MeagreAger

I've been riding a steel Ironman Centurion for the past year and wish to graduate to a newer bike. My only criteria for filtering bikes are a price-range and frame-size (60cm). Someone who replied to a similar post I made earlier told me I should expect to pay around $1000 for a bike which will last and allow me to begin to compete, and to try not to settle for a groupset in a tier lower than shimano 105. What else should I incorporate in my search if I have ambitions in competing? Here are three bikes I found that satisfy the perhaps naive conditions I've set for myself as what qualifies for a potential find:
1) Bianchi Vigorelli
2) 2013 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 4 Rival
3) 2005 Cinelli Unica
I understand that a successful evaluation of a bike and its fit to the rider takes experience and attempting to do so on the basis of photos and whatever information the seller provides may be a gamble. Is there anything from these three examples that would disqualify them to someone more discerning than I?

Iride01 

1) looks like a very nice bike for leisure riding or someone moderately out for fitness riding. Not so much for competition. If you get it for a hundred less, probably a decent deal.

2) Probably the only bike of the three that looks like it fits a 6' 3" person. Is that you too? Still it's more than I'd pay for a used bike. #1 is probably looking small to me because the saddle is so low.

3) If that frame fits a 6' person nicely, the that must be a special proportioned 6' person. Looks tiny to me. Look at the head tube length. Still more than I'd pay for used.

If I were going to do amateur competitions and I was really young, I'd be happy with a NEW Tiagra equipped bike, maybe even Sora if that got me a new bike with a light frame and a race geometry. After all, it's shouldn't be the last bike you'll ever get.

Reflector Guy

#1 is perhaps a decade older than the others? Plus it's a triple.... Something I'd regard as unnecessary weight but some people do like them, so I can see that side too. I'd like to own that bike, but like the previous poster said, for $100 less. It is too big for me anyway.

Tycho Brahe 

I was going to post the same thing. No way is that frame a medium. I would not trust anything by that seller.

How to find good deals? Pretty much impossible in 2021.

bampilot06

When I started, I had a tight budget and zero patience. I bought an old CAAD 4 and after about 500 miles I had to replace the rear wheel. A thousand miles later the groupset was shot. My advice, save up a little bit more money and buy a new bike. CAAD 13, Giant Contend, Entry level Trek Domane, there are plenty of others.
That way you know what your getting and won’t have to worry about spending money on parts prematurely.

I bought a Cervelo C2 back in April at Competive Cyclist. I paid around 1700.