Potential Commuting bike....
 

Found this on Craigslist last night wanted to get some insight on if this would make a good commuting bike.

My Commute is 6 miles round trip.

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/bik/2962815383.html

Not for $150 bucks. If you think it will serve your needs, offer them 50 bucks and maybe be willing to dicker up to 100.

For six miles round trip just about any bike will do, but there are things like road or path conditions or what you carry and how you want to carry it that may make some bikes more suitable than others.

OK thanks...yeah I was thinking that was a high asking price. The bike that I have now is slowing falling apart(target bike) so I'm trying to find something that has some quality in it that I don't mind putting money into.

+1 ^ This is excellent advice!...Even if you have to pay full price, it's worth it!

I don't have anything against Varsities and I don't know the dynamics of how they are priced on the market, but for $150, if you're patient and somewhat knowledgable, I'm pretty sure you can snag a significantly higher spec Japanese bike of similar or newer vintage, that will have a nicer ride, not to mention less weight, better/lighter components, and have better parts support. Again, I'm not knocking the Varsity, but after all, it is a low end, utilitarian bicycle, albeit very well made for a target market that views a bicycle as an appliance and nothing more.

$50.
Even that is high.

It's amazing what people will try to get for things on CL. Especially bikes.

put some slick tires on this one and you'd have a nice commuter http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/bik/2968716215.html

size is comparable to varsity's. so if the varsity was your size the trek would be too

One thing about a Varsity ... it will never fall apart. They are indestructable, easy to work on, and weigh a ton. The rims are also steel, so stopping in wet weather could become problematic...Kool Stops brake pads could help a bit. The saddle is also not too comfy for most riders. Not bad for a 6-mile round trip, though. You might need another bike then for other types of riding. Something like an early to mid-nineties Trek Multi-Track hybrid might be a better all-around choice. Good for many different types of riding. The 700 is a basic model and they get progressively better features as you move up to the 720, 730 and 750. $150 for that Varsity might be ok for your "average Joe", but not for B.F. members because we are "knowledgeable" consumers.

Speak of the Devil...this sounds like a much better bike, and a much better deal... rear rack, spare tubes +

Trek 720 multitrack hybird - $100 (iona/mcgregor area)

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/bik/2969803382.html
Date: 2012-04-20, 5:55PM EDT
Reply to: 77grq-2969803382@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


Nice full size older trek bike it is in like new excellent condition... with new set of tubes still in boxes this one is green and has rack n back it has the aluminum frame. Real light.............. nice bike this is a multitrack hybird call 419-cc6-cccx pictures to follow soon......


It probably looks like this....just make sure you get a bike with the right frame size...not too small, not too big..

http://besthybridbike.co.uk/wp-conte...4983535340.jpg


BTW, the Trek 820 for $90 wouldn't be bad either... if the 720 is gone.

Varsities are great bikes, but there is no reason to overpay for something like that. I bought a true time capsule Varsity once and it was in very nice shape that one doesn't look to be the case from the couple of pics in the ad. I sold it for a cheap price and fortunately a student from the college I worked at responded to the add so when he showed and I knew him up I knocked a few more bucks off the already low price. That was a couple years ago and prices have risen I could probably get more out of in now, but it was in really nice shape.

That Trek 820 looks very promising.

Absolutely.

If you are looking at vintage 10 speeds, couple tips to spot a better equipped bike.
1) Look for downtube shifters, not shifters up on the stem
2) Make sure the rims are aluminum
3) Look for 3 piece crank(not cottered which has a small bolt sticking out of the side of the crank arm). The Varsity has a 1 piece crank.

This should get you in the mid range and up for most 10 speeds from the 70's/80's. $150 should get you something ready to ride.

Thats where you really have to know you're bikes pkulak

I just searched for "road bikes" on my local CL last night and in the whole list of matches from recent weeks (lots of them) there were only a couple asking under $500-$600.

I bet more than half of the road bikes posted on CL don't have the words road bike in them. People selling them don't know what it is or just put bike or whatever. Here is a great example. Who knows what this bike is for sure if there was no pic. It turns out that a pretty good deal for what it actually is.

http://lincoln.craigslist.org/bik/2970265586.html

Sometimes you can find good deals by looking for bikes under sporting goods and general categories.

That 820 looks like a steal! The tires on that Schwinn look like they might need replacing too. That will add to the cost.