Is there anywhere that I can get some idea of used bike values? I am shopping for used bikes on Craig's list, and I just want to see if the seller has a reasonable price on the bike.

Also, can I tell the quality of a bike by the model name, or do models change their position in quality from year to year? Will an inexpensive model be moved up to a higher place in a manufacturer's product line and vice versa? Or is this something that varies by manufacturer.

To give you an idea of how I would use this:

One bike says it was hardly ridden. The list price new is $299, seller is asking $240 firm. If I wanted this bike, I'd just spend the $60 and deal with a shop, so I pass.

Another bike is a Specialized Rockhopper from 90 or 91 for $65. The current list is $500 new. Seller is 5'6" I am 5'7" so this sounds like a decent qality of bike. Definitely something to jump on. Seller does not specify frame materials, componentry, etc. however, so without knowing Specialized's product line, this may have been a $300 bike 15 years ago. I am not sure it is a good deal.

I'l bet somemone out there publishes a "bluebook" of bike values. I know that there is one for sewing machines, why not bikes?

Mary