Hey all. Thanks for all of the helpful info.

The link provided is exactly what I wa looking for...incredibly helpful! I'm looking forward to asking better questions after digesting that site.

To the person who asked if that was my bike: I promise it's not.

I live in NYC, and it seems like everything here is marked up 50% as compared to everywhere else, so I think I have to take a chance and order something online, though I wish I could test ride. I'm looking for a bike to ride and love, not something to flip for a profit or anything. That said, I'm pretty sure once I know a good deal when I see it, I see myself starting to grab every bike I see.

Obviously shipping is going to be expensive from Europe, but I think I can get the seller down to $275 USD for the bike. I might just go for it.

The paint job is kind of terrible, but bikes get stolen all of the time here, so it might be a nice deterrent. On a similar note, I've looked at three bikes I saw on CL, and I'd venture to guess that two of the three were stolen. As people who buy used items, do you all feel like this is something that comes up often? Maybe a different thread for a different day.

Thanks again to everyone.