# Giant Boulder indentification.



## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

So i was wandering around on my local craiglist and found this tempting bike:








Why so tempting? Well, i ride a walmart bike. Enough.
Just kidding, actually i have near zero chances to get this bike, but a friend is also looking for an used HT, and i messaged him about this bike. He rides walmart bikes too, and i'm sure he will get it if the bike is in good condition.

He's asking $255, but he said he's open to go lower, so i'm thinking $220.

Any idea of what year could it be? Can't findd the exact model.

Also, i heard Darts suck. Are they worse than a Suntour XCT?


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

What the heck, maybe it's not a boulder at all.


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

2003 Boulder SE with a non stock fork.

2003 Giant Boulder SE - BikePedia


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## discohospital (Sep 23, 2008)

I wouldn't give $100 for a 12 year old Giant Boulder, let alone twice that. /2c


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

Alright, that's the one, thanks.
This are the specs i could get from more photos that he sent me:
-FD Shimano C102
-RD Shimano Acera Year 2014
-Almost new Shimano EF65 shifters (We have them on our bikes, and we like them)
-Non stock crankset, unknown brand or model, but it's better than stock.
-Unknown year rockshox dart. Non stock as well.
-Specialized handlebar year 2014 (didn't expect that but it looks GOOD)
-Syntace F109 aluminium stem.
-Non stock steel flat pedals. They look good too.
-Shimano HG50 chain
-Kenda Nevegal back tire, almost new, and a worn out uknown tire front.

None of use have idea of the rest of the components, but i believe they are all stock, excepting the ones listed here.

So, we made him go lower to 250 on the first night. I believe he can go even lower with enough pressure.

Is this a good deal at all? Since it's a 2003 frame, i start getting a little worried about how much fatigue that frame can take.

Here are some photos.


















































I believe its still better than THIS.








Thanks in advance.


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

Ohh c'mon, no one has idea?


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

Deartist7 said:


> Ohh c'mon, no one has idea?


I'd try this (hint, pick first result). Seems to follow with the advice about not paying $100. Most of the non-stock items mentioned aren't really upgrades, but just similar level parts that were probably replaced so if you *need* a bike it might be worth a little more, but not much.


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

Alright, its sold already anyway. But thanks  
So, i guess 10+ years old are not really worth it? But is just because of the components (crappy, i know) or because of the frame?.


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

I wish we could find really good bikes in the used market in here, but its really hard to trust it and i don't want to explain why. We just can't.
Most of the bikes that we could ever buy used are entry level, and to make it worse, most of them are in sale because something got broken, or because they just don't want to give them maintenance. That's a normal thing in here, bad cycling culture...

So we either find the best possible deal used, or just keep waiting until we save at least $600 for a new bike, or maybe there will be something worth to buy in the used market.
But for now, that was the best we could find, and the bike was in good condition, well maintained, but like you said....12 years old.


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

So considering that. Is it still THAT BAD of a choice? I mean, just look at we actually ride, lol.
I would be happy to ride a rockshox dart, at least while i keep saving up. Well, anything.
(feeling a bit stubborn)


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

Totally understand the crappy bike market thing. Most everything here is either a Wally World special or priced through the roof. I go through fleabay, but that's kind of a crapshoot, too. Had trouble with more than one bike that way...but I digress.

The Boulder is a decent entry level bike. Low end components and old age don't help it value-wise. If you were considering a bike at $250, Giant makes a bike that retails for $360 called the Revel 3. If you have a dealer around, they'd likely have a sale for Memorial Day or you could maybe work it so they'll give you some gloves/helmet/etc at a discount for buying a bike. Bonus points since now you'll actually have a warranty and a place to go to ask questions. 

If you find yourself riding beyond the level of the bike, you can always sell it in a year or 3 while saving up. It should still be worth something as long as you take care of it. :thumbsup:


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

Well, one more question.
How much would you pay for it?
You already gave me more than one reason to consider it a bad deal, so if i see that bike appear again, i would like to offer a reasonable offer.
I'm thinking below $100? How much would you pay, if you were in a good mood, lol.
And if he/she refuses, well then, i can tell him why i think it's worth that price.

I did see the Revel 3 on the Giant dealer in here, but it was listed at $415 (taxes) so it looks waay less atractive.
But gonna check her out again, can't be that bad to ride it for a while considering that our bikes are slowly falling apart and we're already riding above the level. Lot of crashes, lol.

Thanks for the input


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

Well, one thing you said caught my attention - just because you're crashing doesn't mean it's the bikes fault. Blaming your equipment isn't always the answer. Unless something broke and caused a wipeout, then more practice is often just as good a solution as an expensive bike. Learning to ride within the limits of whatever you have and adapt to it is a great skill to have. It may make you slower around a turn or skip some rougher sections, but unless you're racing, who cares? And when you blow past someone riding a $1000 bike up a hill because you're in better shape and know how to ride, that's awfully nice. 

Now, on to your question. If I had no bike and little cash, I might consider going higher IF there were nothing else available, but not much more than $150 and only if I were desperate. Then there's the local market thing again - basic economics supply and demand. If the supply is low, sellers can often get more for things in high demand (especially bikes at the beginning of riding season). Not the best time for a buyer to be looking, so that's to your disadvantage, too. I don't know your market, so local prices may be unusually high there. Annoying, but such is life I suppose. In the end, it's worth whatever you think it is vs. the amount of enjoyment you'll get from it vs. any enjoyment you'd get from that amount of money doing anything else.


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## Deartist7 (Sep 28, 2014)

I know i lack skill (a lot), but i have crashed more because something got too loose or something broke. If something got loose it was my fault for not tightening it, but still. It probably wouldn't happen so freaking often if i had a HT at least. Less stuff to go wrong!

Actually, it's like riding rigid. The fork doesn't move unless it's a really big hit (like an emergency fork), and the rear shock likes more to wobble on climbs instead of actually absorbing shocks. Uhh, i mean, the rear spring.
So it's like riding rigid, but having to worry about a lot more stuff going on back there because you can't trust the link, or the spring at all, which makes you be unconfident most of the time, specially on descents.
Then, cause of that lack of confidence, i end up crashing for being too nervous or worried. And i'm sick of wasting money on constantly repairing the link ($5 every 5-10 rides, which is actually a lot of money that i could be saving up). Plus the crappy brakes/hubs/drivetrain maintenance. I could be saving up waay faster if i didn't have to save this bike's life every weekend. So the Giant seemed like the way to go.
Other than that, its a great bike, not for what its worth, but for how long it held up, and basically it got me into riding.
So yeah, i still like it a lot. Just...not for mtb anymore.
Gonna keep getting better with it, only way to go.

Well, prices are unusually high here (Honduras), so when it comes to sell a used bike, it's extremely hard to find someone willing to sell a bike for what it's worth, most of them feel they are losing too much, because they bought the bike at a much higher price than what they are selling it for. That + the already expensive living cost, makes going lower on a deal harder. 
Life is so expensive already that selling a bike for what its worth when everyone is selling the same bikes for a much higher price seems stupid. And congrats to whoever makes them go lower...
But i'll keep looking for a bike into CL. Something better has to pop up right?

Thanks for putting things more into perspective for me, really appreciate it.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

No worries, and you have a good attitude given the obviously frustrating situation. At least now you'll have a better idea what to offer so you'll be ready when the next one pops up. I wonder if a cheap rigid might be a temporary alternative until you can find something more ideal? You'd still be working just as hard to ride it safely, but at least it'd be easier to save up. Anyway, I wish you luck!


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