Bike buying guide?

[rugorak]

I haven't bought a new bike in ages. As in I was 12 last time I did and am in my 30's now. I've been living out in the boonies so a bike didn't do all that much good. I gave it to my dad a while ago. Now I am living in a small city so a bike is practical again. I'm looking on Craigslist but have found I really don't know what to look for. I know I would prefer a mountain bike as I could easily end up back in the sticks again. Plus I'd feel better on a mountain bike in the snow should I get that badass. I don't need anything too fancy but wouldn't mind paying a little more for something good.

So does anyone have a good link to a buying guide (at least as far as size, etc)? AAnd other buying tips. Obviously I would not buy something sight unseen but I'd like to know what I am looking for enough to not waste a sellers time if it is something that isn't going to be right for me.

[Kriegsspiel]

This is Bakari's guide to buying a bike on craigslist.

[Thegoblinchief]

This is Bakari's guide to buying a bike on craigslist.

+1 That's as close to a "guide" as you'll get.

The hardest part will be knowing what size fits you when you haven't biked in a while. Standard advice suggests visiting a local bike shop to get measured. Be prepared, however, for many CL ads to have zero sizing information and not to respond to questions about size ahead of time.

The beauty of buying a used bike is, unless you dramatically overpay for something, if the bike doesn't suit you after a few months or a year, you can recoup almost all of your money, if not all of if.

[dennityrrell]

This is Bakari's guide to buying a bike on craigslist.

+1 That's as close to a "guide" as you'll get.

The hardest part will be knowing what size fits you when you haven't biked in a while. Standard advice suggests visiting a local bike shop to get measured. Be prepared, however, for many CL ads to have zero sizing information and not to respond to questions about size ahead of time.

The beauty of buying a used bike is, unless you dramatically overpay for something, if the bike doesn't suit you after a few months or a year, you can recoup almost all of your money, if not all of if.

+2  buying a bike will change your life.

With regards to a mnt bike vs road bike - I would want to know how far you are riding each week.  I would recommend a road style bike for longer rides. I use to exclusively ride mnt bikes but recently got into road touring and now road biking and there was definitely a transition with regards getting use to the feeling on being on a road bike.  Look into interrupter brakes on a road bike bar set up