# Tips on buying first bike from Craigslist



## wookv (Sep 15, 2008)

Hi,

I've been moutain biking for a few months and would like to start road biking. I'm on a relatively small budget (<$600). I've been looking at bikes on Craigslist. But since I don't know any friends personally that can go with me to assess the bike, can people give me some advice on what to look for other than the fit? Questions that you wish you would've asked before handing the money over? 

Thanks in advance!


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

1. don't.
2. see #1
3. man up and go to an LBS (visit several if you can), see what they have in your price range. ask about used bikes too. test ride several, get a feel for what a properly tuned bike feels like. ask them what they'd charge if you brought in some random used Craigslist bike for a tuneup. 

Seriously... Craigslist and ebay are waay sketchy even for guys that know what they're doing, hard core collectors etc. When guys post up their fantastic ebay or craigslist finds, they never mention the 4 or 5 bad deals they got hosed on. True.


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## wookv (Sep 15, 2008)

Creakyknees said:


> 1. don't.
> 2. see #1
> 3. man up and go to an LBS (visit several if you can), see what they have in your price range. ask about used bikes too. test ride several, get a feel for what a properly tuned bike feels like. ask them what they'd charge if you brought in some random used Craigslist bike for a tuneup.
> 
> Seriously... Craigslist and ebay are waay sketchy even for guys that know what they're doing, hard core collectors etc. When guys post up their fantastic ebay or craigslist finds, they never mention the 4 or 5 bad deals they got hosed on. True.


Thanks for the advice, unfortunately for me, I've called and gone to just about all (not that many around here) the LBS around here but none of them have it for my price range, they all start at ~$800 + tax. Seems like my only options are Walmart/Target, online shops (but I'd rather be able to test out the bike) or craigslist.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Finding friends*



wookv said:


> I've been looking at bikes on Craigslist. But since I don't know any friends personally that can go with me to assess the bike, can people give me some advice on what to look for other than the fit?


My advice would be to contact a local bike club and explain your dilemma. I would be very surprised if there weren't some folks who would be willing to spend some time with you looking at bikes, or at least talking about bikes. It's a better way to do this than asking questions on the Internet and you'll make some connections that will prove valuable as you get into riding and are looking for good routes, training advice, etc.


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## benchpress265 (Nov 7, 2006)

You can get some great deals from Craigslist. I got a 2004 BMC SLO1 with nearly 0 miles on it for half the price of new and a 2005 Giant TCR 2 for $500 for a friend of mine.

Just do your homework and that may include going to a few LBS,s to figure out what frame size may be good for you. One frame does not fit all and frame sizes also vary by manufacture. Get familure with the different Shimano Groups (Campy too). Know what is good quality stuff and what is not so good.

If you do you homework and know what bikes are worth you can get some great deals. I prefer Craigslist to Ebay only because I can look at the bike and test ride the bike before I lay any money out.


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

It will take time to find the right bike on CL. Read through here, and look at several out of your range to get a feel on what to look for. I'd recommend avoiding Wally*World or Target - if you want inexpensive and a good value, look on line at bikesdirect.com - however, make sure you know the size and features you really want. And get a bike shop to assemble and tune it for you. In the long run, you'll be glad you did get them to do it. 
Now my story - I bought a cheap bike on line and have spent quite a bit in getting a new frame, wheels, shifters, etc... Had I spent a few dollars more in the beginning, I'd have what I really wanted all along, and spent less overall!


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

As CreakyKnees said, buy new if you can. If you really want to buy off the net, I'd say go with CL so that you can buy locally and test out whatever you are interested in. Don't get caught up in the sale - really look at it and don't be afraid to walk away. Leave your cash in the car so you don't get hyped up and buy without really testing it out. 

*Before you test ride, check out the following:*
Any dents/cracks/scratches/lumps or bends in the frame? If so, walk away. Same with the wheel rims. 
Loose, bent, missing spokes? Not a good sign either.
How are the cables? Are they shiny and new, or slack and rusted? Check the cable housing.
Are the brakes in good condition? Check the wear on the pads. Grab the levers and make sure they squeeze hard enough to prevent the bike from moving.
Is the chain shiny and lubed, or is it rusted, caked in grime, etc? Same with the derailleurs. While you're at it, check for chain stretch.
Check the tires. Is there plenty of tread left? New tires can be expensive. Any cracks or dry rot?
Double check the quick releases on the wheels. Are they tight? Do they work? Are the wheels centered in the frame?
Does it come with the right pedals (platform, or your style of clipless)?

Basically you want to inspect every part of the bike and make sure it is safe as well as look for anything that will be costly to repair. If it only needs new bar tape, that's not a big deal - but if it needs bar tape, a chain, and new tires, you could be easily looking at $100 of repairs (assuming you do all the work yourself).

Once you've done all that, then take it for a ride. Does it fit? Make adjustments as necessary. Bring a bike tool (and know how to use it). How does it handle? Any strange noises? Any wobbles, irregularities, non-smooth rotation of handlebars, pedals, cranks, etc? Is the seat comfortable? (you won't really know until you've put a few hundred miles on it). Once you get past mechanical issues, you can then get to the real question: do you enjoy riding it?

If you like the bike, then you will need to be familiar enough to know fair pricing of the components. Is it all Ultegra, or is it a mix? Do you know SRAM vs. Campy vs. Shimano and the different levels of gear they produce? It's easy to get carried away by the fancy terms and get suckered in to paying more than something is worth if you don't know exactly what you are looking at. Carry a cheat sheet if you need to.

If at any point you get a bad feeling, or think "it is ok, but I'd like it better if...", or in anyway doesn't meet your expectations, then thank the seller for their time and walk away. There are tons of used bikes out there and it will be worth your time to be patient and find the right one. You'll be spending hundreds of dollars on this - make sure your investment is sound.

BTW, those things apply for the most part to new bikes as well. No offense to the good wrenches out there, but it never hurts to double check the build of a bike even at your LBS as bikes are assembled in the store (and a good LBS will make sure the tires are properly inflated and get the bike adjusted for you before you take a test ride).


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Creakyknees said:


> 1. don't.
> 2. see #1
> 3. man up and go to an LBS (visit several if you can), see what they have in your price range. ask about used bikes too. test ride several, get a feel for what a properly tuned bike feels like. ask them what they'd charge if you brought in some random used Craigslist bike for a tuneup.
> 
> Seriously... Craigslist and ebay are waay sketchy even for guys that know what they're doing, hard core collectors etc. When guys post up their fantastic ebay or craigslist finds, they never mention the 4 or 5 bad deals they got hosed on. True.


I strongly disagree. I have purchased 2 bikes off Ebay. The first one did need some work as the brake surfaces on the wheels were shot and it was a tad too small. Don't say that a bike shop would not sell you a frame that is too small, cause my boss rides one. They will sell you what they have in stock and make it fit. Okay, so I got some new wheels off Craigs List for my first bike, rode it for 1,500 miles and sold it. Guess what, I got my money out of it, so no loss. My current bike came from EBay as well and as I have stated before was a great deal. Click on my screen name and profile to see the bike. I got it for 1/4-1/5th the price of the bike new and it is in great shape.

How long do you think people keep their first entry level bike if they get hooked in this sport? I bet most upgrade after 2 years. Why not buy used, ride it for awhile until you can understand a little better exactly what you want. If you start out used you can sell your still "used" bike for close to what you have into it.

Okay, so you need to learn a little about bikes before you start to look. You have started at a great place. You will get great advice here. Yes, it will be varied but at least people here are not out to "sell" you. I would say shop the used market and ask questions here about what you find. You will get more opinions than you want.


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## Tim_ (May 23, 2007)

I've bought 3 bikes - sight unseen - on Ebay and have had no problems. CL ppl want too much for their junk IMO. I realize I may have to put some time and money into them to get them perfect, but I don't mind that. 

Find out what size you are FIRST and then try to narrow down your search to 2 or 3 bikes that you want. For me, I narrowed my searches to the Specialized Allez, Klien Quantum (i still want one), and a Cannondale, and eventually found year-old, never ridden Allez triple for $400 + shipping. Since it was new, my LBS had no problem exchanging stems for FREE til I got the size just right. You should get a feel for what you are looking for in your target range so you'll be able to spot a deal when you see it. I still kick myself for not pulling the trigger on a Quantum Race with Ultegra parts and Rolf Vector wheels for only $475.

Good luck!


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## Wheelspeed (Nov 3, 2006)

If it's too far to check out a bike from Craigslist just on a whim, then ask the seller to give you the exact name, model and year of the bike. (Or appx year if he forgets.)

Then Google it and find reviews, original retail. This forum even has reviews that are often by people who bought used and show what they paid. Helps you decide on a fair buying price. (I don't mean in any subforums here, I mean in the "Reviews" link at the top of the page.)


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## wmayes (Aug 8, 2007)

*No, nO, NO!!*



Creakyknees said:


> 1. don't.
> 2. see #1
> 3. man up and go to an LBS (visit several if you can), see what they have in your price range. ask about used bikes too. test ride several, get a feel for what a properly tuned bike feels like. ask them what they'd charge if you brought in some random used Craigslist bike for a tuneup.
> 
> Seriously... Craigslist and ebay are waay sketchy even for guys that know what they're doing, hard core collectors etc. When guys post up their fantastic ebay or craigslist finds, they never mention the 4 or 5 bad deals they got hosed on. True.


No, no no.....I have over 5000 positive feedbacks on eBay and only been hosed once. That's not luck, either. It's simple. Educate yourself about what you are going to buy, do the research of sold items on eBay and only buy from sellers with excellent feedback ratings. I have sold and bought items worth $1 and as high as a $35,000 64 Corvette sight unseen. Crazy? Maybe a little, but if you are smart, the deals are out there. By the way, I put $1000 into that 'Vette and sold it for $42000.
As far as Craigslist, buy cash in person only. If you don't like the bike, pass! Oh, yeah, if it seems too cheap to be true, run as fast as you can the other direction.


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## wmayes (Aug 8, 2007)

By the way....I purchased 2 bikes right here on RBR locally from the same guy. Great deals both times, again, cash in person only!


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## amheck (Mar 12, 2007)

I purchased my first real MTB via ebay. I talked to the guy for a while via email (his auction ended without meeting reserve) and he was real nice and ended up giving me a super deal. Worked out great.

I just brought my first road bike off of craigslist a few weeks ago. I, too, visted bike shops and just got sick of asking for a good, entry level, reasonable cost bike and them showing me $1200-$1500 (or more) bikes. I just couldn't swing that.

I watched craigslist for a while, and finally found something that worked well. I even put in a wanted add, and didn't hear anything for weeks, and then finally got a few nice offers (although I had already purchased mine).

Just go ride it, and if it feels right, then it's probably ok. This bike had all of the paperwork and the guy had obviously taken care of it, so I felt pretty confident that it was ok. Been just fine ever since.


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## wookv (Sep 15, 2008)

Thank you everybody for your input. I did end up buying a 5 year old, Giant TCR2 for $480. At the parking lot, it seemed ok and I bought it. But after trying it out for 10miles, it turns out to be just a little too long in the top tube. But fortunately for me, I managed to sell it off on craigslist again with no loss. 

I've decided that since this is going to be my very first bike, i'm going to get a new one from a LBS. I've created another post here asking for opinions on which bike, I would appreciate any input. 

Thank you.


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

Never spend more than 50 bucks on Craigslist. Otherwise you'll regret it.


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## zdrifter (Jul 23, 2008)

Respectfully, I disagree with the posters who recommend against Craigslist.

There are lots of scams on CL and there are lots of people who try to sell the bike they recently bought for 10% off retail (or sometimes even retail & more). It's easy to just skip those ads if you have done your homework. There are also bargains to be had IF you know your stuff and are quick.

B4 you attempt it you must know your size *on the bike being sold*. If it is not a great fit pass. B4 you attempt you should be capable of doing most maintenance on bikes. If you can't you will miss critical things and buy something that will give you grief. If you attempt *you must be patient *... that great deal is going to take some time and sometimes alot more than some time .. too often people get the 'i want it NOW' syndrome and that doesn't work on CL (or ebay).

The plus side of CL is it's possible to see/ride the bike (ignore seller sales pitches) & prices are negotiable (if there is lots of room for negotiations walk away, somethings wrong). These things can't be done on ebay.

Summing up IF you know your size very well; are a good wrench; have done your homework and are patient the bargains are there .. if any one of these is not true for you CL is not for you.

As with all things YMMV

Cheers


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## AverageJoeCyclist (Sep 15, 2012)

I must agree with those that say there are bargains to be found online. Given that so many people splash out on expensive bikes because they have money and they are PLANNING to start cycling, there are lots of great bikes gathering dust. (Gym equipment is another example, even more extreme - you can set up a great home gym with very little cash, thanks to people who buy big and then don't follow through). I have an outstanding home gym thanks to Craigslist, and some of the best bikes in my garage were purchased for less than half their value online. (I have about 10 bikes at last count, I am addicted, I confess. :blush2: ) I would have more if my wife did not insist on also keeping her car in our garage!

The trick is that you have to know your size, what kind of bike you want, know how to check the bike out properly for its condition and know how to do your research to make sure you are getting value for money. I wrote an entire book about this, available on Craigslist, Kindle and Kobo, called Average Joe Cyclist Guide to Buying Bikes Online. If you know all about bikes you don't need it, but if you are not 100% knowledgeable and want to avoid being ripped off, I highly recommend it


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## roblee (Sep 10, 2012)

I found this gem on CL I put my feet up on the fork crowns when I ride past other bikers. I could have gone to a lbs but then I would never have found this beauty.:thumbsup:








Blue Lightning


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## AverageJoeCyclist (Sep 15, 2012)

*Bargain beauty from Craigslist*

Yup, and I got this 22 year old beauty, a Bridgestone MB-2, designed by the great Grant Peterson, for a song on Craigslist. It rode perfectly from the day I bought it, and is as much fun to ride as a mountain bike I paid 5 x as much for.


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## chudak (Jul 28, 2012)

wookv said:


> Thanks for the advice, unfortunately for me, I've called and gone to just about all (not that many around here) the LBS around here but none of them have it for my price range, they all start at ~$800 + tax. Seems like my only options are Walmart/Target, online shops (but I'd rather be able to test out the bike) or craigslist.


There are several sub $600 bikes on Performance right now. You _can_ get a new bike for close to $600 if you try without resorting to CL or Ebay.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Wow, talk about thread dredge. This one's ~ 4 years old!


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## black_chaos (Sep 21, 2012)

I have a question is this a good buy. Im a beginner about all this in bikes and i'm just trying to buy something that will get me around college campus and surrounding areas quickly. 

tampa.craigslist.org/hil/bik/3221144399.html

Ive talk the guy down to about 150$ but im going to go check the bike out in person before handing over the cash. Im about 5'10".


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

black_chaos said:


> I have a question is this a good buy. Im a beginner about all this in bikes and i'm just trying to buy something that will get me around college campus and surrounding areas quickly.
> 
> tampa.craigslist.org/hil/bik/3221144399.html
> 
> Ive talk the guy down to about 150$ but im going to go check the bike out in person before handing over the cash. Im about 5'10".


Before taking the time to check the bike out, ask the seller the frame size. Judging from the head tube, it's looks to be too small for someone 5'10". 5'4" - 5'5", _maybe_.

Also, FWIW, IMO the bike is worth about $75, tops. It always was entry level and is now ~23 years old.


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## black_chaos (Sep 21, 2012)

^ Well the seller decided he didn't like my offer for the bike. So I'm back to square one. Thank you for the quick reply though. But so i know in the future what would be the appropriate frame size for someone my height?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

black_chaos said:


> ^ Well the seller decided he didn't like my offer for the bike. So I'm back to square one. Thank you for the quick reply though. But so i know in the future what would be the appropriate frame size for someone my height?


Rather than provide a number that could well mislead you, I'll offer that you should keep your research local so that you can test ride any bikes of interest. 

The reason why focusing on frame size alone isn't a great idea is that there are no industry standards for determining them, so in some brands/ models you might take a 54cm. In others, a 58cm, or somewhere in between. For example, I take a 47cm in a Rocky Mountain Oxygen and a 54cm in a Trek Madone. The frame sizes don't matter, the _geo numbers_ matter.

Also, proportions, cycling experiences, fitness/ flexibility, a riders style/ preferences (among other factors) all enter into the sizing question, so check out LBS's in your area selling used (the best option, IMO because you'll get some sizing/ fit assistance), CL, community newspapers, bike coops - and (as you've already done) bounce any prospective bikes off members here.


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## jbilow (Sep 22, 2012)

Hey, I'm making a move from Maine to LA. And it's about 15 miles from the hills, where I'll live, to downtown LA, where my crappy job is. So I'm trying to find a bike for my daily commute.
I have a little moving money, but that has to cover the bike plus luggage and clothes and anything else I'll need.
So I have probably up to $800 bucks to spend on a road bike.
Also this is probably unfeasable because I'm not a regular rider, but my friends live in Las Vegas, which is 300 miles away, so I'd like something that I could ride that.
I found this. maine.craigslist.org/bik/3229556203.html
Opinions please? I'm desperately desperate, leaving in a few weeks, trying to find a good deal.


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