Originally Posted by
PStephens
That guy on craigslist offered me the bike for $100 and he'd have to sell it tonight. Should I say no? I hate time limits. Ride out 20 minutes to get a bike that may or may not be good and if not, drive back and waste all that gas? I feel though that I can easily afford that commuter bike at the shop and get the free fitting and adjusting and not have to worry about replacing old parts and then I can probably afford to change the wheels and seat (as long as those things aren't too expensive). So I'm telling the guy no. :/ He'll probably be disappointed.
Dropping the price and putting a time limit on it is a classic sales pitch. I would not want to buy from that person.
I suggest a new bike. I totally agree about the new parts, etc. You should get some kind of warranty too, or at least small adjustments, for maybe a year. Maybe not for a bike that is going that far right away. It's a good idea to ask. At the very least you have someone to go back to if there is a problem.
A commuter bike might be fine if you don't want to, or can't afford, the steel touring bike. Exactly, (Brand and Model) what commuter bike did you see? The guy is still right about the steel bike, if you can afford it. You will need to spend money on a rack, panniers (bags), a lock, a helmet and at least a minimal tool kit. On a long trip like that you should carry an extra tire, and some tubes. Don't forget a patch kit. Two bottle cages, and at least two large bottles. You might get one bottle cage and a bottle thrown in if you ask. Asking for something thrown in is more likely to work better than trying to get a lower price. There is a larger mark up on small accessories.