loveafaire

Hi!

I'm brand-new to BikeForums as well as... biking. I'm just a novice rider looking to purchase a good-looking bike for getting around Los Angeles occasionally.

I came across this JC Penny bike on Craigslist and I LOVE the look... just not the price. It looks like it's tuned up and updated a bit, but from the research I've done on this bike, it is still WAY overpriced.

I would love some advice on what some more experienced folks think is a fair price to offer. And really, if it's worth it at all... from what I can tell, this bike is heavy.

Thanks so much for your help! The link is below:

JC Penny ... Yellow ... ROAD BIKE

Bianchigirll 

Run away!!!! no way that is worth $220, it probably only sold for $99 way back in 1979ish

SkyDog75

Welcome!

OK, so you like the look of classic road bikes. We'd be happy to help you select one ...but this bike isn't going to be it. It's an old, low end department store bike, built to be cheap. It's sure to be heavy and was assembled with low-end components. You're right about the price -- it's not worth anywhere close to half of the asking price.

You'd be much better served by figuring out your size, then looking for a "bike store brand" bike that fits. Current brands like Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, or Giant are all generally high quality, but those brands often command a premium on the used market. There were a number of high quality Japanese bikes imported in the 1980s that are relative bargains today -- brands like Centurion, Lotus, Univega, or Panasonic.

loveafaire

Thanks skydog, that is great advice! Yeah, you're just confirming what I already suspected. Finding a good used bike in LA seems impossible! The suggestions you gave will certainly help. I did go to REI and get sized properly, so I know I'm looking for a 52 cm!