wrk101

Rarity has no bearing on value. Some bikes are rare because they were not successful in business.

The second bike is a turd.


Size first, then shop. Google bike sizing.


"I am shocked by the prices people put on what looks like junk to me." "This one looks like it could be a real find. (in reference to the Maruishi)" Seems like you don't know what makes one bike better than another as the Maruishi has all the markings of a bottom end bike. Get knowledgeable or get taken.

To be far, at the $75 mark, that is what you are going to find.


You can easily spend $100 to $150 getting a neglected bike ready to ride, and that is if you do the work yourself. Do you have the workspace, tools, knowledge, techniques, time, access to affordable parts? I pick up donations for our local co-op all the time from local bike shops where owners bring them in to get refurbished. After finding out it is going to take $250 to get their bike ride ready, they drop it off, and the bike shop owner calls me. At the co-op, we have the advantage of free parts, free labor, free space, etc., so we can refurbish one of these for very little cost and resell.

In general, it is much wiser to start with something better, that costs you more up front. Putting $150 into a bike that you paid $200 for, which might be worth $500 when you are done is much better move financially than putting $150 into a free bike that might be worth $60 when you are done. And get the right size first.