rissacat

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/2757151809.html

T-Mar

This is hard to say. It looks like it requires work but how much? I imagine Philly is a fairly hot market. Provided it only needs some bar tape and a tune-up, it would probably be a good deal if you can do it yourself. If you have to pay an LBS, it becomes a fair deal. Any major work required and it quickly becomes a poor deal. .

wrk101

Bottom of the barrel bike: steel rims, stem shifters, claw derailleur hanger, high ten steel frame. But at $80, it probably will not last long.

At that price point, on a public sales outlet like C/L, you are not going to find much. So if you are budget limited, look harder, and pursue non-public sales outlets such as word of mouth, neighbors, thrift stores, garage sales, or whatever. Randy Jawa has a good tutorial on finding bikes on his site.

Most of the bikes I pick up are less than this price, but they rarely come from public outlets. But looking for deals on bikes can take a lot of time and work.

+1 Assume it will need some work. If you do not have the time/tools/aptitude/interest to do the work, pass.

Budget limited? I would be searching for a good co-op if I were you (unless you have the tools/aptitude/etc already). Co-ops will share the tools and techniques, and often will sell you a decent bike at a reasonable price.

rissacat

I have a wheel set that I guess could be switched out (they are for a fixie/single speed biike though) and I could defnitely do the handlebar tape myself. I figure if it's rideable, it couldn't need too much work could it?

T-Mar

You'd be surprised at what some people consider "rideable'. I've seen bent frame and forks, non-functioning gears, nearly inoperable brakes, bald tires, worn out cogs and chains and loose headset, crankset and hub bearings. Then there's the joy of dealing with stuck stems and seat posts. I could go and on about what some sellers consider minor or non-issues.

wrk101

+Some common things I see are anything from stuck parts, to bearings and grease all around (always), worn out bottom bracket and wheel hubs, replacement chain (often), freewheel (often), cables and housings (always), rebuild brake calipers (often), rust, and so on. This works cost the same, and takes the same amount of time, whether you are working on an entry level high ten steel bike, or something better. Around here, put $100 into that bike, and you have a $100 bike when you are done.

I have looked at so many bikes over the years that were "rideable", "clean", "like new" that were anything but. I would aim higher.

Now if the seller can convince me that he has recently replaced all of these items, then I might be interested. Chances are, if it is in this type of condition, it is gone already.

zukahn1 

I have to agree on a lot of bikes that are described as rideable and good condition or like new as not being anything but. Of the bikes I look at see listed on CL two thirds or more described this way need work to be seriously rideable. You see a lot of bikes described as like new that would take $100 maybe more in parts plus the labor to get them into even realy good condition.