mikroy

I am going to be getting a bike for a gift from my wife and have been doing alot of heavy searching on the local craigslist and in my lbs. I am not to familar with fixing up bikes or spotting a good used bike so i am having a problem on which to decide on. After some searching i found the following:
2007 Jamis coda comp $399
2010 Trek 7200 $350
2010 trek 7200 $350
2010 specialized sirrus $450
2010 fuji absolute 4.0 $350

The bike will be mostly used on road surfaces but the roads by my house are not perfect by any means, i am an average sized guy 5"7 180lbs. Any input would e greatly appreciated. thanks

CbadRider

Have you done any test rides? That might help you narrow the list.

That being said, I have a 2010 Sirrus and I really like it.

mikroy

thanks for the advice, i had went to the lbs and rode a few of them around te block and i liked the feel of the 7.1 fx over the others. i also found a 2010 scott sub40 on craigslist for a really good deal that felt like it rode good. I just am not to familar with the mechanical aspect of bikes so im torn between a craigslist bike and one from an lbs where i could get it fit for free.

no1mad 

I'd opt for the one from the LBS, for a variety of reasons:

-They should help you ensure that the bike is a proper fit.
-Virtually all shops give you one post-purchase adjustment for free, usually within 30 days. Some will even do lifetime adjustments for free (for the original owner), though you really should learn to do these simple tasks on your own ASAP.
-Warranty. Most of the warranties that are in place at the time of purchase are only valid for the original purchaser, so the life time warranty on the frame isn't worth the ink on the paper if you buy used.

Emrick

If the bike is a small kid's first bike, then buying at one of the discount stores is okay. But if the kid is older and he or she is getting into mountain biking, then shop at a local bike shop. Do not buy a bike for a kid for "serious" riding and expect him to have fun and continue riding.