Classic & Vintage - Help request: should I buy this?

At the risk of sounding totally unschooled, I'm hoping people can weigh in on this bike:

http://vancouver.craigslist.org/bik/362512740.html

I've just started commuting about 25-40km per day, and my little cruiser can't really handle it. I'm looking for an older 10-18 speed, something that doesn't require any different shoes or clothing and that I can lock up outside all day and not worry about. But it would also be great if it had some speed and could stand the bumps and knocks of a 25km to-work bike route.

Thoughts? Any ideas about the kind of thing I could look out for?
Oh yeah, I don't want to spend more than $300 Canadian, so second-hand is it.

thanks!

The front and rear der's are Suntour Blue Line, which first came out in 1981. Looks more like an early-80's bike.

That's good to know .. do you think the price is too high?
He's asking $225 CDN

Looks like a nice bike to me, maybe a little too nice for a commuter to lock up all day. I think I would offer the seller $150 since it will need about $75 for tires, tubes, brake hoods, and bar tape. Probably already gone though.....

It appears to be a half decent ride, alloy parts and forged drop outs, and the chrome stays are always pretty. If the frame is your size I think it would make a worthy commuter. Is the price too high? Well I would think so where I live, but you're in Vancouver it would appear so that would probably drive the price up considerably (especially if you're in the city). You can probably talk him down to $200 if you go and have a look at it.

The seller is pretty clear about the size, but in the photo it looks bigger than 58cm to me. Maybe an illusion.

Yeah, there's no way that's a 58.

Yeah, looks bigger than 58 to me, but might be an illusion due to camera angle...bring a tape measure. Seems like one of the nicer Apollos, almost but not quite as nice as the one in this thread:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=309255&highlight=apollo
I think $200 would be a good price...good luck!

I agree that it is bigger than 58. Looks to be a 63-64cm to me. How tall are you?

Yeah, you're all right, the bike was WAY bigger than a 58cm. I measured from the middle of the cogset to the top, and it was around 62! It was painful to stand over.

Too bad, because it was beautiful and barely ridden.

thanks for weighing in everyone.

Here's my next idea, pics are here:

http://vancouver.craigslist.org/bik/364412599.html

Here's what he wrote:

——
A classic lugged cro-mo steel 12-speed road bike. In excellent working condition and hasn't see much use over the years.

- Sugino Cranks
- Shimano Alloy brakes
- Shimano Derailleurs
- 27" Alloy Araya Wheels (Like New)
- Brand new tires
- Tange 500 Double-butted tubing frame
- 23" seat tube from middle of bottom bracket to the top

This bike is tuned up and the wheels have be regreased. Read to take to the road. Also suitable for converting to a fixed/single speed.
——

The parts look decent, but what do you know about the Shogun? I've never heard of it. He wants $160 ...

You can do better if you are patient

The seller is pretty clear about the size, but in the photo it looks bigger than 58cm to me. Maybe an illusion.There's no way that bike is a 58cm/23 inch. More like 60-62cm, from that photo.

:lol: And then I read this:


Yeah, you're all right, the bike was WAY bigger than a 58cm. I measured from the middle of the cogset to the top, and it was around 62! It was painful to stand over.

Yeah, you're all right, the bike was WAY bigger than a 58cm. I measured from the middle of the cogset to the top, and it was around 62! It was painful to stand over.

Too bad, because it was beautiful and barely ridden.

thanks for weighing in everyone.

That was a whoppin' big bike.

But we are here to help you find a great bike, and at a reasonable price :) .

East Hill

I hate to nit pick but the seller states in his heading that 58cm is the top tube. He says nothing about the seat tube being 58cm but is a litttle vague in the description. My comprehension skills are high but my speiling skills suck.

I hate to nit pick but the seller states in his heading that 58cm is the top tube. He says nothing about the seat tube being 58cm but is a litttle vague in the description. My comprehension skills are high but my speiling skills suck.

The seller said it was a 23 inch frame, which translates to most of us as a 58cm bike. A bit vague in the description, but that's how most of us would interpret it. The seller knows enough to mention Sun Tour components, knows how to describe the size of the chainrings, and calls the set in the rear a 'cluster'. All of this suggests that the seller should know how bikes are measured...

East Hill

I hate to nit pick but the seller states in his heading that 58cm is the top tube. He says nothing about the seat tube being 58cm but is a litttle vague in the description. My comprehension skills are high but my speiling skills suck.

You're absolutely right; I missed that in the heading and thought he was talking about the seat tube length, since that's the way most frames are measured.