Is this bike a smart idea? (2008 Cervelo P2C) Please help! Thanks!!

[AANSHAY123]

Hi, I recently joined my local cycling club after seeing a fundraiser and participating in it with a borrowed bike. After riding 30 miles with them at the fundraiser, I found out that I also really enjoy road biking in addition to mountain biking for the past 3 or 4 years.

So after riding my friend's old aluminum Trek bike, one of the club members said they might have a bike that they could sell to me for a good deal. So the bike in question is a 2008 Cervelo P2C. It is a time trial bike but with a road bike cockpit.
Specs:
Size 48
Custom Zipp Wheels with bladed spokes
Dura-Ace 9100 Cranks, Derailleur, Cassette, and Left shifter
Dura-Ace 9000 Right shifter and rim brakes
Cinelli Ram 2 carbon handlebars
Carbon Fiber seat

So looking online, Dura-Ace 9100 is only on bikes around $7000+ and the groupset is around $1600 alone (I think)

I am also 5' 7" ish so a size 48 is a bit small BUT pros ride smaller bikes so I mean it could work? I'm not too sure. I have ridden the bike for around 45miles but it was like 22 miles each ride. The bike didn't feel small but my upper traps got a bit sore maybe because my back was rounded while biking since I don't know much about form or road biking technique. The seat is also raised pretty high (as you can see in the 3rd photo) and pushed back. My palms also hurt during the first 30min to 1 hr but after that, it goes away.

I am also worried about the frame since it is 13 years old and carbon fiber. It has a few scuffs and paint chips but other than that, it looks and feels sturdy. I was able to hit and hold 30mph for 1 mile the other day HAHA

The guy who is selling it is a really nice guy and used to own a bike shop and has been tuning up the bike after each ride (like chain skipping or the cable tension being too low so it wouldn't shift up to the larger front chainring). He currently rides a 2018 Guerciotti with the same Dura-Ace 9100/9000 components.

He said he would sell me the bike for $1200 but he was planning on selling it for $2500 on eBay. What do you guys think? Please advise me on what to do next! Thank you!!!

 

[biggs682]

Is it the right size simple question and are you comfortable on it ?
You can't fit guards or a rack does that matter to you ?

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

Have you done an internet search on what the new price was, you may be surprised and then looked for similar on ebay?

If you are happy with the price then is it the right bike for you?

I can see why a discount from $2.5k to $1.2k seems attractive, but it is still a lot of money for the seller to lose, except the ebay price has to include fees, hassle and possibly a discount, so the "real" bike price discount may not be as large as it seems,

Remember that this is a TT/Triathlon bike with no aspirations to be a club run or fun 50/100 mile ride, also as a very specialised bike and 13 years old I would have expected the used price to be quite low as the demand possibly isn't there.

Then is the front wheel too deep rimmed for the wind levels where you plan to ride?

In the event of broken spoke will you be bikeless trying to locate one and in the event of a broken wheel are you comfortable with the cost of a replacement?

Can you afford the running costs of Dura-Ace, the comments about the gears may indicate that a new chain ($40) and cassettes ($150-$200), may be needed hopefully not a new outer chain ring ($200)? Many say that 10/11 speed chain life is only a couple of thousand miles or less.

In other words are you about to buy a dedicated TT bike and use it as general purpose ride? This specialised nature may make it difficult to sell at an attractive price if you find that you can't live with it.

As for carbon fibre frame life there seems to be very little evidence of failures on older frames, whether this is because older frames are safe or simply get crushed is less clear but I ride a 2013 CF frame without any worries.

Bye

Ian

 

[bikingdad90]

I’m 5ft 7 and ride a 48cm seat tube with 52cm top tube. My leg inseam is only 29” (short in trousers). My saddle is in the middle of the rails.

If your palms are hurting it would suggest you need a bigger size up because your putting your weight through your arms but first try and move the saddle forwards so that the front of the knee cap is over the pedal spindle at the 3/9 o’clock position to neutralise the position on the bike and then see how it feels.
If you still get pain in your hands then you will need to play around with stem length.

 

[raggydoll]

I would say no.
At your height I would be looking at around a size 54.

Given that your traps and palms were hurting too, that's not a good sign.

I find it odd that he has put normal road bars on it. So it is now a TT bike with normal road bars which weren't designed for it.
Similar to putting flat bars on a road frame or drop bars on a flat barred bike, the frame wasn't designed for it so the dimensions could be out of whack.

TT bikes are also built for speed. Looking at the components, the small chainring looks quite big and the cassette looks quite small (so you may struggle on the hills).

Also only has 1 bottle holder which is an aero bottle. Ideally you would want a frame with at least 2 bottle holders to be able to take enough water with you on longer rides.

Also, I don't believe the half price line. If he thought he could get $2500 for it, he would.

As Ian above pointed out, can you afford the upkeep of dura ace?
A dura ace cassette will cost you around $278usd (a 105 cassette will cost you around $69usd).

Also think about tyre clearance. If you ever wanted to put wider tyres on it for more comfort etc, the frame probably wouldn't take them.

 

[PaulSB]

I ride a Cervelo C3 which is now five years old. I love it. Fantastic bike. Cost me $4000 and would be $7000 to replace. What's it worth second hand? Absolute top side would be $1000 - if I was lucky.

The bike you're being offered is highly specialised, never intended for the purpose you wish to use it for. Personally I think $1200 might just about be justifiable to someone who wants/needs a TT bike. $2500 is having a laugh. It's 13 years old for goodness sake.

I wouldn't go near it.

 

[OldShep]

Looks like there is very little set back and it also looks like you can’t get the saddle much further back. If you’re putting weight on your hands you certainly don’t want to go forward.
it’s a TT bike and I’d think of little use to you. It might be fast but can you really ride it day in and day out on long rides? Even pros only use them for a TT.

 

[vickster]

Get a proper endurance type roadbike. Focus on getting something suitable for the job you want it to do, not the brand, the RRP years ago and alleged discount or frame material/fancy but old components

oh and it’s really ugly too in it current state

 

[raggydoll]

I have a suspicion that the seller has been trying to get rid of the bike for a while, but the people who know about bikes know it isn't worth the price and the people looking at a TT bike (cos they need a TT bike) will want a complete TT bike (not one with non TT bars).
And the people who want a road bike don't want a franken-time-trial bike.

I'm thinking as you've just joined his cycling club he is trying to fob off the bike to you and pretending he's doing you a favour by giving it to you for $1200 when in reality, that's what he is trying to sell it for anyway and no one else wants it.

If you are not intending to use it for time trials, it seems nuts to buy a time trial bike.
A road bike (maybe even an endurance/relaxed geometry with compact gearing and 11/32 cassette or even 11/34 cassette which will be good for any seep hills).

If you have just started road biking then wait a while and learn about what YOU want from a road bike.
Don't get sucked in by it having dura ace.

 

[Pale Rider]

A mule which is neither a viable road bike or TT bike.

Used values in the USA may - or may not - be generally higher than UK, but over here I doubt he'd get £500 for it.

 

[winjim]

That thing's an abomination. It's a weird mix of TT and road bike, probably not suitable unless you're used to riding either or both. You don't need Dura Ace, the wheels are faffy and it's the wrong size.

For the money you could get a brand new or newer second hand dedicated road bike with the setup you need (geometry, mounting points etc) and that fits you properly.

If I was selling that bike I'd convert it back to a proper TT setup anyway. And the white / red paint with yellow bar tape and blue electrical tape round the hood tells me... something.

 

[cougie uk]

I mean it's a lovely bike, but the wrong size and the wrong purpose for you.
And the bar tape is a bit OTT.

I'd not want to ride that on a club run.

 

[winjim]

Electrical tape on the hoods and the bar end plug doesn't look like it's in properly. If that's how he's presenting it for sale, are we sure that bike shop guy knows what he's doing?

 

[T4tomo]

Completely unsuitable for you, look for a standard road-bike that fits you. Don't get lost up in the fact it has dura ace components. Tiagra shifts just as well and dura ace doesn't make you ride any faster!

 

[Cycleops]

It’s too small for you and the fact it’s a small frame will make it difficult to sell on which is one of the reasons he’s not got any takers. Sure it’s a nice high end bike but totally unsuitable for you and your type of riding.