BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I'm also in Oakland so I'll keep an eye out.

which side of the boulevard? (i'm also on parkview, keeping te peepers peeled. but chances are it was grabbed for a ride home then dumped somewhere else, thats the usual m.o.)

I'm on the far side of the Blvd. Away from campus. I kind of figured thats what happened but I figured I'd at least post something. No harm in trying.

to anyone reading this who also keeps a bike outside, fuck your landlord store your bike inside!

I'm on Parkview, too. Some of you need to sop by my place for a beeer, sometime. Sorry to hear about the bike.

cburch wrote:to anyone reading this who also keeps a bike outside, fuck your landlord store your bike inside!

+1

+10, i've been lugging my bike up 3 flights of stairs for 10 years. (dang i need a lighter bike.)

South Oakland, here. Will keep an eye out. You have a pic?

Some of you need to sop by my place for a beeer, Sometimes my tyPiNg sKIlLs scare me.

Will also keep the eyes wide open. Sorry about the theft. +1 on keeping bikes inside. Mick, I thought you meant we'd have to sop up the beer at your place...

This just went up. http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/bik/3776932411.html

@tyler, do you have a copy of the serial #? if the cl listed one is yours, its easier to claim if you have serials. or you could meet them for a "test ride" & then take off. ;-)

OP said the handlebar tape was blue... I doubt a thief would bother to rewrap?

its also the wrong model. carry on!

Unfortunately that was not the bike and I am currently in the process of trying to get the serial # from the previous owner. Also this may require a new thread but I'm starting to look for a new bike and was wondering where the best place to start looking would be?

re: serial numbers, anyone reading this who doesn't currently know their numbers... it takes less than a minute with a smart-phone/camera to avoid this scenario. I've gone so far as to start taking photos of friend's bikes and numbers just to have a localized registry of sorts. The same goes for computers, guitars, and anything else that might need to be claimed if you ever file an insurance loss. Best place to start looking? We need something much more specific... otherwise, any shop is good. Better to start a new thread as well.

Much more specific... Situation - 1. Poor college kid on a college budget. 2. Looking for a nicer road bike (got a great deal on my Trek from a friend and like the quality of the bike) 3. Open to any manufacturer (no real preferences) 4. No clue what most bikes are worth, so having trouble identifying good deals on places like Craigslist. Not sure what other information is prevalent.

Pricing: Figure out the MSRP, bikepedia is often a good source for that info. Sometimes you have to estimate it based on what other bikes with similar components cost. Assume that a used bike is worth 50% of the MSRP on the used-market. Give or take for condition. A five year old bike that has only seen 100 miles of use is obviously worth a higher asking price, but then, even sitting for five years will cause deterioration of tires, brake-shoes, cables, light-rust, etc. and should be priced accordingly based on cost of replacement of those parts. A bike that is only a year old will not have this deterioration and is worth more if barely ridden. A one year old bike may be worth the same as a ten year old bike if it has seen a lot of miles and the entire drive-train needs replaced. I generally start at the 50% mark and then try to calculate the price of replacing worn parts for a standard. The frame itself can have chips, scratches, etc. Wheels are the second most expensive part of a bike and they are consumable; obviously, a bike requiring new wheels should be way less than that 50% figure. Then there is the issue of obsolescence. An immaculate bicycle that is fifteen years old with a narrower wheel spacing and a 1" head-tube isn't worth as much as a model made a few years later with the current standards. Standards are always changing, but the 1" head-tube, threaded steerer, 126mm O.L.D. spacing, etc. is starting to get antiquated. Generally, anything less than a 9speed is either intro level or dated. Best bet is to state a budget and try to figure out what you should be able to find within stated budget. Older bikes can be modified, but that's only worth it if you can get them dirt cheap. Frames very greatly in quality and weight. The mark of a good aluminum bike is the look of the welds. Check out a Cannondale CAAD frame and you'll barely see the welds as they have been cleaned up before painting. With steel bikes, the key is to look at the tubing... anything that is double or tripple butted chromoly is sufficient; the names to watch for are Reynolds, Columbus, TruTemper, and Tange. Best deals tend to be old Cannondale or Trek aluminum frames. Lemond steel frames are good to watch for. If you can afford a new bike a Surly Pacer or Soma Smoothie are good budget choices.