at least $500 and then start looking...


I agree. I take pride in searching and finding great used bike values, but $325 is gonna be pretty tough, imo.


----------



## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Go for something that really is early- to mid-90s for that price. The oldest Shimano integrated shifters aged surprisingly well and you get good cross-compatibility with current standards.

I gotta say, though, if you're someone for whom $2000 is in reach, I think you're being pound-foolish. You'll go to a lot more time and trouble than if you just spent $450-$700 upfront. I considered the Torker Interurban when I broke my previous commuter and ended up buying a mid-2000s Trek Portland from a friend.


----------



## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

I tend to agree with some others advising you to stretch your budget 'some' . You still won't be betting the farm on a first bike, but you're apt to get an appreciable better bike with less effort. Still, gotta be careful of sellers overpricing. VERY common on CL (and similar).

If you do stay at the lower end of your budget, be realistic in what you're going to get at this price point. At best, a bike that fits, steers, shifts and stops. 

These might be worth a look, but can't vouch for sizing/ fit or mechanical soundness. Gotta check them out, ride and decide...

Fuji Palisade Road Bike

1984 Trek 620 touring

IMO the Trek is WAY overpriced, but if everything else falls into place, the seller may negotiate.

MIYATA 210


----------

