Hello,

I want to buy a bike for commuting (5 miles one way) and doing some bike rides (30 miles) and I'm wondering if there are any tips for finding and buying a good commuting bicycle. What kind of bikes should I look out for and what should I do to inspect a used bike?

I've found this bike near me but I'm worried about the age of the bike and the wear on the frame.
losangeles.craigslist. org/lac/bik/d/cannondale-53cm-18-speed-road/6585784480.html

I'm really new to all of this and the biking terminology is a little bit overwhelming. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Ryan

Link assist: https://losangeles.craigslist.org/la...585784480.html

The bike looks to be excellent as stated in the ad. It looks to be an early 80's 6-speed. It'd make a good commuter if it fits you. The downtube shifters are maintenance free and pretty much indestructible. Six speed triple gives you all the gearing you're going to need. I'm not crazy about the single-pivot brakes, and I'm not sure about the wheels whether they're allow or steel, but the single-pivot might not give you enough power. Not a deal breaker, but something to consider.

Inspect the frame you want to check the head tube and bottom bracket as those are the spots where you would see fractures typically. Check the rest of the frame, of course, for dents, bents, and major scrapes as signs of a crash.

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It's a nice looking bike, but then again I really like the old classic look. It is probably a freewheel and thus getting a replacement when worn out may be a little harder than a typical cassette. So you may be in for a wheel change in the future.
In general you need to make sure it fits you and you are comfortable on the bike. Also, how are you going to carry your gear like food and possibly a change of clothing. The bike you are looking at will easily take a rear rack and rear fenders. Most likely will handle front fenders as well. If it fits, checks out as mcours2006 stated and in your budget, I would go for it.

"Does it fit?" is the big question here. This looks like a pretty small frame. If I were you, I would spend the extra time to use a bike fit calculator like this one:

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/S...ulatorBike.jsp

Have someone else help with the measurements, if needed. It may be a pain initially, but well worth the effort to try and get a good idea of your bike size. The bike itself looks solid. I used to have a mid 1990's Cannondale 3.0 frame with Dura-Ace 7400 and recall enjoying it very much. Biggest recommendation for these is trying to fit the largest tire that will clear the fork and frame. I don't know if 32mm would fit, but if 28mm does than go with that. Also, during the process of dialing in your fit, you might need to re-position and/or replace the saddle and stem. Its all par for the course in getting comfortable with the bike.