Classic & Vintage - buying my first road bike, I need some advice

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/bik/2619540933.html

I'm looking to buy my first road bike in the next week or so and i found the link above. i was unsure whether or not to buy from craigslist, as i do not know much about bikes. what should i look for in the bike and what should i know about the bike before i buy it?
I'm on a 335 dollar budget, and was also wondering if the bike listed above would be worth it?

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/bik/2623472292.html

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/bik/2577962168.html

i also found these two. which would be worth my money?

you can do a lot better even in sd. check out my ten speeds http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/ . but just for the sake of it, generally stem shifters equal a lower end bike as do those turkey levers (the brake arms that come off like turkey wings from the main body)

You should be able to do much better for $325. I'm not fimiliar with that particular bike but nutted rear wheel, turkey levers, stem shifters all add up to lower end bike. I will say though that it looks good, very clean and good cosmetic condition.

This Cannondale would be a better buy than those three. It's a 54cm which may be a bit small for you however.

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/bik/2617384398.html

thanks for the site! and the Cannondale would most likely be too small. however i found this bike;

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/ssd/bik/2616648442.html
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/ssd/bik/2621378353.html

any houghts on that would be nice.

Too much even thought it's a looker. I suggest that you go through that mytenspeeds site, learn a bit, and then reassess what you need. And it's never worth your money unless it fits you so learn about what constitutes good fit as well.

yeah i figured. i'll be spending some time on that site. my budget also got lowered down to 250. i think my best option so far is to brush up on my knowledge(with your site of course) and take a friend(a bike enthusiast ) to some local bike shops when he has the time.

Local bike shops typically wont be too friendly with the 250 budget unless they sell a lot of used bikes...

For around 200, grab something that fits you, isn't rusty or too beat up, and has aluminum wheels. Ride it for a while and see what you like and what you don't then keep it if you're happy or sell it on craigslist and try something else. It's only a few hundred bucks (I understand that can be a lot of money), learn a little first but don't worry too much about it. Have fun, get a helmet and keep it rubber side down.

I think that is a good idea. A lot of times, people will just continuously post CL ads and ask "should I buy this?", which is not really helpful for anyone. If we see something that is a good deal and tell you that it is worth it without knowing how it will fit you, that could very well be a sunken cost. There are indicators that will tell you the worth/quality of a bike such as tubing stickers, braze ons, lugs, forged dropouts, and most indicative of all are components. Most of the time, knowing the hierarchy of components can easily tell you the quality of the bike.

PS don't let anyone tell you that modern bikes are better than classic/vintage bikes. See for yourself!

Kripes bikes are high there!!!! Those are 75 or 100 dollar bikes in the mid-west!!!

whatever you do, don't touch this monstrosity ....

http://i.imgur.com/WHBL2.jpg

+1 Local bike shops around here tend to charge 50% to 75% higher for used bikes than private sellers. I have consigned bikes through some of them, and even after paying a 25% consignment fee, I was well ahead. Your $250 budget wouldn't get you in the door around here.

Look harder. With a small budget, you either have to get something towards the crappy end, or use alternate methods to find one, such as word of mouth, garage sales, etc. Bought two bikes yesterday at garage sales, $5 and $20. Passed on another road bike for $20. Both of them needed work or course.

Note, to get a deal, you have to pounce immediately. And to be able to pounce, you really need to educate yourself first, so you can spot a deal. Deals like the garage sale deals I mentioned above do not last long enough to ask: "Hey is this a good deal?"

+ 10 with WRK! Your area seems to be very overpriced for the quality of the bikes being sold. I did noticed that the Raleigh had a Reynolds decal which indicated to be either 501, or 531 (nice high end tubing material), and to me that one looked the best. My recommendation would be as the others to stay patient, and stay away from bike shops! :-) Learn the basics about tubing material, and component quality. There are always excellent opportunities on Craigslist, so after you've learned what constitudes a qaulity bike, watch Craigslist like a hawk and be ready with cash on hand, gas in the car, and lastly be ready to get up and go. Additionally, be flexible in traveling to a city near by if a great opportunity is there! Think outside your box (city)! :-) Don't be bashful in negotiating! All sellers for the most part know that they must be flexible if they want to sell their bike/s. If you have the time, go to garage sales very early Sat mornings; for 10-100 dollars you can definitely find yourself a nice little jewel. The key with garage sales is to be the first one there. People advertise the sale to begin at 8am, but you should be there around 7am, as they usually begin setting up an hour earlier. Be very apologetic for being there early, and thank them for their time. Good luck!

Flash

the Azuki, why is it a monstrosity?

So i guess no local shops, I'm sure i could find some garage sales though. I also checked the Craigslist sites for surrounding areas and they seem to be priced lower. :0 thanks for the advice! I'm guessing it'll be a few weeks before i actually make a purchase, so my budget could grow in the mean time :)

also I'm about 5'11 - 6'0. what frame sizes should I consider?

Regarding the frame sizes, I would say per logic a frame size of between a 56 to 60cm. I'm 5'9-10" and a good fit is a 54-58cm. By the time that you buy your vintage steel, you will be ahead of the game in knowledge, and will be able to make a great purchase. Good luck!

Flash