Will this work for me?

[LessEverything]

http://bham.craigslist.org/bik/382132614.html

about me, fat (375) and tall (6'4), beginner

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Looks a bit small. That 26" refers to the wheelsize, not the frame size. You'll need a Lg or XL frame. If a road bike, around a 62Cm, +/-. Mountain Bike, what, a 21, 22 or 23"? ( I hate compact geometry!) One of you mountain bike guys chime in here!

[c_m_shooter]

Looks pretty small. You probably need to look for a 20 or 22 inch frame size. That one looks like 16 or 17.

[(51)]

If you are a beginner, you might want to look into a comfort bike (unless you really want to do some off-road biking). I have no clue about mountain bikes, but that one does look too small. Have you contacted the seller about the frame size?

Welcome aboard! +1 for the Ubers :D

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/4615/welcome6ld.gif

[Caincando1]

I hate it when people don't put the bike size in the add. I agree with the others, that looks too small. At 6'4" you're going to need a big bike. Hit the lbs and start test riding bikes and that will give you an idea of what you need.

[LessEverything]

Is this better?

Mens Trek 800 22.5" barely used,in perfect condition.

Its $125!!!!!

How do I judge a used bike's quality? Rust, Where? Where are the signs that a bike is "too used"?

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Is this better?

Mens Trek 800 22.5" barely used,in perfect condition.

Its $125!!!!!

How do I judge a used bike's quality? Rust, Where? Where are the signs that a bike is "too used"?

Looks a lot better! Look for dings or dents in the tubes, warped wheels, etc.

[(51)]

The Trek should do the trick. Is is steel or aluminum? Model year?

You can also take a look at the gear teeth for signs of wear, a stretched chain and worn tires.

[LessEverything]

here's a bigger picture -

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Worst case: You'll have to put tires on it, it looks like! It's doesn't seem to be a bad bike at all and is a pretty good price.

(You'll likely want to replace those tires for pavement anyhoo, unless you're going offroad!!)

[fbagatelleblack]

here's a bigger picture -

Yup, that 22.5" Trek is the bike for you. It's got a nice, sturdy steel frame that will handle your 300+ lbs no problem. Buy it and ride the heck out of it. You may, at some point down the proverbial road, want to buy a sturdier rear wheel, but ride the one on it until/unless it breaks.

Nice find!

- FBB

[Wogsterca]

Is this better?

Mens Trek 800 22.5" barely used,in perfect condition.

Its $125!!!!!

How do I judge a used bike's quality? Rust, Where? Where are the signs that a bike is "too used"?

Look at the paint, if it's all cracked, then the bike has probably sat outside too long, and the frame will have serious rust under that cracked paint. Look for rust on the frame, a little surface rust is okay, a spray bomb of Tremclad, or rustoleum will fix that. Look for dents in the tubes and tubes where the paint is okay except a crack in one or two spots. These are indications that the bike may have been in a serious accident, and may need realignment.

Pretty much anything else can be replaced, usually for a reasonable cost, especially if you use CL or Fleabay as a parts source. Some parts you don't buy used, chains, brake pads, tires, tubes, cables, because these parts often have safety aspects.

Other then that, just ride it, in a couple of years, you will either find you haven't touched it in a long time, or you will have lost some weight, gained some serious miles, and want an upgrade, anyway.

[LessEverything]

Guys thanks to much for the help, I will be meeting up with the seller on friday. I will be sure to post some pics. I have tons of questions. thanks again for helping a newbie.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Guys thanks to much for the help, I will be meeting up with the seller on friday. I will be sure to post some pics. I have tons of questions. thanks again for helping a newbie.

No worries! Good luck on the transaction and I hope it's a schweet ride!:D