N0ISEhazard

Sorry if this is in the wrong section.

Hello, I've recently purchased a DS bicycle (Schwinn Sidewinder) from craigslist because #1, I didn't know better, #2, I wanted something cheap in price, because I wasn't sure if I would be very passionate about using a bicycle for local commutes.

I posted a wanted ad on craigslist, looking to upgrade my bicycle on a limited budget and a seller has offered me this for $90. I was aiming to pay around $80.

Details
Brand: Peugeot
-Front basket
-Slim tires
-6 speed
-large comfort seat
-weight approx 25lbs, excellent condition (according to seller)
-CRO-MOLY steel frame
-2 hand brakes
-PICTURES attached

My questions:
Is this bicycle really worth $90? How rare is it? For a beginner, barely learning the parts and functions of a bicycle, would this bicycle be relatively easy to maintain? Will parts be hard to find and replace? I'm a DIY kind of girl, so I'm willing to learn, but I want to know if this is out of my league.

I live in a very hilly area (not SF, but quite hilly nonetheless). Would six gears be enough for this? I plan to ride it in Los Angeles city. Would I be able to add mountain bike tires to this in the future? (A lot of potholes in my area) Is this a cruiser or...? The seller keeps calling it a road bike.

In regards to bicycle theft, would this be a poor choice for a college student like myself?

I noticed that it has side pull brakes and I read somewhere on the web that those brakes aren't the best. Is this true?

I haven't gone to check out the bicycle yet. Any advice for things to check out? I already bought a bicycle with wobbly wheels, so I want to be careful.

I don't want to make the same rushed mistake I made in buying my 1st used bicycle.
Thank you VERY much in advance.

-Tiffany

wrk101

Not a good bike for a hilly area. This is a cruiser. What kind of bike are you looking for? You should know what you are looking for first, and then do your search.

At your budget, you are not going to find something decent, unless you luck out.

Hard to believe this bike has a cromoly frame. I guess it is possible. Also really hard to believe this bike weighs 25 pounds. Like no way really.

Rare? No. Bottom end, Yes.

As far as theft, when I was in college, everything was stolen: great bikes, average bikes and so so bikes. Thieves took everything. Maybe it has changed.

In this price range, you would be better off with a 1990s rigid frame MTB.

I would pass. I would get your Sidewinder wheels looked at first. Read up on wheel hub adjustment and wheel truing. Both are great DIY jobs.

robtown

I'd say that bike weighs closer to 25 kilos than 25 lbs. It's not a good bike or a good price.

N0ISEhazard

Wow! Thank you so much for your replies. I feel like you've saved me a lot of grief.

I'm looking for a hybrid or comfort bike ideally, but I'm thinking I might settle for a MTB if all else fails. (Also, from my understanding, hybrids and comfort bikes are exactly cheap?) I just want something that's relatively fast, good for short city commutes (10miles most), with not too many parts to maintain. I'm not keen on a road bike because of the hunched over position.

My budget max is about $150. Would that land me much better? I've called my LBS and their cheapest bikes are $170 cruisers.

Haha! I, too, was doubtful of the 25lb weight. I adore cruisers for their comfort default features like chain guards & fenders, but I've seen how heavy they can be.

I'll look into the wheel hub adjustment and wheel truing, thank you. I have a place nearby where you donate $5/hr for professional guidance as you fix your own bike, so this'll be exciting.

Thank you again for the quick replies!

wrk101

When you are on a budget, forget about buying a bike through the LBS. Best bet is word of mouth, garage sales, etc. But the cheapest bikes pretty much always need work, and you are not in position to do that (tools, time, aptitude, etc.) So in that case, you need to decide what you want, target it, and launch when you see something good. You should be able to find a good LBS branded hybrid or rigid frame MTB within that budget.

But spend some time educating yourself first, or you will get fleeced. That cruiser above is pretty obviously junk. With some time learning, you will be able to quickly spot that.

In any financial transaction, the person with the most knowledge WINS. That's how it works. Right now, you are on the wrong side of that scale. But you can really quickly get up to speed, by looking at various other threads here, using google, etc.