Should I make this purchase?
 

Hi all,

I am searching for a used bike for commuting and I found one that I may buy. It's a late 90's GT Timberline. It is in pretty good condition. The parts seem well kept. The price is $100. Would this be a good buy for my purposes? Is the price reasonable or am I being ripped off? I've heard mixed reviews about the durability of GT. Thanks in advance for any replies.

If its ready to ride thats probably a reasonable price. GT made very good bikes during that time.

While it is true that you can commute on just about any bike, the riding environment and travel distance/time are other factors to consider as well as price. That being said, so long as the frame is in decent shape, the parts don't need replaced next week, and most importantly that it fits, then go for it.

Thanks for the input. My other option is a late 90's Bianchi Timberwolf. I checked it out today and it's in solid condition...way better than my dept. store hybrid bike that I used to use. The price is $80. I know that Bianchi is a reputable brand so despite the bike's age, it should be fairly durable. The only potential problem is that the frame is 17". I am just about 6'. When I rode the bike, it didn't seem like much of a problem. Still, is 17" an ideal frame size for someone my height? Thanks again for the advice.

You found a Bianchi for $80, but you don't know if it's a good fit for you? When you rode it- how far or how much time did you ride it for? If your commuting distance is going to be rather short, and since you felt okay on it for the test ride...

Yeah, I rode it only for about 10 minutes. My commute distance is really not far. I'm in college so I'm only really going to be using it 2-3 miles/day. The bike looks really nice...that being said, I don't know how much of an issue the sizing is.

I had a GT outpost in the late 90's and rode that think all over in all weather, as smooth as a Cadillac with Honda reliability.

GT gets a bad rap for some reason, but when the Ouptost was stolen i got another GT mtn bike that was step below the outpost but performed just as well, and i abused both of those bikes. Only took them to the LBS for the first adjustments and after that just lubed the chain. i rode them down stairs off curbs off ledges over pot holes and they still performed flawless.

Nominal size varies from one bike to the next, but 17" sounds a bit small for someone your height. I'm 5'9" and I ride a 17" mountain bike, but I could go bigger.

I tend to think size isn't as important for upright bikes as it is for bikes with drop bars, but saddle height is definitely an issue. You need to be able to get your legs extended. You also need a decent reach to the bars. If you can raise the seat high enough that your leg is only slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke and you don't feel like you're hunching over to reach the bars from there, then it will probably work for you.