Originally Posted by CliffordK

Personally I would think that would be about a $100 bike, but perhaps the seller would negotiate.
The MTB is probably fine for a 3 mile commute, and I'd bet that 90% of the MTBs never see any more off-road than cutting across a lawn every once in a while.


Yes. A few sellers on Craigslist tune their bikes before selling, but a lot of the bargain basement bikes will need a few adjustments.

A bike is easy enough to maintain, and anybody can learn to do it. But, have a shop do a basic maintenance on it and it will cost you a bit (bringing the cost closer to a shop cost for a new bike).

Or find a good neighbor who is willing to give you a few tips.

An "investment" can mean many things. Investment in life. Investment in saving fuel, etc.
Most bikes depreciate quickly, especially if bought new.