VegasTriker

This thread dates back 10 months and the thread starter never returned to tell us what bike was purchased. I would agree that bike shops MAY be a better place to buy a used bike but the shop the OP chose might be an exception. If you look at the second bike in the list (Mongoose Ledge 2.1) you might be surprised to find out that it is sold today by WalMart for $161 brand new. The bike shop was asking $129 for a used bike that no longer has the factory warranty as subsequent owners do not get that transferred. The Schwinn Sierra is sold by outfits like Performance and L L Bean so it was an entry level bike but not a mass merchandiser bike. The Diamondback bike could date back into the mid 80s. Being old is not a negative but it is also not a positive. If you are going to buy a used bike it helps a lot to be able to recognize quality frames and components so you don't buy junk.

I used to go to our local police auctions where you were not allowed to inspect the bike in advance of it being put up for bid. I saw a lot of buyers bid based upon a brand name they were familiar with but without regard to the quality of the bike. They could have bought the same bike in a local thrift store for much less and at least had the chance to see if it would fit. Good bikes with less familiar names often sold for bargain prices at the same auction.