Any bike experts?

[taylor]

The bike shops are selling used bikes for over $300 which is out of my budget. People are selling old, raggedy bikes with missing parts on Craigslist.

Since it seems like you're on a tight budget, I'd probably buy a new bike at Walmart, Target, Sport Chalet/Sports Authority or Costco and then take it to a bike shop to adjust the gears and brakes. Or better yet if you have a friend that is a gearhead take it to him and get it taken care of for FREE. Otherwise, I'd probably buy one from Craigslist from a neighboring affluent area. Generally upper middle class and rich folks tend to sell their used items in good/excellent condition for way below fair market value. They want to get rid of their items quickly but they don't want to give it away either, so they can replenish their new toys. I've sold my daughter's bike on Craiglist too when it was time for an upgrade and the buyer was extremely happy with the price and the condition of the bike.