Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Click the "Create Account" button now to join.

To disable ads, please log-in.

Shop at TeamEstrogen.com for women's cycling apparel.

Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Trondheim, Norway
    Posts
    1,469

    Should I buy it? Would you?

    To disable ads, please log-in.

    I sent my bike to California for the Cindy. Gave my sister something of a shock. "You're riding THAT in the Cindy? " Well, she's helping me do something about that, like switch tires at the very least. Next problem is getting the bike back here after, or finding another for the two months I'll be here after. So ...
    Yesterday I checked one of the LBSs. Found an old but well kept flatbar road bike that fits me pretty well. It's a Trek 700 (17" frame) which I gather means it's practically an antique (as in classic steel), but it's got some newer parts. Asking price is $215. Any advice out there? Should I buy it? Will it be easy to sell again in June? Anybody want to take it over come then?
    Half-marathon over. Sabbatical year over. It's back to "sacking shirt and oat cakes" as they say here.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Sf Bay Area
    Posts
    455
    I may be interested in buying it. I currently have a hybrid which won't be adequate to bike the 400-mile CANDISC in the Midwest in August, so I've been pondering my dilemma . . whether or not to buy a new road bike to ship to the Midwest or to buy a used bike in good condition. I am 5'3" and when on a Hawaii tour a few months ago, I rented a 17.5 Terry road bike. I mention this because I don't know how much leeway one can get by with when sizing bike fits. Thanks!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Mrs. KnottedYet
    Posts
    9,152
    bikeless, note the difference in your heights. 17" is usually what I (your 5'1" scale model) ride or 5'3" kjay below. Most often road bike sizes are expressed in cm like my road bike is apporx 47 cm but since your bike at home's a 20" I question the fit.
    Fancy Schmancy Custom Road bike ~ Mondonico Futura Legero
    Found on side of the road bike ~ Motobecane Mixte
    Gravel bike ~ Salsa Vaya
    Favorite bike ~ Soma Buena Vista mixte
    Folder ~ Brompton
    N+1 ~ My seat on the Rover recumbent tandem
    https://www.instagram.com/pugsley_adventuredog/

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Trondheim, Norway
    Posts
    1,469
    Yes, I realize that 17" shouldn't fit me. I didn't even want to bother trying it, but it kept drawing me back and finally I caved. Maybe it's cuz I like to sit up straight, no stretch, but oddly enough, it seemed pretty comfy.
    Last edited by Duck on Wheels; 02-26-2006 at 09:33 AM.
    Half-marathon over. Sabbatical year over. It's back to "sacking shirt and oat cakes" as they say here.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Trondheim, Norway
    Posts
    1,469
    Quote Originally Posted by kjay
    I may be interested in buying it. I currently have a hybrid which won't be adequate to bike the 400-mile CANDISC in the Midwest in August, so I've been pondering my dilemma . . whether or not to buy a new road bike to ship to the Midwest or to buy a used bike in good condition. I am 5'3" and when on a Hawaii tour a few months ago, I rented a 17.5 Terry road bike. I mention this because I don't know how much leeway one can get by with when sizing bike fits. Thanks!
    If I _do_ buy this bike, and if you do consider using it for the CANDISC, I would recommend you try it out first. I wouldn't recommend doing 400 miles on a bike you haven't tried riding before. If it doesn't fit, you'll be hurting. But shipping a bike to and from the coast is what I've been trying to avoid here, so I don't know how we'd work this out. But nothing's impossible. First let's see if I buy the bike, then we can think about the next step.
    Half-marathon over. Sabbatical year over. It's back to "sacking shirt and oat cakes" as they say here.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Sf Bay Area
    Posts
    455
    bikeless, I should have read your initial post more carefully. Don't know why I thought the bike for sale (in a few months) was already in California. Sorry. Good luck in your search.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Trondheim, Norway
    Posts
    1,469
    The one in California is a hybrid. Like yours. Same problem. I have to find something there I can do 100K on, then either ship the hybrid back here or find something else here. I may wind up with 3 bikes to sell in June. Or two to sell and one to ship all the way to Norway. Or one to sell, somewhere this side of the Atlantic, one to keep in my Mom's garage, one to ship home, and my old one there to sell.
    How did I ever get myself into this situation?!?! Oh well. I'll find a solution. And good luck finding yours. I'm sure there are solutions out there for both of us.
    Half-marathon over. Sabbatical year over. It's back to "sacking shirt and oat cakes" as they say here.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    North Central Florida
    Posts
    3,387
    Isn't there anyone in CA that would loan you a bike? If you were coming to FL, I would certainly loan you my bike! Or my spare, if you liked that better.

    Nanci
    ***********
    "...I'm like the cycling version of the guy in Flowers for Algernon." Mike Magnuson

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Mrs. KnottedYet
    Posts
    9,152

    My humble opinion

    Bikeless, do not get the 17" Trek.

    A 17" bike is MY size. TE gals Bikeless has been known to refer to me as her "scale model". I was just discussing this with 5'8" or so (?) Spazzdog and she said

    Don't get that bike and frankly ANY other bike in Madison WI. I think this shop is just interested in unloading product or at minimum doesn't know how to fit a bike.

    I have the day off Thursday, will use it to go to Moms and pick up your bike which is a hybrid but fits you fine.

    And don't worry TE gals.

    Chris at Robinson Wheelworks is my shop and he can do magic with slicks at minimum.

    Or there may be a possibility of a loaner from my "other shop", Cyclepath in Hayward.

    The manager there says he may have a Specialized Sirrus in Bikeless actual (not tortured) size. If the loaner bike is available he'll swap the pedals and seat and match the geometry. He'll fit her and then Bikeless can try distance cycling on a flat bar road bike.

    If he does not have the loaner let Chris and Tim do their magic.

    Distance cycling is not for all, you may love it and then begins the long slow process of finding and choosing the perfect bike for you.

    Right now I'm just interested in getting you through the Cindy or as much of it as you can in comfort and fun.
    Last edited by Trek420; 02-26-2006 at 04:56 PM.
    Fancy Schmancy Custom Road bike ~ Mondonico Futura Legero
    Found on side of the road bike ~ Motobecane Mixte
    Gravel bike ~ Salsa Vaya
    Favorite bike ~ Soma Buena Vista mixte
    Folder ~ Brompton
    N+1 ~ My seat on the Rover recumbent tandem
    https://www.instagram.com/pugsley_adventuredog/

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Sf Bay Area
    Posts
    455
    Quote Originally Posted by Nanci
    Isn't there anyone in CA that would loan you a bike? If you were coming to FL, I would certainly loan you my bike! Or my spare, if you liked that better.

    Nanci


    Nanci, that is very sweet of you. I don't know anyone here who bikes, as I always bike by myself, but I will no doubt end up buying a road bike that's not too expensive. Thanks very much.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Trondheim, Norway
    Posts
    1,469
    Quote Originally Posted by Trek420
    Bikeless, do not get the 17" Trek.

    A 17" bike is MY size. TE gals Bikeless has been known to refer to me as her "scale model". I was just discussing this with 5'8" or so (?) Spazzdog and she said
    Yes, and I'm the enlargement. 7 years older and 7" taller. OK OK. Gave the bike a test ride today, and I know it shouldn't fit, but amazingly it does. With the seat up high the legs get a good stretch, feel fine full cycle, back straight, arms relaxed, spun me right up a few small hills on campus, gears were smooth, not a rust spot on her. Fits like a dream for me, who likes sitting up straight and wears a backpack like a snail carries its shell -- everywhere. And this was a day I had upper back and ankle pain already, so any bad fit would have hurt right away.

    Still ... on the walk home I reached a decision (all my best thoughts come to me while walking -- a good 4-5 miles usually gets my head sorted). The decision is not to complicate my life with more bikes to sell in just a few months. So first I'll wait and see what sister Trek has worked out for the Cindy -- either slicks on the hybrid I have or a better loaner to test ride. Then decide. It only costs $80 to take it back here as checked luggage (well ... "only", but still less than the risk of an unsold bike) , and only takes a few minutes to pack if we have a box handy and another few minutes to reassemble this end. If I'm test riding the Specialized and fall in love with it, then ship it here and from here back to Norway and sell my old Trek in Norway. If I'm on slicks on the Giant and feeling fine with that, then ship that here and sell it from here in June. Or, if I decide I'd rather go with the 17-incher here, they may still have it come Mar 26, which, after all, still won't be bike season here yet. Or if I do that and find it sold, then they'll have something else that will work just as well for 2 months. I'm not about to keep that little Trek anyway, so no hurry to buy it.

    There. Decision made. What a relief. Now back to work.
    Half-marathon over. Sabbatical year over. It's back to "sacking shirt and oat cakes" as they say here.

 

 

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •