Is this the right bike for me?
Discussion
Hello Pedalling Pistonheaders
I don't normally frequent this part of the forum very much. I've just started a new job and am looking for a bike to commute on (my previous was stolen a few months ago).
I've been looking for a lightweight bike to commute on as I'm going to carry it up one flight of stairs every evening when I get home, because I don't want it stolen again.
In summary, is this bike worth this amount of money and is it a good bike? http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/specialized-alle...
I don't normally frequent this part of the forum very much. I've just started a new job and am looking for a bike to commute on (my previous was stolen a few months ago).
I've been looking for a lightweight bike to commute on as I'm going to carry it up one flight of stairs every evening when I get home, because I don't want it stolen again.
In summary, is this bike worth this amount of money and is it a good bike? http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/specialized-alle...
Nothing wrong with it assuming that it's the right size for you. And at that price with Campag Khamsin wheels too - not bad value.
Depending on how hilly your route is and how strong your legs are, you may find that the gearing doesn't go low enough for you (lowest ratio is 34x25). If you have to carry the bike upstairs would a folding bike be more suitable?
Depending on how hilly your route is and how strong your legs are, you may find that the gearing doesn't go low enough for you (lowest ratio is 34x25). If you have to carry the bike upstairs would a folding bike be more suitable?
My gut feeling is its a stolen bike.
Firstly that is too cheap for an Elite, unless its pretty battered. With those extras (tyres & wheels), bit dodgy.
Secondly its a just a stock pic of a 2013 allez
Thirdly they are offering to meet you, why cant you go to their house?
Lastly it says they bought it in 2010 for £900, and no mention of a receipt?
I would be pretty wary, but your call.
Remember if the bike is traced back to the original owner, you will have to give it up and be left out of pocket.
Firstly that is too cheap for an Elite, unless its pretty battered. With those extras (tyres & wheels), bit dodgy.
Secondly its a just a stock pic of a 2013 allez
Thirdly they are offering to meet you, why cant you go to their house?
Lastly it says they bought it in 2010 for £900, and no mention of a receipt?
I would be pretty wary, but your call.
Remember if the bike is traced back to the original owner, you will have to give it up and be left out of pocket.
I don't think that bike was stolen, there was too much back story and information.
Anyway, it is already sold, I was too slow.
I am now thinking about this bike which is still available and even closer to where I live.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/cannondale-caadx...
Anyone have any opinions on a 2013 Cannondale CAADX 105?
This too could be stolen, it's quite difficult to tell. Almost everything on Gumtree seems stolen, but I think that is just the gumtree reputation that makes me think that.
Anyway, it is already sold, I was too slow.
I am now thinking about this bike which is still available and even closer to where I live.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/cannondale-caadx...
Anyone have any opinions on a 2013 Cannondale CAADX 105?
This too could be stolen, it's quite difficult to tell. Almost everything on Gumtree seems stolen, but I think that is just the gumtree reputation that makes me think that.
Don't know, quite a lot of gushing detail in the advert. 3 year old bike, for £300 sounds ok to me.
See if has the reciept.
Lots of people don't want to sell stuff from the house. Especially in London.
Spesh make good bikes, and at that money if you hate it in six months it isn't too damaging.
Salgar said:
I don't think that bike was stolen, there was too much back story and information.
Anyway, it is already sold, I was too slow.
I am now thinking about this bike which is still available and even closer to where I live.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/cannondale-caadx...
Anyone have any opinions on a 2013 Cannondale CAADX 105?
This too could be stolen, it's quite difficult to tell. Almost everything on Gumtree seems stolen, but I think that is just the gumtree reputation that makes me think that.
Except that he has the receipt, so ignore me...Anyway, it is already sold, I was too slow.
I am now thinking about this bike which is still available and even closer to where I live.
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/cannondale-caadx...
Anyone have any opinions on a 2013 Cannondale CAADX 105?
This too could be stolen, it's quite difficult to tell. Almost everything on Gumtree seems stolen, but I think that is just the gumtree reputation that makes me think that.
Gumtree is a minefield lots of stolen stuff on there
Decent stuff will sell in hours, so be prepared to act asap
I'd say 34/25 would be fine unless you lived in the Peak District, 39/25 would be fine in London as a lowest.
If it would be me, I'd seek out some of the less well known but good brands, Spesh's. Treks & Giants etc are great bikes but they fetch higher prices second hand as they are all well known
I managed to get a 1 year old Wilier that was £1100+ , guy rode it round the block and then kept in his garage for a year (condition backs this up) for £370 last year .
Decent stuff will sell in hours, so be prepared to act asap
I'd say 34/25 would be fine unless you lived in the Peak District, 39/25 would be fine in London as a lowest.
If it would be me, I'd seek out some of the less well known but good brands, Spesh's. Treks & Giants etc are great bikes but they fetch higher prices second hand as they are all well known
I managed to get a 1 year old Wilier that was £1100+ , guy rode it round the block and then kept in his garage for a year (condition backs this up) for £370 last year .
Salgar said:
I don't think that bike was stolen, there was too much back story and information.
The stolen ones usually have an elaborate story.I've got a 2011 Allez sport 58cm, which has hardly been ridden I want to sell. I'm in north London.
PM if interested.
Otherwise as others have mentioned, grab a receipt from the home or take a copy of sellers ID.
TwistingMyMelon said:
I managed to get a 1 year old Wilier that was £1100+ , guy rode it round the block and then kept in his garage for a year (condition backs this up) for £370 last year .
Blimey I thought I did well with my £600 Carbon Cube GTC(£1600 new). Thought it was too good to be true, and sure enough, the back wheel & BB were shagged. Back wheel was £250 but luckily found it for £150 on sale. Cost me about £800 all in fixed. Just to echo what others say. I picked up my cube within 45 minutes of the ad going live.
While I was there his phone was constantly ringing with other buyers. There are bargains but you have to be soooo quick on gumtree.
GhostDriver said:
TwistingMyMelon said:
I managed to get a 1 year old Wilier that was £1100+ , guy rode it round the block and then kept in his garage for a year (condition backs this up) for £370 last year .
Blimey I thought I did well with my £600 Carbon Cube GTC(£1600 new). Thought it was too good to be true, and sure enough, the back wheel & BB were shagged. Back wheel was £250 but luckily found it for £150 on sale. Cost me about £800 all in fixed. Just to echo what others say. I picked up my cube within 45 minutes of the ad going live.
While I was there his phone was constantly ringing with other buyers. There are bargains but you have to be soooo quick on gumtree.
GhostDriver said:
Salgar said:
I don't think that bike was stolen, there was too much back story and information.
The stolen ones usually have an elaborate story.I've got a 2011 Allez sport 58cm, which has hardly been ridden I want to sell. I'm in north London.
PM if interested.
Otherwise as others have mentioned, grab a receipt from the home or take a copy of sellers ID.
GhostDriver said:
Salgar said:
I don't think that bike was stolen, there was too much back story and information.
The stolen ones usually have an elaborate story.I've got a 2011 Allez sport 58cm, which has hardly been ridden I want to sell. I'm in north London.
PM if interested.
Otherwise as others have mentioned, grab a receipt from the home or take a copy of sellers ID.
Worse one I had was getting the train to Holloway Rd to meet a seller who was reluctant to let me come to her house to buy an Allez.
I insisted on home sale only, I went to the door to be met by a 16 year old gold toothed, wannabe gangsta. This kid starts kissing his teeth after I tell him the bike was a mess and probably stolen.
It was mid summer I'd walked 2 miles in the heat, I was not happy and told him so. Probably swore at him too when he got arsey. I Walked off.
Next thing I know Im being chased down the road by a crack w
e (his mum) with him following behind with a Doberman, and her shouting at me in a very threatening manner.
Talked her down, stroked the dog behind his ears (he turned into a lovely puppy type dog after that) The kid was still threatening to 'do me'. I told him to respect his mum a bit more, which she liked and she clattered him around the earhole for being "facety" to the nice man!
Offered to sell me the bike for whatever, which I duly turned down.
I love living in London!
I insisted on home sale only, I went to the door to be met by a 16 year old gold toothed, wannabe gangsta. This kid starts kissing his teeth after I tell him the bike was a mess and probably stolen.
It was mid summer I'd walked 2 miles in the heat, I was not happy and told him so. Probably swore at him too when he got arsey. I Walked off.
Next thing I know Im being chased down the road by a crack w
e (his mum) with him following behind with a Doberman, and her shouting at me in a very threatening manner.Talked her down, stroked the dog behind his ears (he turned into a lovely puppy type dog after that) The kid was still threatening to 'do me'. I told him to respect his mum a bit more, which she liked and she clattered him around the earhole for being "facety" to the nice man!
Offered to sell me the bike for whatever, which I duly turned down.
I love living in London!
GhostDriver said:
Worse one I had was getting the train to Holloway Rd to meet a seller who was reluctant to let me come to her house to buy an Allez.
I insisted on home sale only, I went to the door to be met by a 16 year old gold toothed, wannabe gangsta. This kid starts kissing his teeth after I tell him the bike was a mess and probably stolen.
It was mid summer I'd walked 2 miles in the heat, I was not happy and told him so. Probably swore at him too when he got arsey. I Walked off.
Next thing I know Im being chased down the road by a crack we (his mum) with him following behind with a Doberman, and her shouting at me in a very threatening manner.
Talked her down, stroked the dog behind his ears (he turned into a lovely puppy type dog after that) The kid was still threatening to 'do me'. I told him to respect his mum a bit more, which she liked and she clattered him around the earhole for being "facety" to the nice man!
Offered to sell me the bike for whatever, which I duly turned down.
I love living in London!
Haha, superb, I'm going to Holloway road to look at that CAADX 105 in a couple of hours. I've been speaking to the owner and he seems like he doesn't have very many gold teeth. I could be mistaken though.I insisted on home sale only, I went to the door to be met by a 16 year old gold toothed, wannabe gangsta. This kid starts kissing his teeth after I tell him the bike was a mess and probably stolen.
It was mid summer I'd walked 2 miles in the heat, I was not happy and told him so. Probably swore at him too when he got arsey. I Walked off.
Next thing I know Im being chased down the road by a crack w
e (his mum) with him following behind with a Doberman, and her shouting at me in a very threatening manner.Talked her down, stroked the dog behind his ears (he turned into a lovely puppy type dog after that) The kid was still threatening to 'do me'. I told him to respect his mum a bit more, which she liked and she clattered him around the earhole for being "facety" to the nice man!
Offered to sell me the bike for whatever, which I duly turned down.
I love living in London!
Yeah wasn't funny at the time!
Best of luck to ya. That's a Cyclocross bike, so you can put guards on it for winter etc. Great bike, nice spec, check the cantilever brakes as they can be a bit jerky.
Also Cannon's tend to come up big so make sure your comfy on it.
If ya get it post some pics on the new bike thread.
Best of luck to ya. That's a Cyclocross bike, so you can put guards on it for winter etc. Great bike, nice spec, check the cantilever brakes as they can be a bit jerky.
Also Cannon's tend to come up big so make sure your comfy on it.
If ya get it post some pics on the new bike thread.
GhostDriver said:
Yeah wasn't funny at the time!
Best of luck to ya. That's a Cyclocross bike, so you can put guards on it for winter etc. Great bike, nice spec, check the cantilever brakes as they can be a bit jerky.
Also Cannon's tend to come up big so make sure your comfy on it.
If ya get it post some pics on the new bike thread.
Yeah my main concern is the size, Cannondale seem to say 6ft is the high end of 56cm or low end of 58cm, so might be a touch big.Best of luck to ya. That's a Cyclocross bike, so you can put guards on it for winter etc. Great bike, nice spec, check the cantilever brakes as they can be a bit jerky.
Also Cannon's tend to come up big so make sure your comfy on it.
If ya get it post some pics on the new bike thread.
Salgar said:
GhostDriver said:
Yeah wasn't funny at the time!
Best of luck to ya. That's a Cyclocross bike, so you can put guards on it for winter etc. Great bike, nice spec, check the cantilever brakes as they can be a bit jerky.
Also Cannon's tend to come up big so make sure your comfy on it.
If ya get it post some pics on the new bike thread.
Yeah my main concern is the size, Cannondale seem to say 6ft is the high end of 56cm or low end of 58cm, so might be a touch big.Best of luck to ya. That's a Cyclocross bike, so you can put guards on it for winter etc. Great bike, nice spec, check the cantilever brakes as they can be a bit jerky.
Also Cannon's tend to come up big so make sure your comfy on it.
If ya get it post some pics on the new bike thread.
So,
The bike was great, there was quite a lot of juddering on the front brake but i've read about that before. I wasn't sure if the size was right, I had about an inch over the bar but I think the stretch to the bars was a bit much. So I went and found the same bike in Evans in 56cm and it felt a bit better (although, without them next to each other it was hard to say).
The current owner of the bike is 6ft 6" which makes me inclined to go for a 56 cm bike instead of the 58cm.
So instead I'm going to go for this bike: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am... - It has exactly the same groupset and parts, the frame is a slightly different shape but mostly the same.
The bike was great, there was quite a lot of juddering on the front brake but i've read about that before. I wasn't sure if the size was right, I had about an inch over the bar but I think the stretch to the bars was a bit much. So I went and found the same bike in Evans in 56cm and it felt a bit better (although, without them next to each other it was hard to say).
The current owner of the bike is 6ft 6" which makes me inclined to go for a 56 cm bike instead of the 58cm.
So instead I'm going to go for this bike: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am... - It has exactly the same groupset and parts, the frame is a slightly different shape but mostly the same.
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