Originally Posted by
annod
Then I thought: maybe I can save some money if I buy a vintage bike (like the schwinn Breeze/world voyager). A good condition one in my area runs $200-$300. But since I don't know how to fix anything on a bike besides a flat, will getting a vintage bike end up costing me more because of hard-to-find parts, etc. Are they also heavier?
IMHO, vintage bikes are best suited for people that can do some/all of the repair work. It's not that they take a lot of upkeep, but often they need a fair amount of work up front to get them right. Such work can cost more than the bike is worth if you drop it off at your favorite bike shop. Once a vintage bike has been FULLY rehabbed/restored, maintenance should be no more than a new bike. And often, vintage bike routine maintenance is going to be easier and cheaper. Look what has happened to shift levers. We have gone from simple friction shifters (cheap and super reliable), to integrated brake/shifters. Look at the cabling on a new modern road bike and compare it to a decent vintage bike. The older bike is a lot simpler.
So if you can find a reliable bicycle hobbyist/rebuilder in your area, you should consider buying from them even if the price is a little higher.
Parts on mid grade vintage bikes are cheaper than parts on modern bikes, at least in my experience.
As far as weight, my 1983 Lotus Classique (nice vintage steel bike) weighs within one half pound of my 2005 aluminum frame/carbon fork Trek. Weight is an issue with the old Schwinns, and lower end vintage bikes. In your market, I do not know if you are going to find a Lotus Classique within your budget (around here, you could).