Originally Posted by
capnjonny
If you have a bike co op that is accessable to you I would recommend you stop by and talk to them about your pending purchase. They might have a used bike for sale that has already been serviced, usually at a very reasonable price. They might also let you volunteer with them as a way to gain the knowledge you will need to do any restoration yourself. Working on bikes can be frustrating. it can also be very rewarding. Are you the kind of person that likes solving problems. Do you have any mechanical aptitude or want to gain some. If so then fixing bikes can be an addictive hobby. As someone who has restored cars and boats you will find it is a much cheaper hobby than either of those.
Thanks! There is a bike coop in the area. I've never been good at fixing bike stuff myself, mainly because I always seem to run into hurdles, like not having the wrist strength to unscrew a bolt or to remove pedals. These seem like simple things and it bothers me that I can't seem to do basic things like that. I probably should take a class through the coop to become more experienced and to gain confidence.