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Old 02-06-16 | 11:33 PM
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CliffordK
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From: Eugene, Oregon, USA
For your commute, I would skip the MTBs. You can do it, but it won't be fun. They do, however, have the advantage of a bit more bombproof tires, but they still do wear.

And there are much better tires available for road bikes now than were available 20 years ago (don't go too cheap on your rubber).

As a teenager, you'll get used to riding just about anything. I'm not so big on the "perfect fit". But you still need to be close.

Does the Schwinn actually have 26" (650c) tires? If so, it is probably a bit too small for you. Anyway, you could ask the seller to verify the tire sizes, front and rear.

The Fuju just looks grungy. It will need at least a new chain. It is probably not a bad bike, but consider that it should be 100% disassembled, cleaned, and tuned.

There are bike co-ops that might help, or you could ask if there are bicycle maintenance classes at your school or local community college.

Let me toss a couple more into the mix.

How far is Marietta? This Victory is a pretty cheap, bottom quality bike. But, at $115, it would be worth considering as a starter bike. Don't consider it as a forever bike, but one to just get you to school and back.

Classics are a bit of a mixed blessing. This Girodana dates back to the early 90's, with an early set of Brifters, an 8 speed cassette. It has most of the early versions of all the modern advancements that I would start with. It is slightly above your stated budget. I'd encourage you to get good new tires, and a really good lock. But, the Giordana would take my vote! Has it been on Craigslist for a month? It could be gone. If it is still for sale, the seller might be willing to negotiate, and you can point out you're a school kid on a budget It might be slightly on the large side, but you'll be ok.
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