# Trek Pilot 5.2 resell value?



## terrygar (Sep 20, 2005)

*Trek Pilot 5.2 resale value?*

Hello to all, new here! Former speed skater who now must bike due to foot problems.
I'm 50ish and want a bike that can get me to skyline from 280 (for those who live in SF bay area), in other words I want a bike that can climb up the mtn.
I've been training on a mtn bike but its too heavy and knobby tired for the hills!

I've been looking at customs - carbon/campy chorus set-ups and I rode a Trek Pilot this weekend. I have a bad neck issue sometimes and when I'm over on the bars too long for many miles it can hurt. The Trek seemed to ride taller in the handle bar area. If I get a custom they can leave the fork top long and attach the handle bar set up at the top so I can work down as my neck gets stronger (make sense). 

My question is , if I get the trek with is 2.7K is there any resale on it, if I want to go custom later? And are there any bikes with taller front ends out there so you can sit up if needed and ride?
Thanks,
Terry


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## cpuffe (Aug 1, 2004)

Pilots are new for 2005 so the resale value is kinda unknown. FWIW I'm a bit leery of the concept of a carbon fiber comfort bike. Take a look on craigslist and see what higher end relaxed geometry non-racy bikes are selling for. I'd venture that a Madone 5.2 triple would hold its value better, and you could get one of those set up with more upright bar/stem fairly easily as well.


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## ETfromQC (Sep 16, 2004)

terrygar said:


> Hello to all, new here! Former speed skater who now must bike due to foot problems.
> I'm 50ish and want a bike that can get me to skyline from 280 (for those who live in SF bay area), in other words I want a bike that can climb up the mtn.
> I've been training on a mtn bike but its too heavy and knobby tired for the hills!
> 
> ...



From what I've seen around here, resale value would be 20 to 40% lesser then a comparable performance road bike. People going to the "comfort" end of the road bike spectrum tend to have disposable income and want to buy new to have a warranty, free tunings and a local bike shop relasionship. When used, they have a very tiny market segment to fill, that of older, less flexible folks who want to get into the sport, yet enjoy a decent-performing bike, know their own bike fitting and already have a bike shop they know.

Nothing wrong with the pilots per se, it's just that the whole comfort, high-end market is for new, not used bikes.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

cpuffe said:


> FWIW I'm a bit leery of the concept of a carbon fiber comfort bike.



why???


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## wipeout (Jun 6, 2005)

terrygar said:


> Hello to all, new here! Former speed skater who now must bike due to foot problems.
> I'm 50ish and want a bike that can get me to skyline from 280 (for those who live in SF bay area), in other words I want a bike that can climb up the mtn.
> I've been training on a mtn bike but its too heavy and knobby tired for the hills!
> 
> ...



Specialized Roubaix would be my first choice, if I were you. I'm up on Skyline all the time... 

As for being leery of Carbon Fiber comfort bikes, I have no idea what that guy is smoking.


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## cpuffe (Aug 1, 2004)

carbon fiber:comfort bikes::Ferrari:hybrid

however, this is just my opinion, snide comments notwithstanding


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

ETfromQC said:


> From what I've seen around here, resale value would be 20 to 40% lesser then a comparable performance road bike. People going to the "comfort" end of the road bike spectrum tend to have disposable income and want to buy new to have a warranty, free tunings and a local bike shop relasionship. When used, they have a very tiny market segment to fill, that of older, less flexible folks who want to get into the sport, yet enjoy a decent-performing bike, know their own bike fitting and already have a bike shop they know.
> 
> Nothing wrong with the pilots per se, it's just that the whole comfort, high-end market is for new, not used bikes.


My local LBS owner and I were talking about this the other day. He is getting a lot of Pilot owners coming in saying they can't get comfortable. He is of the opinion that these bikes aren't as comfortable as a standard road bike because too much of the riders weight is supported on the saddle. With a standard road bike, the riders weight is more balanced between the bars and saddle. With an upright "comfort bike", most the weight is supported on the saddle.
I never thought of it before but it made sense to me....


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## terrygar (Sep 20, 2005)

wipeout said:


> Specialized Roubaix would be my first choice, if I were you. I'm up on Skyline all the time...
> 
> As for being leery of Carbon Fiber comfort bikes, I have no idea what that guy is smoking.



Thanks for the email post, I'll try out the Roubaix tomorrow, how do you like yours? Is the post about rear end discomfort any issue?
Terrygar


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## BILLREDD (Sep 8, 2005)

Try the Roubaix!

A great bike, and the combination of carbon fiber and the Zertz-type handlebars could really help with neck problems...
Waiting to get the $$$ together to get mine, but the LBS let me ride one a few weeks ago.
Cool setup, and if the Gerolsteiner team can use it as part of their road work, it's probably okay for me!


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## ETfromQC (Sep 16, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> My local LBS owner and I were talking about this the other day. He is getting a lot of Pilot owners coming in saying they can't get comfortable. He is of the opinion that these bikes aren't as comfortable as a standard road bike because too much of the riders weight is supported on the saddle. With a standard road bike, the riders weight is more balanced between the bars and saddle. With an upright "comfort bike", most the weight is supported on the saddle.
> I never thought of it before but it made sense to me....


Actually, from personal experience, it makes a lot of sense to me too. About a week ago I planned on riding with my father, which is one of the things I like the most on this planet. When I ride with him, I check my boyish enthusiasm and pace him, 4-5 km/h slower then I would. Anyway, on this ride, he left a few minutes before me, and we planned on joining up for the return trip, for a 50 kms ride. I discovered I had a flat before chasing him, so that put me yet a few more minutes behind. 

Anyway, here I was, headwind, hands in the drops, time trialing my heart out to catch up, and when I did, I immediately slowed down and the pressure built up. Cadence changed, power output changed and my hands went to the hoods.

I have no trouble believing why some people feel uncomfortable on a more upright position for this exact reason.


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## BarryG (Jul 5, 2004)

terrygar said:


> And are there any bikes with taller front ends out there so you can sit up if needed and ride?


Yes, the Litespeed Veneto . Last model year was 2004, but if you look hard you shouldn't have trouble finding one sitting in a shop somewhere (use the internet). I bought a NOS 2003 Veneto early this year and have only been totally impressed with the frame/fork. I had no trouble setting it up with bars at seat level, without resorting to a very upward tilted stem.

If you check the geometry, you'll see it has a significantly longer (taller) headtube for given toptube length than any other frame on the market.


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