The $600 Craiglist bike thread.
 

Here's an interesting idea, a "here, buy this bike" thread for new cyclists on a budget. often times craigslist yields some pretty good deals to the would be cyclist with limited funds. so post your city and best bike 600 bucks will get you today.

from portland oregon, id totally buy this bike for 300 bucks (perhaps cheaper, seller says make offer)

http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/bik/3958076874.html

If your budget is $600 go to performance bike and get yourself a brand new 2013 Fuji Sportif for $499. I think newbies really need to understand that craigslist is HORRIBLE if you don't know anything about bikes. SOMETIMES you get a good deal, but it's usually on higher end bikes where some rich dude watched the TDF and decided to go out and buy a $10,000 bike, just to realize after one ride that it's "hard" and gives up. Then he puts it up for sale for $5000 because he could care less that he's taking a hit. More often than not, you'll find guys who are selling 15 yr old POS bikes, "that could use a good cleaning" for $300 and some poor schmuck doesn't know better thinking it's a good deal and buys it.

that bike is nice. easton frame, all 600 drivetrain and open pros. he said make an offer so you could probably get it for 275. thats a good deal. anyway, here yah go.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=330961

I was going to start a new thread, but this seemed more appropriate given the Craigslist theme. I am looking for a cheap road bike while I'm building my dream road bike. This looks like a viable candidate, although I'm not extremely familiar with the Trek 1000SL of past years. The bike looks in fine shape and a tune up is most likely in order. Baring size and condition of the bike, is this a good deal? I will most likely offer $200 unless told otherwise.

http://lansing.craigslist.org/bik/3957821048.html

yes, thats a very good deal. i sold a 2002 trek 1000 with 20k miles on it for 350 bucks and i thought i was selling it cheap. 225 is way good for that bike. think of the trek 1000 as the toyota corolla of bicycles. its not flashy but it always starts.

$300 asking price...for the classics fans...

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...919392738.html

http://images.craigslist.org/3t43F93...a889a11f4f.jpg

I've bought once from this seller. Runs the shadiest of mega flip operations. These dudes rent a residence and convert the living room to a show room. The grab up seeming truckloads of police auctions or fleet sales (saw seven identical rental bikes, I think, in the house as they were packing up to "leave") bikes, and sell them off. Some have received a spruce up, like the one above. Others, if a stuck seatpost (likely the above), get shoved aside and sold off. The featured ones are overpriced for the real work that went into them. But there are gems hidden as well...

I bought a 1980 Centurion Pro Tour 15 from him for $85. It had issues everywhere, but through patience and chemistry, all of the bound up and corroded parts came free. The frame was gorgeous underneath it all. The parts were all (mostly) serviceable, but these guys couldn't be bothered to take the time to do a complete strip and rebuild. Turnover is their key.

Also, they change addresses each year, I've noticed. Wierd, but not illegal. Unless the source of the bikes is shady, but I'm not saying that.