Looking to buy a replacement bike after a horrendous experience buying one on craigslist that had problem after problem and eventually I just had to ditch on the road one day.
If I only want to spend ~$600ish are there any options for someone like me? Any tips on sorting through craigslist looking for red flags etc? Any new no-frills bikes that would fit the bill? I'm looking for something comfortableish, don't care if it looks stupid, that I can do a light, easy commute on 3-4 days out of the week.
Really have a lot of great, safe places to ride near me so I'm excited to get out rolling around again. Thanks in advance!!
I'd recommend getting a single speed or fixed gear, they're basically maintenance free, especially if you get bike with a set of wheels with sealed hubs and cranks with a sealed bottom bracket.
Other than checking your brakes and tires regularly, the maintenance that's required is cleaning the chain maybe monthly depending on your usage and the weather.
Sorry, I don't have any advice regarding Craigslist. Seems like folks are getting shadier due to the economy.
I'd recommend heading to your local bike shop to talk with the staff there. Many bike shops have used bikes, or bikes on consignment, and staff will often have bikes they may be wanting to part with. At the very least they can give you a general idea of how much you should be expecting to pay depending on what your needs are and what the local market is like. From there you can peruse ebay, etc., with more confidence.
A resource that is out there which seems to be based on the same platform as the SLAP Messageboards is:
https://www.bikeforums.netThey are just as passionate and punctilious as we are here.