Hi all, I am looking to purchase my first road bike and I will most likely be using the used market as my budget is pretty low. ($500)
I found this offer on marketplace and was hoping to get some feedback on how hefty of a rebuild this would take. I see a lot of rust and slight scuffs and am unsure as to whether anything or everything would need replacing.
early 90’s allez epic, shimano group set with wh-r500 wheel set, complete OEM parts.
Listed for a little over a hundred.
Should I go for it and focus on removing the rust? or is it worth investing in a different option? Are there any signs of bad news from these images? If parts visibly need to be replaced, which?
I would really appreciate any help, not looking for the “Worlds BEST price to performance ever”. I understand that the best bike is the one that you’re happy riding. Just looking for something that I can learn with that’s not gonna break the bank. Would love if it’s something I could upgrade overtime, but if even that is outside of my budget then I guess I’ll have to save up before making that jump.
Thank you to any who take the time!
by randicochea
11 Comments
I have a friend that had three of these frames fail on him, when they were new. He’s not a big guy either. Run away. Do not buy that.
The epoxy used to bond the carbon tubes and alloy junctions degrades over time, although I have personally never seen one fail. There’s a large clear coat chip/scratch on the downtube. The wheelset is not original. But for a little over a hundred, I think you can go for it. In my area, any functional road bike worths at least 200 bucks.
Edit: That being said, for a $500 budget, maybe you can find a newer bike with STI shifters. The components will be lower tier, say Sora or Tiagra, but they are enough for your usage.
That bike’s in pretty poor condition overall (rusty chain, scratched clear coat/paint, cracked tires, saddle on its last legs). I’d stay away at any price.
Look for something a little more modern will an aluminum frame and you’ll be set. There should still be plenty of options under $500.
CARBON FIBRE BONDED TO ALUMINUM LUGS. BONDED MEANS “GLUED”
I’m not a huge fan of trusting my face to 40 year old glue
NO NO NO, OLD CARBON TUBES WITH EPOXY RESIN GLUE BUTTED JOINTS BREAKS DOWN. THAT THING IS PROBABLY A BUNDLE OF DRY SPAGHETTI.
I would hunt around for a decent steel tube frame – carbon and aluminum are on my do not touch list. Steel will last forever – or until it’s visibly in such a bad shape you wouldn’t ride
I loved those bikes when they were new but I would definitely not ride a old glued carbon bike today.
As pretty as this is. Don’t trust the carbon. The bonding in those lugs has a pretty finite lifespan and I would hate to be riding that when one lets go
NO!!!
As a collector piece, sure. But to ride… Absolutely not. Those early carbon tube aluminum lug frames are extremely prone to sudden unexpected. Catastrophic failure.
The glue can’t be trusted. Failure while riding could cause a paralyzing crash. A cro moly steel Specialized Allez from the 90s would be great. Be patient.
No. 20