Deciding between 3 used road bikes

Ksumsar
Ksumsar Posts: 14
edited March 2014 in Road buying advice
Hello!
So, I'm looking to buy a second hand bike mainly for commuting. However it is very important that the bike would handle touring as well, as I'm planning a 2-week bike tour in Europe during the summer months.
Right now I have a choice between 3 bikes from Gumtree, all go for about 100 pounds.

Please help me to decide which one would be the best purchase, based on the pictures and the descriptions in the ads.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/nikis ... 1050504742

This is a Nikishi Landau vintage road bike for 100 pounds.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/vinta ... 1050970576

Vintage Trek 1400, not much info in the ad. 110 pounds

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/racin ... to-content

Dawes 10-speed vintage racer. 60 pounds

Any contributions will be helpful. Thanks, in advance.
Right now I'm leaning towards the Dawes racer, because of Dawes brand name, but I'm not really sure, whether this is a right thing to do? Also, the frame of the bike looks kind of thin and fragile, and I'm not so sure whether it could take heavier loads during touring?

Comments

  • Ksumsar
    Ksumsar Posts: 14
    Yes, I'm 6ft 2in, so I'm looking at bigger frames.
    The thing is, that my selection is limited firstly by my location, Edinburgh, and my height.
    I'm not really up to the hassle of buying a bike from a far city, so I've limited myself to Edinburgh.
    Also, my maximum budget is 120 pounds, I can't go over that.
    I actually thought that the bikes in these ads had relatively good value, because of most of the dedicated second-hand bike shops I've been to overpriced all of their bikes to a ridiculous degree.
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    My money would be on the Trek. Reliable brand and 7 speed Shimano which you should be able to upgrade relatively easily and cheaply.

    I would advise a thorough inspection and a test ride before you part with your cash.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    TBF the first one although I've never heard of the make, looks to be in decent nick. Odd brake calipers though; mirror image of modern ones WRT cable attachment.

    The Trek too looks like it's been cared for.

    The Dawes I suspect is a bit of a crock.
  • Ksumsar
    Ksumsar Posts: 14
    Also, would it be possible to install a pannier rack on the Nishiki bike? How diffcult would it be? Also I would consider fenders for rain? The Nishiki doesnt appear to have many attachment points for such things.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    if they are on gumtree they are probably (alegedly) stolen. steer well clear unless they can prove they are the legal owner.
  • Ksumsar
    Ksumsar Posts: 14
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    if they are on gumtree they are probably (alegedly) stolen. steer well clear unless they can prove they are the legal owner.

    Should I always request some kinds of papers from the owner or would no papers be OK in the case of vintage bikes, which are old and therefore the papers would be more difficult to find for the owner?
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    frame number on stolen bike website, when talking to the owner do they sound as though they own the bike or are they selling it for a friend, emigrating, just moving house etc....
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    It does appear to have mounting points at the dropouts for both rack and mudguards, but there's nothing at the top of the seatstays so you'd need P clips or a seatpost mounted adapter.

    Gumtree does have a rather shady reputation, so if possible visit the seller at his home rather than handing over cash in a pub car park.

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