I'm looking at getting an inexpensive road bike to use for the MS150 next year and I found this one nearby. Not a lot of detail on it but he says it's full carbon and the drivetrain seems good quality. The guy selling it said it's a custom carbon frame made by a company in Austin. What do yall think?

https://www.facebook.com/share/19sjWgW9uf/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Not a lot of info there but it seems too good to be true. Ultegra gear set alone would be more than that new. New carbon frame with Ultegra by any brand is about $4000 today. Don't know how old it is but I would worry it's got a lot of miles on it. Or it's stolen.

My $.02.

Strong doubts on it being a custom carbon frame, much less being carbon other than the front fork, would have been helpful if they included better pics of the frame. Not sure I believe the custom frame made in Austin either. Seems to be a version of Vincolo Vicenza or Prolite (which was sold on discount bike sites in the mid 2000's). There just aren't many examples online to compare to the not great pics from the post. Could be custom, but no idea why someone would make a custom frame and then have a discount front fork and stem. Ultegra 6600 which isn't bad.

Ultimately, assuming it is full carbon, I don't know that I would trust 20 year old carbon on an off-brand (or custom unknown builder) bike for any price. But that's just my opinion, I'm sure people more knowledgeable than me will chime in.

That bike may have been assembled in Austin, but no way that's a custom carbon frame. There may be more builders now, but the only custom carbon builders I knew were Kirklee and Crumpton. They sure don't sell for that cheap.

Here is a Chat gpt search result

A Vincolo is a brand of road bike, likely from the late 1980s, known for its high-end, custom builds, often using steel frames and components like Mavic or Suntour. One specific example is a 1989 Aero Pursuit time trial bike made with Columbus steel, which featured innovative tube shapes and a unique, race-oriented design. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Brand: Vincolo
Era: Primarily associated with the late 1980s and early 1990s
Notable characteristics:
High-end, custom-built bicycles
Often feature advanced features for their time, such as aerodynamic designs and unique tube shapes
Used quality materials like Columbus steel for the frame
Equipped with premium components from brands like Mavic and Suntour

Example: A 1989 Aero Pursuit model built for cyclist Jim McMurray is a specific example of a high-performance Vincolo road bike. It was a road time trial bike with a Columbus steel frame and a mix of Zipp carbon wheels and Suntour SL components.

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.forzabikes.co.nz/gallery/bikes/steel-frame/1989-vincolo-pursuit/
[2] https://motorbiketourexpert.com/useful-blog/best-dirt-bike-brands
[3] https://elevatecycling.com/blogs/news/do-cervelo-bikes-hold-their-value
[4] https://fidusa.gr/en/proion/veleno-carbon-road-race-bicycle/

Thanks for all of the responses. It's fun getting up to speed on the road bike category.

That is a Chinese frame built up with parts. It's probably an ok deal for $500 if everything is smooth and shifting like it is supposed to. Its old. Check for and blemishes or cracks. Make sure bike shifts to all the gears. Make sure bottom bracket is free of noise and spins smoothly. Check tires for rot or other issues.

I passed on that one and honestly the used bike market seems like a pain in the butt so I may go new entry level instead. Looking at the Poseidon Triton or Giant AR3. Any thoughts on either of those?

What size bike are you looking for? I have a 54cm Giant TCR Adavanced I'd let go. Full carbon and 105 components, I think. Bought it from a guy on TexAgs and was gonna give it to my brother, but he got sick and passed away before he ever got a chance to ride it, so I don't even like looking at it now. Been hanging on the rack for 3-4 years and seems like somebody should be using it.

54cm would be what I'm looking for. Got any pics and what you're looking to get for it?

Also sorry about your loss. I missed that part when I first read through your post.

It's clearly a china carbon bike or as we call them; chinerello with ultegra bits. It's well worth $500.

As others have asked, what size are you looking for?

Edit: I now see what you seek.

54cm/medium

I'll get some pics of it this evening. If you can call or text me at two fifty four, seven twenty two, eighty eight 22 I'll text them to you. I paid 800 for it but that was 4 years ago. I'm thinking 500 would get it.

Thanks. I'll text you later this morning.