Originally Posted by honeyko

$500 was a handy number (and a useful starting-point for discussion), but isn't hard-set. I can afford just about anything, but aren't a racer or hill-climber in pursuit of diminishing returns, and kinda draw the line at paying more for a bike than a used car. (I bought a '99 minivan for $750 last year and am flogging it like a rented-mule.)

I'm savvy with filtering Craigslist, just hoping to save some time. (I.e., lemon-avoidance, etc.) ...Today's lesson-learned is to walk every time the seller lets on (or I suss out) that they're just a flipper.

FWIW, I'm in Minneapolis (used/CL prices on the high side because it's a bike-town with lots of paths; machines tend to get used less than elsewhere as they're stored in winter, but powdered road-salt will get everywhere and corrode anything corrodible). Newer Euro/Aussie/coastal non-mass-market makes have not much presence here, and Erik's will price 'em like a Porsche.