What's new

Looking for a good used road bike

StuInTokyo

Maximum Pace
Dec 3, 2010
1,662
62
My various efforts at getting my old Cannondale MTB to serve as a road bike while "fun" I know I'm really trying to make a silk purse from a sow's ear, I do want to get a road bike at some point. I think that if a good enough deal came along, I could swing it, but this might have to wait a bit until I sell some stuff including a motorcycle I no longer use much at all.

I'm asking everyone's help in me sorting out the junk from the bikes that would suit.

I guess I'll try to answer some questions that will give you a better idea of what I'm looking for.

Price, I'd like to spend as little as possible, but still have a decent bike, no use in buying junk and then trying to upgrade it. I'd say I'm starting with a budget of 50,000 yen, that would just be a start, as long as I get good right sized frame, down the road everything else can be slowly upgraded. If I can buy a bike that is basically ready to ride for 50,000 yen great, but I don't have a problem with buying a bike for say 20,000 yen and then having to spend money on tires, a chain, etc.

I'm about 6' tall, or 181cm, right now I weigh 111Kg or 245 lbs, but I'm working on that all the time. My stand over measurement is 89cm/35" in cycling shoes

I do not plan on racing, ever, I do hope to do a lot of riding at a reasonable pace. I'm not looking for a super fast racer, or a super light bike, I'm looking for something that I can ride all day and it not kill me. I'm thinking steel frame.

I'll add to this more later.

Opinions, comments and fun poked requested :D
 
Stu - you'd do fine on a 55-57cm If you shoot for the smaller size frame you'll have more options here in Japan. and especially if you can spring for a slightly more modern frameset, you'll get a compact geometry which will suit even wider variety of fit options.

There's a ton of 560 generic steelies in Yahoo Auction. If I was you, I'd spring for one of these then build up from other parts.

http://auctions.search.yahoo.co.jp/...&alocale=0jp&acc=jp&tab_ex=commerce&ei=euc-jp

I can help you get a decent groupset at cost - Shimano 5700 (105) at about 5man. Or we can put together a Microshift 'BONA' Set + used bits and pieces for around 3man. Shimano WH-R500 wheels can't be beat at the price and you'd be set!
 
My two cents on this Stu would be:

1) Buy new, not used. The prices do not really seem to drop much here for used road bikes, and the sizes of stuff on Yahoo Japan Auctions etc. are usually too small anyway.

2) Go to a Y's Road and give them ¥1,000 for a sizing complete with computer printout of the ideal bike set up for your body shape. I have found the service at the Nikotama Y's to be appalling, but for the sizing, it is money well spent.

3) Shop on-line at Evans, if you can live with the fact that you may have a gaggle of retards putting your bike together and packaging it for shipping. You may find a few scratches on it and cables not going through all the eyelets etc. etc. This is if you want a more well known brand like Bianchi. I have a Via Nirone 7 and think you'd like it as it is made for long distance and is comfortable to ride. Also, it may take them 3 weeks to ship it to you, but the upshot is that it will be cheap. If you do not care about the brand of the bike, Wiggle seems to have much better service and a good selection of well spec'd bikes at good prices - hard to find much in the ¥50,000 range on Wiggle's site though...

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/complete-bikes/road-bikes

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cycle/road-time-trial-bikes/
 
All good advice here. What fizzbike are you trying to sell? New Vs used debate, I always go for used mainly cause the depreciation and the fact that I am happy enough not needing the latest and best. Go get yourself sized and then you can confidently pull the trigger on the right deal. You have good mechanical skills so even something a bit beat up will polish up nice. Tim's price on the 105 set is too good to pass up, if you need to go that way.
 
These generic Cro-Mo's aren't too bad - jeez, for 13,000 they beat the crap out of the AN-Design. I've seen them knocking around and they are straight enough. Here's the full build:

1) Generic CroMo - 13,000 (580mm) (They do free shipping, too)
2) Microshift Bona - 15,000 (between 105 and Ultegra in quality)
3) Used crankset - 7000 (FSA or 105)
4) Brakeset - 3000 (Tektro, better than 105, less than Ultegra)
5) R500 Wheels - 12,000 (Impossible to beat these)
6) Used Bar / Stem /Seatpost / Saddle - 5000 (Bone yard goodies)

Guys - that's 55,000 without looking too hard. And the only real 'used' part would be the crankset.
 
Darn, I'm tempted to build up a few of these and sell them as 'Giant Killers'.
 
Stu,

See the Classifieds section. Trad is selling a beautiful titanium frame complete with excellent components. Your size I suspect. A little above your price range but perhaps you can negotiate. I suspect Trad would want to see her go to a good home :)

Philip
 
Wow! That IS an amazing deal! Stu - I'd suggest you beg, borrow or steal for that one. You couldn't touch a beauty like that for many times more. And the Ti frames last a lifetime. 6/4 is perfect tubing for larger size framesets.
 
Sagami Cycles has a bloody good Aluminium bike for sale for under 60,000 Chinese built (Aren't they all) and generic parts and groupset. Bloody excellent gear before pulling the trigger on a top of the line road bike.
 
The 'aspirational' groups are not to be laughed at. Sun Race (ADII) makes most of the low end stuff these days and has done some amazing work with sub brands like Microshift. Remember when Shimano was an aspirational brand?? I sure do! No one in their right mind in the peleton would be caught dead with Shimano. Though - it was far superior to Campy in just about every way. Same with Suntour.
 
I've already drooled over that deal by Trad on the classified, I wish I could spring for that, but it will be at least next year before I could justify spending that kind of coin on a bike. I know it would be worth it for sure, but I can't afford that. Typical stuff, I've got one daughter living overseas going to high school the other daughter will go for the summer there too and then this time next year, will also be going to high school in Canada, business has been busy lately, but we have been struggling the last few years. I'm sure most of you have similar stories. If I can get a decent road bike on the road, ready to go for under 50,000 yen, I'll be able to swing that. It does not have to be the lightest or the newest, I'm sure a 90's road bike in good shape will be much more enjoyable to ride long distances than my 88 MTB :D

I just saw this one on auction.....

http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d116124388

It would need some TLC and some new wheels, but....?
 
Stu - that Tange is ohh so short for you. Don't bother.
 
I guess I should take a spin down to Y's Road and sit on their machine and get tested/measured..?

How about this one...?

http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e109542344

The blirb at the bottom says for riders between 173 - 185 cm, I'm 181 cm.... on a good day, lately I've been more like 180 cm (Shrinking I guess....?)
 
I've already drooled over that deal by Trad on the classified, I wish I could spring for that, but it will be at least next year before I could justify spending that kind of coin on a bike. I know it would be worth it for sure, but I can't afford that. Typical stuff, I've got one daughter living overseas going to high school the other daughter will go for the summer there too and then this time next year, will also be going to high school in Canada, business has been busy lately, but we have been struggling the last few years. I'm sure most of you have similar stories.
...

My similar story is one now in uni, and another that will be starting (hopefully) next April. 2012 will probably approach (or exceed?) ¥6mil for the two of them--a little high since besides the basics, add in some matriculation/set-up for the younger one. Or at least I hope that'll be the top limit for that budget! 2013 and 2014 will probably be ¥5mil each year, if we're really, really lucky.

Thankfully, they're in, or have agreed to be in, kokritsu schools. (And unfortunately, the younger one wants to go to Tokyo...)

***

I would really like to be ticking off all the campy super record parts I'd be adding to my (aluminum :rolleyes:) bike, but if I could scratch off two years of the above expenses, I could buy a dream bike, or two, and also probably hire a couple people here as my full-time techies and riding buddies, and put them up on this side of the country besides.
 
My similar story is one now in uni, and another that will be starting (hopefully) next April. 2012 will probably approach (or exceed?) ¥6mil for the two of them--a little high since besides the basics, add in some matriculation/set-up for the younger one. Or at least I hope that'll be the top limit for that budget! 2013 and 2014 will probably be ¥5mil each year, if we're really, really lucky.

Thankfully, they're in, or have agreed to be in, kokritsu schools. (And unfortunately, the younger one wants to go to Tokyo...)

***

I would really like to be ticking off all the campy super record parts I'd be adding to my (aluminum :rolleyes:) bike, but if I could scratch off two years of the above expenses, I could buy a dream bike, or two, and also probably hire a couple people here as my full-time techies and riding buddies, and put them up on this side of the country besides.

Yeah, kids are not cheap :eek:

Mine want to go to Canada and become truly bilingual, so that is good, and as they are Canadian citizens, the price of Uni, if they go that route, is MUCH cheaper than here in Japan, and hey, they might actually learn something :rolleyes: :D

We will be OK, it just there is little or no extra money in the family budget for the next few years.

Cheers!
 
Sitting in the L shop, cool rainy night, few customers, surfing around on Yahoo, found this......

http://page11.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/n85199541#

46,200 yen....?

New, ready to roll..... looks like it would easily do some day touring as well, with three chain rings up front, and lugs for a rack..... :confused:

But if I get a real road bike, I could set up the Cannondale for day tours... :confused::confused:
 
I think Tim's idea to build a bike from a generic frame but with decent components would be better.
I am the same weight as you and I recommend to get some stronger wheels than on the latest bike you found.

Regarding size. Looking at how you current bike is setup I guess you are not aiming for a very aggressive riding position. With this in mind I would look for a frame that isn't on the smaller side of what you can use.
If you measure the distance from saddle to BB on your current bike you can get some idea of the saddle to handlebar drop on other frames.



/Andreas
 
Back
Top Bottom