Road Bike help/advice needed?

[Lee G]

Hi all,

first post here, I'm hoping to get as many 2nd opinions as possible before I spend any of my all too rare funds!!

After 2 years of commuting 10-20 miles a day on a range of 2nd hand bikes I am now in a position to take the plunge and buy a decent road bike. For xmas I just asked for donations to my "bike fund" and it now has £200 in it, and I will make up the difference to a desired spend of no more than £350 (well that was the plan initially). After many hours online yesterday I've come to the conclusion that rather than spend that in my local independant shop on a Viking, or in Halfords on a Carrera, I'd be better looking at a Giant, Specialised or a Trek. Trouble is, I'm not sure if my budget can stretch that far.

I have been browsing Ebay and found a 2nd hand Trek 1.2 for £200, it has an alloy frame and carbon forks, Shimano 2200 gears and shifters and Bontrager stem, handlebars, seatpost and saddle. It also has a rack on the back and front and rear mudguards, all of which I would need to fit anyway.

Would this be a good buy? Obviously it will depend on the condition, it's listed as excellent bar the odd mark which is to be expected, but I would check it out first anyway. On a positive, the seller is local and if I can get it for £200 I would then pay for a major service at a local bike shop, and it has everything I'm going to need for my commute and my charity ride (see link in signature , on a negative, I was really hoping to buy my first ever brand new bike.

Thanks in advance, and apologies for the long winded first post but I am feeling ever so out of my depth

 

[Lee G]

One more thing, it's a 52cm frame and I'm 5' 10" with a 32" inside leg measurement - will this be too small or can I get round it with a different stem?

 

[accountantpete]

The geometry for that bike can be seen here

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/road/1_series/12e/

As you can see the Seat Tube is 49cms whereas someone with a 32" inside leg needs a 54/56cm (small to medium). Similarly the top tube is a bit short for you as well.

You could adapt it with the seat sticking out a fair bit and putting a longer stem on but I personally would wait a little longer as there will be plenty of other bikes on eBay after the new year.

 

[Lee G]

Thanks Pete, further investigation done and reluctantly have to agree the 52cm will be too small - it was perfect in so many ways though, gutted.

Been to local bike shop today and looked at Specialized Allez, blows my budget completely, but as I am currently riding a borrowed bike, and the guy wants it back the first week of Jan, I don't have much choice.

Thanks for the reply though.

 

[BrumJim]

Detected from your web page that you live in Birmingham.

Have you tried Sprockets in Digbeth? Might be able to get a decend 2nd hand bike there.

Where are you based? User and I live in the SW of town, and he can give you good advice on bike shops this neck of the woods. Don't know much on the East, except one bike shop on Burney Lane/Alum Rock Road neck of the woods that seemed very good last time I was there (over 10 years ago now, I think).

Got a Specialized Allez myself - set my budget to get a decent bike, but not one well above my abilities.

 

[Lee G]

Thanks Jim,

Not heard of Sprockets but will be popping there tomorrow for sure. I'm in Acocks Green/Tyseley area, my nearest decent shop is Red Kite in Shirley, went there yesterday, got some great kit in there and the guys seem to know what they are talking about.

So would you recommend the Specialized Allez?

 

[BrumJim]

Don't have that much to compare it against. Personally, I love it. So light, so nimble, and does everything you ask of it. Changing gears is so much of a dream that sometimes I do it just for fun. Hills suddenly got a lot flatter, and fellow commuters slowed down.

However I am comparing it against a Peugeot Carbolite frame from the 1980's with down-tube shifters.

 

[vernon]

Pay a visit to Decathlon at Merry Hill and have a look at the B'Twin Riverside 5. Comes in at £350 and has mudguards, hub dynamo lighting, rear rack and Shimano Deore gears.

It might not be what you think you want because it is a hybrid but I bought a related model in France this summer when my drop barred tourer broke. Despite my reservations regarding fatter tyres and a more upright position I found that my touring speed was about the same and that the ride was more relaxed.