No clue what you mean by 'C&V', but thank you! Haha. I figured it was worth getting a popular bicycle to begin with, as there would be plenty of people that have wrenched and ridden them before me, and there would be plenty of people familiar with them if I got into a tight spot.

The shifters feel tighter when in the lower position (horizontal).

I'll check out those links! Also, the guy who sold it to me said there was a not-for-profit bicycle shop that charges $5/hr if I needed anything done or wanted to learn anything. I will call him up again, as I cannot remember the name of the place. He said they gave it a tune-up, which I assume was simply aligning and lubing everything, and he also said they replaced the cable housing and re-taped the bars. All looks in order to me, and the lube smells fresh, so I trust that they did so. With that said, there is obviously things on my end needing done.

I'll get back to y'all when I know something. This will, however, be a slow process, as I am living on a tight budget (not paycheck to paycheck, but paying down debt). And I have till spring to get it ready. Anyways, if you guys think of anything else, let me know!