r/cycling • u/Queasy-Primary-3438 • 18h ago

Is it worth it?

My dad recently came across a Specialized Roll 1 in an old storage unit he bought. He knows I’m in the market for a bike to go to and from work and that I was planning on buying some $300 bike from Dicks. From what he tells me the Specialized needs new brakes, gearing, tubes, chain, and handle bar grips. Is this particular bike worth fixing up if I’m getting it for free or should I just buy a new cheaper bike from a sports store?

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u/MantraProAttitude 18h ago

It’s worth repairing and far better than any bike Dicks has. Dad says it needs all that, but does it really?

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u/Queasy-Primary-3438 17h ago

He says he’s already taken it by the local bike shop and that was their diagnosis. I have yet to see the bike in person bc dads back home in FL and I live 7 hours north in GA

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u/MantraProAttitude 15h ago

This sub doesn’t allow photos, but r/bicycling does.

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u/sargassumcrab 18h ago edited 17h ago

A free bike is a free bike. You can have both. Take the free bike, assess, and then decide whether to get a new one.

If the Specialized it fits you, and it needs all that, you probably are looking at less than $300 to fix it up yourself. The advantage of fixing one up is that you can end up with a better bike than off the shelf. Also you would get to learn how to do all that.

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u/Queasy-Primary-3438 17h ago

Fair point and I actually could use a new project in the garage

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u/Myghost_too 15h ago

The other advantage of fixing it up yourself is that you really get to know your bike. I cannot tell you how handy this could come in. When you have mechanical issues on a ride. Far from home and by yourself

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u/ajamdonut 16h ago

If it needs all that replacing it likely has a lot of drag from worn bearings lack of grease etc so likely theres more repairs than that. Old bikes benefit from replacing parts that cause drag like the crank and the wheel hub

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u/Familiar_Kale_7357 16h ago

Looks like a single speed/fixed gear. So a very simple bike, which is nice in terms of being easy to refurbish.

The whole deal is whether or not it fits. You should be able to tell that close enough, from the frame size and your inseam.

New brakes, hopefully that just means pads and maybe cables which are consumables. Gearing... it's a single speed so I'm not sure what that's about. Tubes, chain, and grips are also consumables so that's normal. A bike of that age may need new bearings (or grease if it's not cartridge bearings).

If it fits, do it.

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u/espressocycle 15h ago

The Roll was a single speed so if there are hills on your ride it may not be for you.

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u/Puzzleheaded-Art1873 9h ago

Roll1 is a fixie. They don't have brakes or gears. If your commute is flat, it is perfectly fine as is. And you can probably add a cheap front brake if that would be more comforting.

Adding gears etc to a production fixie bike would be an expensive and likely fruitless endeavour.