Great deal but keep in mind that it is old sram red. If a shifter or derailleur breaks, they are not made anymore and the new ones are not backwards compatible so you’ll have to buy both shifters and derailleurs even if only one part fails.
passim on
Rim brake, red, 202s. This thing was pricey new, but I wouldn’t spend $2k on it today. Giant chainring, tiny cassette. Probably won’t fit wide tires… it’s just super dated.
kbrosnan on
That last picture makes me a little concerned about the drivetrain. The outer front chainring looks like it has the beginnings of [shark toothing](https://www.parktool.com/assets/img/repairhelp/FDTrouble_004.jpg). I would be a bit concerned about chain wear. If it has become that bad that the wear is visible several parts need to be replaced. Chainring(s), chain and the cassette in the back. Maybe the jockey wheels. If you replace it with period correct Sram Red that can be expensive. Especially for new old stock. Guessing that that is a good $400-500 (USD) of parts/work for a shop to do that.
I will say that I am not 100% sure about the wear seeing it in person or pictures with better focus/contrast in the area might change my mind. Having the chain stretch measured either at a shop or buying the tool and learning how to use it is worth the effort. Park Tool CC-4.2 for example is ~$20.
No-Cake-549 on
I always say that you marry the frame and date the parts. The frame is fantastic. The parts have been around the block though. If you want to keep it old school and you like hunting for vintage parts then it’s a good deal. If you want to ride it religiously or be competitive then you should plan on replacing everything related to the drivetrain. The other thing to consider is the price of a new Lynskey frame. They have insane sales every other week it seems. Some frames as low as $800 from time to time.
MAVickers on
I have a Lynskey R270 rim-brake. I bought the frame a couple years ago then bought used/new parts to build the bike up.
The individual parts for this bike, purchased separately, would have no problem fetching more than the asking price for this bike. But I would say you can get a more modern bike (disc-brake) for the same amount of money that will be easier to find new replacement parts for in the long run. The parts may not be currently top-of-the-line, but they will probably be just as good as the parts on this bike that were top-of-the-line for 10+ years ago.
If you are really into the rim-brake look and like to wrench on bikes, this isn’t a bad deal. As mentioned by others though, if you’re not handy with a bike and the rear derailleur bites the dust, you’ll be out of a bike for a bit.
hoffsta on
I wouldn’t pay $2000 for a rim brake bike in 2026, (and that’s coming from a guy who owns a Ti rim brake road bike that I love.)
6 Comments
Great deal but keep in mind that it is old sram red. If a shifter or derailleur breaks, they are not made anymore and the new ones are not backwards compatible so you’ll have to buy both shifters and derailleurs even if only one part fails.
Rim brake, red, 202s. This thing was pricey new, but I wouldn’t spend $2k on it today. Giant chainring, tiny cassette. Probably won’t fit wide tires… it’s just super dated.
That last picture makes me a little concerned about the drivetrain. The outer front chainring looks like it has the beginnings of [shark toothing](https://www.parktool.com/assets/img/repairhelp/FDTrouble_004.jpg). I would be a bit concerned about chain wear. If it has become that bad that the wear is visible several parts need to be replaced. Chainring(s), chain and the cassette in the back. Maybe the jockey wheels. If you replace it with period correct Sram Red that can be expensive. Especially for new old stock. Guessing that that is a good $400-500 (USD) of parts/work for a shop to do that.
I will say that I am not 100% sure about the wear seeing it in person or pictures with better focus/contrast in the area might change my mind. Having the chain stretch measured either at a shop or buying the tool and learning how to use it is worth the effort. Park Tool CC-4.2 for example is ~$20.
I always say that you marry the frame and date the parts. The frame is fantastic. The parts have been around the block though. If you want to keep it old school and you like hunting for vintage parts then it’s a good deal. If you want to ride it religiously or be competitive then you should plan on replacing everything related to the drivetrain. The other thing to consider is the price of a new Lynskey frame. They have insane sales every other week it seems. Some frames as low as $800 from time to time.
I have a Lynskey R270 rim-brake. I bought the frame a couple years ago then bought used/new parts to build the bike up.
The individual parts for this bike, purchased separately, would have no problem fetching more than the asking price for this bike. But I would say you can get a more modern bike (disc-brake) for the same amount of money that will be easier to find new replacement parts for in the long run. The parts may not be currently top-of-the-line, but they will probably be just as good as the parts on this bike that were top-of-the-line for 10+ years ago.
If you are really into the rim-brake look and like to wrench on bikes, this isn’t a bad deal. As mentioned by others though, if you’re not handy with a bike and the rear derailleur bites the dust, you’ll be out of a bike for a bit.
I wouldn’t pay $2000 for a rim brake bike in 2026, (and that’s coming from a guy who owns a Ti rim brake road bike that I love.)