used bikes?

[celerystalksme]

I'm currently riding a Trek 800 sport (big tires, big seat) and I'd like to switch to a road bike before the ALC next June.

I had been considering buying a used bike to train on for the next few months then invest in a bike early next year to finish training.

But I was told today by someone at my LBS that buying a used bike off something like craigslist is a terrible idea since most of the bikes have been worked on and people are selling them b/c they don't know how to fix them.

Is this just LBS salesman talk? Has anyone found and purchased a used road bike happily (or unhappily?).

Thanks!

evil LBS!!!!

there are GREAT used bikes on CL and ebay. the last bike i bought was a blue cx6.5 off of craigslist or ebay (for the life of me i can't remember which right now). it was "used" but the owner literally rode it once...one test ride. and he decided to sell. he won the bike at a cyclocross race...liked his other cx bike better. i got a PRISTINE, might-as-well-be-new cx bike for half of retail cost!

and i'm about to buy another bike off of craigslist (crossing fingers and hoping it goes ok). another practically new bike...half of retail...i'll let you guys know how it goes!