What to look for when buying an old/vintage bicycle online
I've bought dozens of older, steel bicycles over the years. Most of them I've purchased used on Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace. One thing I have learned is that you can *never* trust the pictures sellers include with a listing. This isn't to say that sellers are dishonest. It just means that photos typically can't show the true condition of a bike (for better or worse). Depending on your mechanical ability and patience, there can be some hard lessons when you buy a used bike sight unseen. Here are some general tips to help you evaluate if an older bike is a good deal or not worth your time and effort to restore to rideable condition. Buy the seller, not the bike. This applies to almost any item of value, really. If the seller feels wrong, or if the bike is not something they seem to have any connection to, walk away. I always check bikeindex.org to make sure something isn't stolen. Steel . Not all steel is created equal. Look for "full chromoly...