Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,886
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
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First thing you should do is figure out what frame size you need. I could see right away that the 18" frame bike is never going to be suitable for anyone who is 6 feet tall. My 18" frame 1993 Cannondale MTB fits me well and I am much shorter than you. If the seller does not know how to measure the frame, ask them to measure the difference between the center of the crank and the top of the seat tube. That's where the frame meets the seatpost. One way to instantly separate the decent bikes from pure junk is to weigh the bike. My Cannondale weighs 26 pounds. I found it in a second hand store, dusty and with deflated tires. All it took was for me to pick it up to know it was a keeper. Best $20 I ever spent on a bike.
If you know the make and model for a bike you can use bicyclebluebook to get information on when the bike was made, how much it cost new, and most times a list of components. It may not be as good for a realistic price guide though.