Hello everyone,
For those that have dealt with me... hello again. It's me, the annoying girl trying to buy a used bike. I almost know how much you are all gonna hate this bike but I figure... let's give it a try. It looks in good shape at least.
For those who don't know me... I am 5,2"-5,4" so it was hard finding a bike this size in a guys frame....

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/3234628183.html

Thoughts?

D.

Well it is not the greatest bike but if it is in your budget, your size and you need basic transportation go for it. There are a few C&V guys in the Philly area maybe one of them will be willing to help you tune and fix it up a bit.

Make sure it is ready to ride though.

the $100 asking price is a bit too high for something as low spec as that bike IMO, even though it looks like it's ridable. Offer maybe 60 bucks max. and see if they will take it, otherwise, there are many other bikes being sold for $100 or just a few more bucks out there that will be better quality like maybe some sort of base model Peugeot from the late 70's or early 80's. Better yet, a base model Japanese bike that will be easier to maintain than most European bikes....Your choice (Takara, Shogun, Kabuki, Fuji, Nishiki...etc). All these would most likely be better made than that "General" brand bike.
I'd certainly keep looking around if your budget is around $100.

Chombi

Thank you so much for the feedback!

Quality tires in that size are tough to find. Is that fork bent?

Pass.

While not great this is actually OK for the price when you take in your size, budget and the market your in. With a tune up it looks like this bike would be fine as a budget commuter. You don't find a lot of selction in roads bikes in smaller sizes that are in good condition in the $100-200 price range.

i'd go for this one https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/3237014632.html for $110 and its got all new bar tape, tires, etc

It would be interesting to weight it, just to see what 'Lite Weight' weight is.

+1 I do like this bike better despite being Vintage French which is not always the best choice for a novice to C&V stuff.

I'd say you're far from annoying, but you're up to 11 posts already and it seems like they're all "how 'bout this one?" "How 'bout that one?"

So here's the thing: you're trying to buy an old and used bike cheap mostly from folks who don't really know what they're selling. And you're not flush with bike knowledge. We can try to help remotely as best we can, but we can't be there to check out the bikes, and making recommendations remotely based on the usual crappy CL photos is tough. It could all go well, or you could wind up with something that doesn't fit, something that's damaged and/or something that winds up needing more than the purchase cost in parts/labor to make it usable and safe.

I don't know what your budget is, but you happen to live in a city with a decent bicycle culture and lots of student types looking for bicycles. Have you checked out Trophy Bikes or Firehouse Bikes (I think?) yet? McGettigan at Trophy sells used bikes, and has a specialty niche in English-racer type 3pds. If Firehouse is still around, I think almost all of their business is used bikes. There's still at least a dozen or so messengers in Philly, buy one of 'em lunch and ask 'em for leads. I think there's a lot of benefit for someone like you to find a used bike from a dealer that's been serviced and is known to be safe and reliable.

FWIW, the General bike looks maybe usable but kinda mega-crappy, size is probably not bad for you, but $100 feels like a lot for something that low-end and heavy. The Pug mixte looks a lot better, but I don't know what they're asking. I know we're talking around campus transport here, and I can certainly be snobby when it comes to parts, but IME there's a world of difference between truly crappy parts like the General has and lower-end decent parts. Vintage dep't-store stuff like the General never really works right even when tuned.

I'd rather spend $100 on a cruiser or BMX bike than the General. Less to go wrong.

the ad says $110

A nice and clean looking 70's Peugeot Mixte! That's a much better one to consider for only 10 bucks more! So much more worth the money, IMO.

Chombi

It does look pretty good for $110, but you've got a lot of rust showing on the steel bits and the tube valves are way slanted so it was ridden very underinflated. It'll need a CLA (Clean, Lube, Adjust), could need new tubes/tires, maybe cables/casing. If the rims are steel it won't be a very good bad-weather campus bike---were they dinged when the bike was ridden underinflated?

Don't get me wrong, it's a much better deal then than General if everything works and nothing needs replacing. But she could spend $100+ on tires, tubes, cables, casing, wheel truing---what about chain & freewheel? Was it mostly ridden in the crosschain so the 14t cog will skip with a new chain?

So it's a great deal at $110 if it doesn't need work. I think it's not a great deal if it turns into $200+ with servicing. $200 might get her a serviced used bike from a local dealer. It would also get her a brand new coaster-brake steel-frame mixte from Bikes Direct.

No way to tell if it's a slam-dunk from the photos IMHO.

Unfortunately that is the usual gamble — especially for neophytes like the OP. Dayana, hopefully someone with a practiced eye can go on site and inspect it with you. It appears to be an attractive option. I'd love to find a Pug Mixte for my wife — or for me if the frame was big enough!

I'm not sure if this advice helps much but as someone who has brought and sold quit a few bikes on CL. Decent ready to ride road bikes in the $100-200 range don't last long the ones I have sold or brought usually last about a day or so and the nicer stuff sometimes less. If you have to ask take the time to refer to the web do some research and pounder your choice more than likely it will be sold.

My suggestion for you as being new to cycling and in particular C&V bikes is to ask for someone experienced to help guide you to a solid bike that can judge with an impartial eye as to whether you are getting a fair deal. The mixte someone suggested looks like a decent start.

You should also try to seek out a source to teach you some basic bicycle maintence and mechanical skills. Little things like taking care of your chain, cassette and crank, brakepads, fixing flats and other essential skills.

Here is a great tip if you are still looking! Get up early Friday morning and Saturday morning and hit the garage sales. Early means 6am to be ready to hit the streets by 7am. Trust me, we vultures are out there but we unfortuately cannot cover a whole city! You may have to go several weekends, but it will definitely be worth it once you score. With a little patience and persitence, the odds are in your favor. :-) Even if you do not see any outside, ask as they may not have brought them out. I've score many just by asking! For $100 you may even find a beautiful vintage Italian! I found one for $5 with all Columbus, and Campy Nuovo Record! :-) Be prepared to spend $40 on some good tires, as most of the time the bikes tires are old and dry rotted. Don't be too concern with the condition of the tires, the most important thing about a bike aside from being your size is the frame material and the components! If you find a bike in great condition for $20-$30 you're still ahead after you've purchase the tires! Last tip, if you find a great bike based on frame material (look for anything that says Cr-Moly, Reynolds 531, Columbus, etc, but if no decals are present pick it up to feel for weight, a light bike will most of the time be a mid to high ed bike), but it is not your size, negotiate a great price and buy it right away. It will be a good source of cash flow if you flip it for buying a bike your size, color etc. I wish you the best of luck, and remember 90% of success is showing up!

Flash

a) you're looking for a bike in an extremely salable size, at a very low price. Small frame plus low price means nothing good lasts long. So:

b) up the amount you're willing to spend. There's a point on most CLs where bikes don't move (here it is about 200, Philly may be higher). You can sometimes find relatively high end stuff for cheap with a higher budget. Counter intuitive, perhaps, but true.

I could sell an endless amount of small framed bikes for 100$. Fast.

Cut through all the chase and hassle and BUY this bike if you still can.
I would buy this bike at that price in a second.
It is a good buy and you will love the way it rides.

My motto is keep it simple

XU

Read the ad Seller replaced some things that needed to be replaced and sells it as "Ready to ride"... of course it could still be a trainwreck but for a newbie who knows nothing about bikes but wants to spend $100 on a used bike, this one is worth investigating imo. definitely looks to be a better deal that the one the OP posted. in my city it would be sold already

Wow! thank you so much for all the advice!
I did try to get in touch with the guy selling the Peugeot and he sold it already :-(
I think I might try to check the local stores. Firehouse is still around and they do have a big selection even though they are kinda pricey but I guess that is what it takes for a bike in good conditions and ready to ride.
Thanks everyone again for being so helpful!

You can get really good deals on Craigslist in Philly, you just need to be prepared. Know what sizes will fit you and how to identify a better quality bike. Also be able to tell if it is ready to ride. (Check tires/brakes/cables and ask about bearing maint) Now the important part, check daily and be ready to contact the buyer and go see the bike right away.

+1 Even here in a not as hot market, good bikes ready to ride start at about $200 and go up from there. Projects sell for less, but unless you have the time/tools/aptitude/parts, projects can often cost you more by the time you are done. If the bike is truly recently serviced and ready to ride? HEre's what I do on 99% of the bikes I rehab: true both wheels, new tires and tubes (and probably rim tape), replace all bearings and grease: hubs, bb, headset, new chain, new freewheel, replace torn saddle, replace pedals, new cables and housings. Needless to say, I cannot sell a bike for $100 after doing this work, even if I got the bike for free. Note, some sell bikes as "ready to ride" that are far from it. Caveat emptor.

Now many sellers take shortcuts to reduce the expense, and either make a higher profit, or sell at a lower price.

+1 Anything in a metro market around the $100 mark will be gone, basically immediately (needing work or not).

+1 Small sizes sell for a hefty premium above the amount above.

There are enough knowledgeable people in a larger metro market like Philly, that it is not surprising someone pounced on that Peugeot. Despite all the french bike nuances, mixtes are hot, and Peugeot mixtes are red hot.

The best deals on C/L around here tend to be the higher end vintage bikes. Buyers will buy anything for $100, even pure crap. But a great vintage bike for say, $300? It will sit for several days. As prices go higher than that, they really sit.

Adjust my figures up for a better market in Philly.

Not as cool as a C&V mixte but this posted today.
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/3247440114.html

Glad to hear Firehouse is still kicking, met them at the Philly show last year or the year before, seemed like good peeps. Didn't mean any disrespect asking if they were still around, it's just that specializing in used bikes with a storefront isn't usually a robust business model.

I wonder if Bilenky does anything with used bikes?

Often shops with low interest in buying/selling used bikes will sell off abandoned completed repairs.