I’d like to have one of these bikes from Craigslist. All of them seem like really good deals after I think about paying a whole lot of money for a brand new Jorg and Olif (perhaps not such a great deal when they start breaking down though) Any of these would look great with a basket, no?
i have a new bike, but my husband signed me up for bicycle repair classes. if you buy an older bike, you should check a couple things first: are the tires in good condition? if there is any hardness or cracking/fraying, you’ll have to replace them. does it shift gears easily? feel the wheel spokes and make sure they’re straight and tight. if the wheels are steel, they will be more difficult to take care of (the steel rims have a harder time gripping the tire, which might lead to a pinch flat if your tubes aren’t perfectly inflated).
with all bikes, including those gorgeous j&o’s, come repairs. the best thing is for you to learn how to make small adjustments to the bike yourself (repair flats, adjust brakes and gears, etc), keep it out of the rain, oil/ lubricate the chain frequently, and be vigilant.
honestly, i wouldn’t buy any of the bikes you posted, especially the one whose front wheel isn’t true.
my husband has an old raleigh 3-speed that was reconditioned at a bike shop. 2 years later he now has problems with the gears and the steel spokes need to be adjusted. he recently spent $80 on repairs, but there’s always something to fix. a new bike might save you a year or two of work, but even that will require time and money. the one thing i will say about well-built bicycles is that they tend to be better balanced and have a smoother ride than the average old 3-speed. the parts tend to be nicer and they are easier to adjust and repair, too. a typical new bicycle should cost you between $300-600, which is a lot. but if a bicycle is your main means of transportation, it’s well worth it. that’s how i justified my bicycle, at least!
sorry for the long post, but i’ve turned into a bicycle enthusiast because of these classes!