Danno you'd love my boss's boss. That's how he does salary negotiations. Other manager: "We're going to hire an intern, I was going to offer him $12/hr." Boss's Boss: "Offer him $10 to start, see if he takes it."

Dude, that's just wrong. You know an intern will take anything you offer, and $2/hr isn't even the difference between "Bic" and "Papermate" pens for the supply closet.

[edit] BTW I didn't mean to imply I was disagreeing in this case. Two regular folks dickering over a price is a totally different situation. I just felt like sharing I guess :rolleyes:.

Okay. I just emailed him saying that "Before I take the drive, are you willing to negotiate the price?"

So now what do I do? I haven't done this before and I don't want to be an a-hole or insult him.

Well, do you want the bike? I'd go check it out, and if it isn't up to snuff, you just say, "no thanks, this isn't quite what I'm looking for."

No harm no foul, you haven't BOUGHT the bike yet. No obligato. Caveat Emptor.

Bring a chain checker, psych the guy out. worn chain, poss worn drive train, poss new rings cass, chain. rims true?

anything you don't like about it can be your reason not to buy.

I think Bekologist had it right the first time. That bike's not worth it. Wait for another one to come along.

jim-bob.....Yeah, you guys are right. Too many of you are saying no. I'm in no rush. I almost went for a Kona Hahanna with a project 2 fork but the more I spoke to him about Kona, the more he tried to convince me not to buy it. I actually asked him if he was trying to talk me out of it and he said that it wasn't what I was looking for. ********** Then he said that there was a little rust here and there and that the bike wasn't perfect and ..........you get the picture. I guess he was surprised that I knew a little about Kona. He told me it wasn't worth coming up for. Then he wouldn't send detailed pics. He only had one of the whole bike from a distance.

And he knows what you are looking for because. . . .

I'm not saying not to buy it, I'm just saying don't pay more than $50. The list of reasons why the offer price is so low is cuz the components suck, you'll prob. need to replace the stem and saddle, maybe true the wheels, re-grease the hubs and bb, replace the chain and cassette, replace the brake pads and maybe the brakes themselves, tubes, tires, etc. All that adds up to and has to come from somewhere and the somewhere it comes from is the difference between his asking and your maximum offer prices.

Actually I think the bike (kona) probably wasn't all that. He might have "prettied" it up in his written description.....

Jyo, I see your point. Hmmmmm :rolleyes: *thinking*

That's a bummer. An old steel Hahanna would make a great beater.

I agree. And that's why I wanted it. And the funny thing is, he posted it again.

It's not the $120 hahanna, is it? I've had my eye on that one, but I've already got three bikes with that geometry.

That's it! Oh I forgot. You're in my area. He told me it wasn't worth the drive to Santa Rosa. He said that he was a builder for Ibis and that he wasn't going to take and post pics for a cheap bike. What do you think jim-bob? That one is better, huh?

The hahanna was one of kona's best kept secrets - a really nice ride in a fairly cheap package. If it's not thrashed, it'll treat you much better than that trek would've. Even if the parts are thrashed, that frame is perfect for a commuter/barbike/whathaveyou.

Yes, I'm a kona geek.

Just searched CL. All of his postings are gone. He posted it daily for about 1 1/2 weeks. Must have sold it. Oh well. Thanks for the imput, jim-bob.

Trek guy says he will go as low as $100. Bah! Merton-style.

can't afffoooooooooooooooorrrrrd it.....................

The Trek is certainly not worth it, even in good condition. Forget that guy and keep looking on Craigs, they are always deals to be made....me, I just bought a beater tandem for $80, now the wife & I can learn to ball room dance on a bike, so to speak;)

If time is on your side you will come across a good find:)

The weather must be getting nice. Hit up the garage sales for a $10 beater. Or buy them from police auctions. You have to buy them in lots, but put together a couple of good ones out of the pile and sell the rest.

I sold my two mid-90's Diamondback Topangas for $50 each a couple of years ago. Low end bikes depreciate quickly.

Siu - I dunno what your budget is, but http://www.craigslist.org/sby/bik/151161376.html looks like a pretty decent deal.

Get it as cheap as you can but the forks will not last long- The rest will last ok And the frame is bombproof. If in perfect condition $110 is a good price but it is still a low end bike.
I had a 91 ?820 and this still comes back to me for service every year since I sold it.
No major parts replaced, only tyres, but it is rigid forks.

Even as a beater Bike- I would not want one again but they are bombproof.