First time buying (is this bike okay?)

[McNelton]

Hello friends,

I would like to get into biking. Stay in shape and maybe commute. Looking to buy a used one though at first, rather than jump into spending hundreds on a new one.

Checking craigslist and found a 1981 vintage Schwinn LeTour Sport 10 speed touring bike. This guy says "isn't in the best of shape" but also that all it needs is new tires. Pics show some rusting. Guy says $50 (haven't seen it yet, may bring it down a little with some haggling?).

http://orlando.craigslist.org/bik/4401250084.html

I know nothing about real bike usage. Is this a good deal? What should I look out for when I go check it out? Is it easy to clean it up as far as the rusting and stuff goes?

Any tips on this or first-time buying in general would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[mpre53]

The LeTour was a mid-level Schwinn in its day. With a 5 speed cog set on the back, it probably has 120mm spacing on the rear dropouts so there's really no way to upgrade it. It has 27" tires so you don't have as many tire choices as you would with 700c. Bottom line, assuming that the frame is OK, it's a decent bike for $50.

 

[oldbobcat]

For a dollar, sure. You might end up putting a few more into it (like $50-120, depending on how much you can do yourself) for stuff like brake and shift cables, brake pads, and tires and tubes. It looks like the cables are rusted tight, and the rubber should be replace if it is crumbly or there is casing damage. But to spend up to $150 for a basic and reliable bike is quite reasonable.

 

[McNelton]

Went by. It was in pretty bad condition. Guy wanted to give it away for $20. Was a great bike at one point. I have no time, space, energy, money or know-how to put into it, otherwise it would've been a fun project. Too bad. Still looking to get a used bike for a total of under a hundred bucks (including fixing stuff).

What I would have no way of knowing for myself is: Are there some non-negotiables to look at with a bike? That is, what is the most important thing to make sure it either already has or gets taken care of quickly? New tires? Chain? Brake... pads? Reflectors? I've been researching a ton, and can't sift through all the advice for the core important thing(s).

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by McNelton
Went by. It was in pretty bad condition. Guy wanted to give it away for $20. Was a great bike at one point. I have no time, space, energy, money or know-how to put into it, otherwise it would've been a fun project. Too bad. Still looking to get a used bike for a total of under a hundred bucks (including fixing stuff).

What I would have no way of knowing for myself is: Are there some non-negotiables to look at with a bike? That is, what is the most important thing to make sure it either already has or gets taken care of quickly? New tires? Chain? Brake... pads? Reflectors? I've been researching a ton, and can't sift through all the advice for the core important thing(s).

FWIW. I think that even $20 is an "okay" price for that bike ...

As oldbobcat said, plan on new tires & tubes, etc. ...

Some emery cloth should be sufficient to remove the glaze from the brake pads ...

Some 3-in-1 oil (or, equivalent) will take care of the rest ...

Allowing that a vintage bike often requires bicycle specific tools, if you can DIY, then you should be able to limit your total cost to under $100 ...

OR, spend many times that amount!!!

Reflectors? If you are planning on riding at night, get some lights.

 

[new_rider]

Originally Posted by McNelton
Still looking to get a used bike for a total of under a hundred bucks (including fixing stuff).

Are there some non-negotiables to look at with a bike?

Reading posts like yours makes me want to cry. And we're not talking tears of joy, either.

It seems the last handful of newbies have posted something like this: "I want to spend $80 bucks on a bike. Is that a good idea? Please reply if you agree."

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by McNelton
Went by. It was in pretty bad condition. Guy wanted to give it away for $20. Was a great bike at one point. I have no time, space, energy, money or know-how to put into it, otherwise it would've been a fun project. Too bad. Still looking to get a used bike for a total of under a hundred bucks (including fixing stuff).

Good choice. Good luck on finding that $100 bike that works. They're rare.