How do you tell a good used bicycle from a useless one?

[run it, ride it]

I was introduced to the wonderful world of road bicycles when I borrowed a friend's a 1970s 10-speed "Freespirit" that came from a department store. I fell immediately in love. It was fast and handled light as a feather.

So I thought, I'll get a used ten-speed '70s steel road bicycle of my own! "Simon," as I called it, was a "G. Vettor" that came from a real bike store once upon a time. Bought it off someone in perfect condition for $50cdn. How could I go wrong?

That was two years ago. I neglected it enough to finally bring it to its knees today. Thank God, it's over.

Have you ever ridden a stationary bike with a resistance band? My bike is like one of those tightened to the max on even the slightest incline. It's HEAVY to ride, to handle, and I absolutely cannot move the pedals unless it's on one of the four lowest gears. It took some serious training to get up hills I don't even notice on my Trek 1000.

First the rear brake stopped working. Even tightened as tight as it would go, the pads didn't even touch the wheel. I had the opposite problem with the cable on the rear deraileur--it eventually became too tight to downshift to the three lowest gears. Awesome. One useful gear left, and I BARELY made it up the hill to campus. This is where the neglect began.

Months passed by, I let the chain rust out completely more than once before reviving it. Rusty, salt-encrusted, ice-covered Simon just kept trucking. I couldn't justify getting rid of him.

The last straw was today, inching up that big torturous hill to school, already late to class. My frozen fingers were tired of fighting with the gear shift. I gently tapped it with my foot, and, SNAP--the pedal wouldn't move. I didn't mean to kill Simon, but I knew the time would come. No more rear shift cable. I had to walk it the rest of the way--the gears I have left are too high.

The damned thing is currently tied up to a bike rack, unlocked on campus, and lord help me I HOPE someone steals it!

So... I've had it: I am ready for a new old bike. My Trek 1000 would be stolen from campus in a matter of minutes, so taking it to school is out of the qestion.

I don't want something high quality, because a) someone would steal it, and b) it will be subject to winter weather and serious wear and tear. I'd like to get another road bike--I rode through up to a few inches of snow in tiny tires without too much trouble. Drop handlebars are a must--my wrists can't handle straight bars and... well, drop bars are cooler.

What are some things to look for and some things to look out for in an older bike? Brand names to look out for? The G. Vettor probably didn't deserve its fate, but it was just so awful.