I am looking for my first bike. I will ultimately be using this for (very beginner) triathlon training. I live in the Midwest, so terrain all around is flat. I will be riding it primarily on roads, maybe very occasionally on trails.
I have a tight budget – $400 strict, preferably a little less so I have room for tune-up, etcetera. Below are two bikes for sale used in my area, in my size. Both $350 list price.
Bike 1: 2012 Bianchi Campione D’Italia
Lots of miles on it, but description says regularly maintained.
Bike 2: Cannondale Quick 4 unknown year (probably mid 2010’s?)
Claims it has only been used once, essentially new
Are either of these good deals? Should I look for something else altogether? I really don’t know anything going into this, so any advice is appreciated!
by cgard017
2 Comments
The Bianchi is beautiful. However, a 2012 8-speed steel bike should probably be going cheaper than that.
For triathlon, you definitely want to be going road bike rather than hybrid though
That Bianchi looks beautiful, and from the seller’s description, you can tell that they know a lot about it and have maintained it well. Ask them to give it a quick garage tune up, clean, and lube before you buy it. A serious seller will do it. Additionally, a road bike with drop bars is better for triathlon training than a flat bar hybrid.
The Cannondale has probably been neglected for a decade if it’s a mid 2010s and has only been used once. It probably has dry rotted tires, fraying cables, and other potential issues.