should I get this bike?

If you're bikeless and this will be your bew bike, then go for it. If its bike number 4 and you may
or may not ride it, well that's up to you (personally I avoid garage sales because I'm afraid I'll
find an old bike I just can't pass up).

You may want to ask how many miles are on the bike, or how much it was ridden, as that may give you
an idea of how long you can expect to ride it before things start breaking. Not that at a specific
mileage point certain parts will automatically fail, but an Al frame, brifters, derailers, rims,
etc... are more likely to [censored] out after 5000 miles than 500.

It's probably 7 speed, which has its drawbacks. If your brifters die, 7 speed replacements will be
hard to come by (maybe Sora?), although an 8 speed brifter will shift your 7 speed cassette OK. You
could also do the "8 of 9" trick, where you use 8 cogs on an otherwise all 9 speed system.

Your size? Happen to have your bike tools with you? It was meant to be.

"Fritz M" <[email hidden]+> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was walked to a garage sale where they were selling a 1994 Specialized Allez $300. This is an Al
frame with Shimano RSX components. I happened to have my bike tools on me so I adjusted the seat
and handlebars and the bike seems to fit me perfectly. Brifters seemed to work just fine. The
chain was covered in oil but otherwise everything seemed in decent shape. One of the pedals (SPDs)
was broken, but I would replace them anyway for

my

Quoted message said:

Look cleats.

What was this, about a $1500 bike ten years ago? Any thoughts on the $300 asking price?

RFM
--
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I would pass.

You can get a dura ace STI bike on ebay sometimes for about $100 more.

I did. Old steel GIOS with 9spd STI (Dura Ace gruppo w/ Ult STI) $450.

A merckx with 8spd DA and spinergies went for $500 a couple of weeks ago.

"KBH" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Q0oOa.2218$H17.1614@sccrnsc02...

Quoted message said:

If you're bikeless and this will be your bew bike, then go for it. If its bike number 4 and you
may or may not ride it, well that's up to you (personally I avoid garage sales because I'm afraid
I'll find an old bike

I

Quoted message said:

just can't pass up).

You may want to ask how many miles are on the bike, or how much it was ridden, as that may give
you an idea of how long you can expect to ride it before things start breaking. Not that at a
specific mileage point

certain

Quoted message said:

parts will automatically fail, but an Al frame, brifters, derailers, rims, etc... are more likely
to [censored] out after 5000 miles than 500.

It's probably 7 speed, which has its drawbacks. If your brifters die, 7 speed replacements will be
hard to come by (maybe Sora?), although an 8 speed brifter will shift your 7 speed cassette OK.
You could also do the

"8

Quoted message said:

of 9" trick, where you use 8 cogs on an otherwise all 9 speed system.

Your size? Happen to have your bike tools with you? It was meant to be.

"Fritz M" <[email hidden]+> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was walked to a garage sale where they were selling a 1994 Specialized Allez $300. This is an
Al frame with Shimano RSX components. I

happened

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to have my bike tools on me so I adjusted the seat and handlebars and

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bike seems to fit me perfectly. Brifters seemed to work just fine. The chain was covered in oil
but otherwise everything seemed in decent

shape.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

One of the pedals (SPDs) was broken, but I would replace them anyway for

my

Quoted message said:

Look cleats.

What was this, about a $1500 bike ten years ago? Any thoughts on the

$300

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

asking price?

RFM
--
To reply, translate domain from l33+ 2p33|< to alpha. 4=a 0=o 3=e +=t

Fritz M said:

I was walked to a garage sale where they were selling a 1994 Specialized Allez $300. This is an Al
frame with Shimano RSX components. I happened to have my bike tools on me so I adjusted the seat
and handlebars and the bike seems to fit me perfectly. Brifters seemed to work just fine. The
chain was covered in oil but otherwise everything seemed in decent shape. One of the pedals (SPDs)
was broken, but I would replace them anyway for my Look cleats.

What was this, about a $1500 bike ten years ago? Any thoughts on the $300 asking price?

No, RSX was mostly seen on $600 bikes. $300 is too high for a non-collectible bike of this age,
though it's probably a nice enough bike.

Sheldon "Time To Haggle" Brown +------------------------------------------------------------+
| People who go broke in a big way never miss any meals. | It is the poor jerk who is shy half a
| slug | who must tighten his belt. --Robert A. Heinlein |
+------------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

I sold the same bike for $175 more than three years ago. I think I may have charged a
little too much.

"Fritz M" <[email hidden]+> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was walked to a garage sale where they were selling a 1994 Specialized Allez $300. This is an Al
frame with Shimano RSX components. I happened to have my bike tools on me so I adjusted the seat
and handlebars and the bike seems to fit me perfectly. Brifters seemed to work just fine. The
chain was covered in oil but otherwise everything seemed in decent shape. One of the pedals (SPDs)
was broken, but I would replace them anyway for

my

Quoted message said:

Look cleats.

What was this, about a $1500 bike ten years ago? Any thoughts on the $300 asking price?

RFM
--
To reply, translate domain from l33+ 2p33|< to alpha. 4=a 0=o 3=e +=t

Thanks for the opinions, everyone. The thing I couldn't remember is what RSX quality was about ten
years ago, so I appreciate Sheldon's input regarding that.

The bike tool was just one of those little seat-bag-size Park multi-tools; I had it because my son
was on bike in the town Independence Day parade.

My bike is working just fine, but it's nearly twenty years old and has something like 8000 miles on
it. As I'm getting older the hills are getting a little more difficult so I'd like to get a bike
with a triple.

KBH said:

You may want to ask how many miles are on the bike,

The owner claimed to have put "thousands" of miles on it and to have done Ride the Rockies on it,
but I was dubious. The chain was soaked in oil, but there wasn't any grit to speak of in the chain
or the cogs, and wear was minimal on the chainrings and cogs. Her knowledge of cycling seemed pretty
minimal. She was selling it because the top-tube on the Allez was too long for her (common
female-fit problem), but her replacement bike also doesn't have a short top-tube.

Sheldon Brown said:

Sheldon "Time To Haggle" Brown

If she still has it, I'll offer a really low-ball price and see if she takes it.

Once again, thanks everybody!

RFM
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