Fifty Plus (50+) - Rejected a Bike -- Right Decision?

DW and I are checking out used bikes for her. Yesterday we checked out a Craigslist bike that was almost exactly like this one:

http://velospace.org/files/IMG_1301.JPG

(but not a single gear bike.)

It was perfect, except that even at the maximum height, the seat was about 1.5 inches too low. I decided that even if we bought a longer seat post, the other geometry would not be right for her, resulting in a bad fit.

Correct decision?

Sounds like a good decision to me. You would have spent a lot of time and parts swapping trying to make it fit when it didn't. Did she take it for a test ride?

Seat too low by 1.5 " is not a problem -Just fit a longer seat post- But the the bars are too low now so a longer stem to give more height- and this is a quill stem. Trying to find a new one might not be that easy- and then by making these two adaptations to the bike- The effective top tube length may not fit.

Wise decision- unless the bike was cheap enough in the first place to spend money on it making the adaptions that may not have made the bike right.

Did she take it for a test ride?

No, we rejected it before getting to the test ride stage. The tires were flat and the chain was off and rusty.

http://humboldt.craigslist.org/bik/722347515.html

Spending $20 buying the wrong size bike is still a waste of $20.
You made a good decision.

"If in doubt, don't."

You can spend a ton of money chasing parts around trying to make an ill fitting bike feel right. It sounds to me like this one wasn't exactly prestine otherwise anyway.

They'll be other bikes that both it better and are better deals.

For $150, one would expect the tires to be aired up! The fact they aren't, makes one wonder if they are trying to conceal other problems by preventing a test ride?
I've noticed that any bike at our local Goodwill that has flat tires, also has something else wrong with it.

Wrong size frame = pile up your money and light it on fire.

The right bike will come along sooner or later, and you've still got your money. Good decision.

some of the most expensive bikes, like suits, were those i bought which didn't fit me. i say ya done good.