ozarksbike

I am looking for an old road bike to do my two mile work commute. I really want an older schwinn but they are hard to find around here.

Anyone have any opinions on this columbia? https://springfield.craigslist.org/bik/3111580434.html

zukahn1 

Very low end road bike 26 inch steel wheels very heavy department store bike not a a great bike. Yet it appears in good shape and ready to ride which isn't bad for the price one could use it as beater for short rides ok.

randyjawa 

The Columbia is an entry level bicycle, weighing in at close to 30 pounds, but it is inexpensive. It is not the least bit desirable, from a collectable point of view. It is not valuable, at all. However...

If it fits you well and works properly, then it is a perfect bike to commute on! Just the sort of thing I would ride, to and from work, if I still had to ride to and from work.

Get the bike and enjoy its utilitarian nature. Do not expect stunning ride quality. But do expect to get there and back again, time after time, and without the worry of some bike thief snatching it, as soon as your back is turned.

wrk101

Look harder, Schwinns are everywhere. Columbias are pretty awful.


And this one needs work. Even if I got that bike FREE, and I do all the work myself, I would be upside down on it cost wise to get it road ready. Myself, if someone gave me that bike, I would thank them and take it directly to my favorite thrift store.



HUGE PASS.

+1 To below: the cost to rehab a bike, even a turd, is just as much as rehabbing something nice. But unfortunately, when you are done, you still have a junky bike, but it has new cables, tires, and brake pads.

okane

First, you're looking at $75 with the "new" tires (these could be dry rotted too or buy your own for about $40 a set. Second, new brake pads (decent ones $15-20......also look at cables,ect). Third, old barn bike will need complete tear down for new grease in all the bearings. My point is it takes just a much time/money to fix up a good old bike as a bottom line old bike. Do you really want to invest this much time and effort (money) in the bottom line bike? Finally, is it your size? I know you're only commuting a couple of miles but when riding on public roads bottom line is not good enough for me. Keep searching,

oddjob2

There is a shortage of decent bikes in your market under "bikes" in C/L, but there are 1/2 again as many Schwinns listed under garage sales, so look some more. You can probably do better at a garage sale.

There is a Vitus 999 framed bike, from some lazy seller, asking $200, too much for you, but someone on this board may wish to follow up on it.

Mos6502

I would probably pass. I'm vaguely intrigued by the lugged frame though.

bent-not-broken

Lugged gaspipe is still gaspipe. Thrifty Bill is dead on -stay away-.