Decision time...new or used?

[Formerfeltrider]

After six months on a 2010 felt z100 I want to upgrade. I have narrowed it down to a nice 2012 Fuji Altamira 3.0 LE or a new 2017 Fuji Roubaix 1.5. First one has 105, which will be an upgrade for me from sora and the second one has tiagra. Still an upgrade, but...torn, I like them both, the Altamira is a higher class but used. The roubaix is new. I bike 100 plus on weekends, mostly steep climbs. Any advice for an enthusiastic new cyclist?

[mackgoo]

Personally I go used. You get more bang for your buck. If that's the case here, that's what I would do.

[Mcfarton]

Which ever one fits better. Can you ride them back to back?


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[hfc]

Your current bike and the Roubaix are both aluminum frame, so unless there’s is some difference in geometry, it sounds like you’d be buying a new bike to upgrade components. You might get more bang and a better upgrade by just buying new wheels and groupset. I’m a big proponent of buying used (20+ used bikes bought over the years) but I’m comfortable with dealing with what it takes to get a used bike riding like new.

[ngl]

If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be to have any used bike checked out by your local bike shop BEFORE purchase (unless you are fully knowledgeable in doing it yourself). It doesn't cost very much. It would be a shame to find out you bought a bike with a cracked frame or had to spend extra $ to replace the cassette, chain and chain rings.
Secondly, ride both bikes if you can. You may end up loving one bike and hating the other. Don't be scared of 10-speed Tiagra components. There is little performance difference between it and 10-speed 105.

[Formerfeltrider]

I actually have a fuji newest (2012) with sora, and I like the felt frame more. Newest is smooth shifting but heavier. Kind of thought I could transfer components, but not sure if that would work or make sense. Can I buy 105 and put them on the felt? Is that hard to do? Also, the big wheel is kinda corroded. I am handy with a wrench, but have never done bike repair.

[Formerfeltrider]

Can I just add components? Don't know how..

[ngl]

I actually have a fuji newest (2012) with sora, and I like the felt frame more. Newest is smooth shifting but heavier. Kind of thought I could transfer components, but not sure if that would work or make sense. Can I buy 105 and put them on the felt? Is that hard to do? Also, the big wheel is kinda corroded. I am handy with a wrench, but have never done bike repair.

Fuji Newest 2.0 2012 review - The Bike List

If you like your Felt more than either Fuji then don't buy a Fuji. Your present Felt is of low quality (relatively speaking) and I wouldn't recommend speading any money to upgrade components.
If I could offer some advice:
- If possible, test ride some bikes.
- Try to establish a relationship with a LBS(s) that you want to do continuous business with.
- Take some bike repair courses. Lots of LBS offer these.
- Don't buy a new bike unless it fits perfectly AND you love it!
- Understand why some (bikes, components, wheels and tires) have different price points.
- Test ride more bikes.

[JamesColonel]

I would certaily go for the used one. Just the frame should be checked by the real professional, not to get a lot of problems later on.

[Trek_5200]

Define upgrade and what you want the bike to accomplish and what the current bike fails to do. Personally I'm about bike fit first and foremost. Group sets are not a great reason to switch bikes. If that's the motivation you could simply buy a group set and put it on the existing bike and the most important thing on a group set is a clean chain and cassette that is properly lubricated, not that Ultegra isn't a bit better functioning than Tiagra.

Basically identify where the Felt falls short for you and how the FUJI remedies. Neither of the three bikes you mention would come across as best of breed in my book and for that you'd need to spend considerably more. My point is not to have you consider those bikes necessarily but to suggest you might be back in two years "upgrading" once again.

If you decide the wheels are an issue, you might consider simply spending a few hundred dollars on wheels that you'd enjoy more such as Shimano Ultegra wheels etc. Really depends on what you don't like and of course if the list grows economics may favor replacing.

Bottom line identify what the goal is. Maybe you've done that, its just not evident from your post.