Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

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2008-10-19 6:46 PM

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Subject: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

I am a runner who is going to attempt a sprint tri in July.  (And hope to one day do an Ironman.) 

I just bought an older used road bike ($300) which I thought would be better than a cheap new one...but am afraid I got screwed.  I am taking it to the bike shop tomorrow.  I know I will be putting a little $$ into it.

It is an older Felt F1 with DuraAce parts.  It is aluminum with a carbon fork.  I am learning about bikes quickly.  But my boyfriend replaced one of the tubes and now the gears don't work.  I can't see anything wrong visibly.  I need to buy a new seat, clipless pedals and tires.  I am hoping it is okay.  I just hate wasting my money.

I am hoping to use this forum for advice, etc.  I am doing great with the running and swimming.  The cycling is tougher due to the gear necessary. 

 

2008-10-19 9:13 PM
in reply to: #1752865

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Blacksburg, va
Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!
I'm not sure which year it is, but it sounds like a pretty solid bike. I'm not sure how replacing the tube in your tire would keep it from shifting. If you meant that the cable was replaced then I could see that just being a setup issue. We get bikes in our shop all the time with people telling us they need a new derailleur, and two thirds of the time it's a setup error. Hopefully it will be something your LBS can knock out easily.

Also even if you buy a new bike you would have to buy clipless pedals, probably eventually want a seat thats right for you, and alot of times the stock tires on new cheap bikes are garbage anyways. Anyone I talk to that gets into tri I tell them unless your looking to spend at least $700 and wait for some good sales, then don't bother with a new bike, you'll be much better off used almost everytime.
2008-10-19 9:17 PM
in reply to: #1752865

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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

Thanks for the response....

 I am hoping my LBS will tell me that I made a good investment and that it will serve it's purpose.  I felt pretty naive shopping for a bike with hardly any knowledge of bikes.  I am in that learning stage.  I don't know if my BF knew what he was doing when he took the back wheel on and off...I am hoping it is something simple to fix. 

 

 

 

2008-10-19 9:36 PM
in reply to: #1752865

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Master
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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

Assuming the gears worked OK when you got the bike, it sounds like either the rear wheel didn't get reinstalled straight, or else the rear derailleur got knocked out of alignment in the process.  Either way it should be a fairly easy fix at the shop.

While you're there, have the folks at the shop show you how to get the wheels off and on(especially the back, it's more complicated than the front)--this is a basic skill every cyclist needs.

2008-10-20 12:19 AM
in reply to: #1752865

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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!
Something all new bike riders need to learn is to never let your rear derailleur (shifter) touch anything.  Odds are he bumped the derailleur when he took the wheel off.  Next time flip the bike upside down or lay it on the left side when changing the tire.  The LBS will probably fix it right up.  Ask them to look it over pretty thoroughly and show you how to change the tires and do some basic maintenance such as cleaning and lubing the chain, adjusting the cable tension etc.
2008-10-20 10:09 AM
in reply to: #1752865

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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

I just got back from my LBS.  They said my bike is fine.  It was something really stupid...my fault.  I had a major panic attack yesterday over the bike.

 Anyway, the guy said the frame of the bike is worth as much as what I paid and everything is in really good condition.  I probably could use new cables in the spring...that is all.

Very cool!!  He got it ready for me to ride.  I just am waiting on my new Pearl Izumi road shoes to arrive!! Then I will get my clipless pedals!  



2008-10-20 10:36 AM
in reply to: #1752865

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

So what was the diagnosis (aside from "operator error"?  There are probably others who have or will experience the same thing, and your experience can really help them out. 

2008-10-20 11:44 AM
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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

The 'diagnosis' was that I didn't know how to shift.  I didn't realize that you could shift to a higher gear using the whole brake (make sense?).  I was shifting in one direction only.  It was completely stupid...but I haven't ridden anything but a 20 year old Trek mountain bike!

 I really need to take a cycling class of some sort... 

2008-10-20 2:37 PM
in reply to: #1752865

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!

Thanks...don't feel bad. 

My old road bike was a 1987 Raleigh with downtube shifters.  My tri bike has bar-end shifters and they're both pretty obvious.  I didn't experience integrated shifters until I got my new road bike this spring.  When I was looking at bikes, shifting at least one of the Shimano bikes wasn't intuitive. 

2008-10-20 8:45 PM
in reply to: #1754098

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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!
Bronwyn1968 - 2008-10-20 12:44 PM

The 'diagnosis' was that I didn't know how to shift.  I didn't realize that you could shift to a higher gear using the whole brake (make sense?).  I was shifting in one direction only.  It was completely stupid...but I haven't ridden anything but a 20 year old Trek mountain bike!

 I really need to take a cycling class of some sort... 



Heh. I wouldn't sweat it. Lesson learned. A cycling class would be a great idea for you. Our local cycling team puts them on and they are GREAT. I've been riding alot for a couple of years and still learned alot. There were people of all ages and abilities there. It was free too.
2008-10-21 9:44 AM
in reply to: #1754098

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Subject: RE: Just bought first road bike (used) - confused and reluctant!
Bronwyn1968 - 2008-10-20 11:44 AM

The 'diagnosis' was that I didn't know how to shift.  I didn't realize that you could shift to a higher gear using the whole brake (make sense?).  I was shifting in one direction only.  It was completely stupid...but I haven't ridden anything but a 20 year old Trek mountain bike!

 I really need to take a cycling class of some sort... 

I kind of thought that is what was happening.  FWIW, you are not the first person on BT to have that same problem.  I had the same problem on my bike but figured it pretty quickly.

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