Flight Bike Aspire 1 for $ 640

[gilsonfbf]

Hello guys.

I wonder if it's a good buy.

A friend is selling road bike of the brand Flight model Aspire 1 size 58 for 640 dollars. I'm 1.80 in height. Will the bike be big for me? The group and the brakes are ultegra. Wheels mavic. Aluminum frame and carbon fork. It weighs almost 7 kilos. For the price is a good buy? I do not know the year of the bike but my friend thinks it should be 2014. The bike only has a bruise that was on the board. I think they just peeled the paint.

https://ibb.co/cu0oL8
https://ibb.co/dOoVYT
https://ibb.co/gOqutT
https://ibb.co/f7fSDT

Thanks for listening.

[AUbicycles]

Too big, and damage is a concern.

Price for ultegra full carbon may be ok but is a cheap / generic brand from rebelsport.

[rodneycc]

The Flight Bikes which came out 2012/13 were really nice bikes. I had a 2013 Podium 1 which was a full carbon version with 5700 10 speed Ultegra the same as the Aspire 1. I reckon that Aspire will be a 2013. A size 58 is a pretty Large bike. I had a 54 which suited me being around 178cm so I'd reckon you would be a 56 or I think it would be easier to ride the smaller 54 rather than the larger 58. At $640 its not a bargain but prob the going price.

Anyway I'd probably keep looking on Gumtree or keep an eye out what the half yearly sales throw up at places like Reid cycles or Bicycles Online.

[AUbicycles]

The thing about Flight and some other brands is that they are generic carbon - essentially off the shelf and labeled. An advantage is that they can be good value, you don't pay as much as 'brand name' bikes and may get a good kit.

The flip-side is that they 'reseller', in this case rebel sport or Amart essentially order from a catalogue and it is primarily about getting a bike to fill a niche and type of customer with the profit margin the motivator. In reality, they don't really know much about the bike and the quality - specifically the frame. It is also possible that the bike is priced higher than competing bikes because the customers also don't know bikes.

To create some perspective, other brands also do this, for example the now defunct Cell bikes and a number of other players in the 'affordable' segment - and for carbon fiber bikes in the manufacture they typically overcompensate. The Malvern Star Oppy was a generic carbon - a nice bike but the frame was available in other countries under other names and considering the legacy of Malvern Star and Hubert Opperman, it didn't really do credit even though it was marketed on this.

The second issue is servicing as a 'general' sports store don't really know bikes (like kmart) so for a proper service, you can't rely on the seller.

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To the damage, I am now on the laptop so can have a closer look at the photo and it is an Aluminium frame and the scuff is not pretty but from the photos doesn't appear to have dented the frame which would be a problem. I would still inspect before purchasing.

But as it is an aluminium frame and not carbon, it also means that the resale value is less than a recent model full carbon frame. So though it is too big for you - if it had of been the right size, I would have haggled on the price.

[gilsonfbf]

Thank you guys. I've always pedaled MTB. Am I wanting to switch to Road Bike. 2cm makes a lot of difference to a Road Bike? I joined some bikefit sites and by placing my stockings some websites reported 56 other 57 and a 58. I looked at the damage and did not knead aluminum. What I liked about the bike was the group and the weight of it that is less than 7 kilo. For this price or meeting famous bike with groups 105 and heavier or very old bike.

[bychosis]

The sizing will depend a bit on your body proportions. I am around 181cm and have found that I prefer xl frames in road bikes as I have a long torso/short legs. A larger frame suits me due to the top tube length.

I’m riding an old fixie that is a 59cm frame. The seat post doesn’t stick out much, but the frame length is ideal.

[rodneycc]

The best way to find out on sizing is to go out for a really long test ride on it. Also test riding other bikes to see how it compares. But if you are standardly proportioned a 58 Flight is going to be a stretch (for memory the Flights geo the seat tube weren't overally tall but the top tube was slightly stretched out and it sort of suited a shorter leg longer body types).

[bychosis]

The best way to find out on sizing is to go out for a really long test ride on it. Also test riding other bikes to see how it compares.

Correct, it took me a long time to work out i didn’t fit the recommended sizing based on my overall height.