# Is buying this used aluminum bike is a good idea?



## ryan1 (Mar 24, 2012)

I recently saw a 1995 Trek 1220 on Craigslist with an asking price of $225 I was interested in. I went to check it out today and it fit me pretty well and seemed alright, but there were a few things I wasn't sure about, so I told the guy I'd get back to him. I'm not looking for a project bike, this isn't something I want to put a lot of additional money or time into. 

The seller mentioned in the ad that it was rarely ridden, but admitted in person that it needed some work. 

The frame was pretty scratched up, but nothing seemed too severe after a quick inspection, although I forget to take a close look the weld points and the dropouts. The bar tape was coming off. The bike has downtube shifters, indexed on the right and friction on the left, which I actually prefer to brifters, and shifted smoothly. The bike had mostly Shimano RX-100, wich some RSX components, including the hubs, and Matrix wheels. The wheels, especially the back, were really out of true and were hitting the brakes. The brakes themselves didn't seem too effective, might just need new pads. The chain was rusted, the sides of the hubs also looked to be sporting some rust also. The saddle was ripped and pretty unstable, rocking back and forth. 

I also noticed that when I took one of my hands off the handlebars, the bike pulled to one side, I forget which one. I didn't think too much about it at the time but looking back it worries me because of the possibility of a bent fork.

I know aluminum isn't quite as dependable as steel when old and dinged up, and the owner really did not have much to say about its history, so I'm unsure about how dependable it will be, which is important to me. I also don't want to pay too much, and like I said I'd rather not have to put too much into it and would love to get on the road ASAP. I really like the styling of the bike, and it felt pretty good for the short time I rode it, but I'd like to hear some opinions about whether or not this bike is really worth going for, and how much to offer if it is.

Thanks so much!


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

When it comes to used bikes the frame is rarely the concern. It's the parts.
And while theres no way to say for sure without seeing the bike It does sound like a piece of crap that'll require some new parts and not nice enough of a frame to make that worth your time and money. I wouldn't buy it just on principal, sounds like the guy definitely lied to you about the bike rarely being ridden.


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## brucew (Jun 3, 2006)

ryan1 said:


> I know aluminum isn't quite as dependable as steel


Among the people I know and ride with, high-end aluminum frames seem to last 35,000 to 40,000 miles as a daily commuter. Yes, steel seems to last longer, but I'm of the opinion that 35-40K miles is pretty good. 

I put about 2,500 on each of my two aluminum commuters every year, so that would be 14 to 16 years. Adequate, I think.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Sight unseen and JMO, but from your description the bike sounds pretty beat up to me. 

I agree that odds are good that it'll need at least as much put into it as the seller is asking... and it's certainly been ridden harder than he's admitting to.

For $50? Maybe, but I'd take a pass.


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## Trower (Apr 28, 2009)

No I wouldn't, I've had a alu bike fail on me that I got used, looked fine didn't noticed any damage, but I also didn't know how the previous owner rode/took care of it. Plus alu is such a harsh ride go steel your body will thank you.


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## Matsushita (Mar 18, 2012)

Looking for a good used bike at a fair price on craigslist can sometimes be a challenge. Just take your time and inspect very carefully. I guess the biggest challenge is finding the correct size. I always keep my eyes open for a good daily beater. Good luck.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

It's a sub-$100 bike.

A bike that goes, stops, shifts and doesn't need major mechanical work is worth $100+. That's not descriptive of that bike.

As a collection of parts, it may be worth more. I don't know mid-90s Shimano well enough to say.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I wouldn't consider it for anywhere near that price. Jeez, if the guy wouldn't even go to the "trouble" of re-taping the bars & cleaning the thing up a little, having the wheels trued when hoping to get top $$ for it, imagine how he took care of it when he wanted to keep it.


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## imbatman58 (Mar 26, 2012)

Hey this is my first post on this forum. 
Just a thought? can you talk the guy down to the point where you won't be upset if it needs some work?
Or maybe ask the guy to accompany you to a local bike shop and have it looked over? If the local bike guys says its worth less and if the guy comes down to (insert price here) you should buy it. the guy may come down to (insert price here). 

I am a huge noob so if I am really wrong on this rip me apart somewhat nicely. I just know this type of technique works well with buying on cl in general. heh.


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## martk92 (Mar 26, 2012)

no you can get a better deal for something newer


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

ryan1 said:


> *I recently saw a 1995 Trek 1220 on Craigslist with an asking price of $225
> *I'm not looking for a project bike,
> *The seller mentioned in the ad that it was rarely ridden, but admitted in person that it needed some work.
> *The bar tape was coming off.
> ...




Run away! This is a TERRIBLE deal. If the bike was in mint condition and you wanted to ride a retro bike, it'd be a good deal. 
But that IS a project bike! I'd pay $20 for it if I wanted a project. 
I've been helping a friend buy a used bike (and I've bought a few as well) so I've been browsing craigslist quite a bit. There are FAR better deals out there.


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## Ibashii (Oct 23, 2002)

Too much green. You can do better. Probably much better.

Agreed, however, with the comments saying that this opinion has nothing to do with the frame material. Good aluminum frames outlast a vast majority of their riders, who usually upgrade for reasons unrelated to frame obsolescence...but that's no reason to overpay for one that's been poorly maintained.


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## Hooben (Aug 22, 2004)

The main problem is that bikes don't fix up very well once you take the high price of parts into consideration. Scratches in the paint are warnings of how someone once mistreated it. If you save your money, you could find yourself on a real gem of a bike. Be patient my friend.


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## cyclusaddictus (Dec 8, 2011)

Yuk. Run.


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## ryan1 (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks so much for all the responses, they were really helpful. Really glad I went with my gut and walked away the first time. Definitely not going for it now.


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## MonstaMatt (Mar 27, 2012)

ALUMINUM bikes were the creme of the crop in pro cycling history, carbon frames just recently came around!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

MonstaMatt said:


> ALUMINUM bikes were the creme of the crop in pro cycling history, carbon frames just recently came around!


Go a little further back. Steel was (and some say still is) real.


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