Looking to buy my first vintage bike and need some guidance between these two.
First bike is a 1987 Centurion Le Mans – has some surface rust, Shimano Exage groupset according to the seller. Seller is asking $450 CAD (which seems like a lot for what it is, I was thinking of offering like $250 as it has been listed for a year and from my research its a mid level bike anyway?)
Second bike is a 1988 Cannondale SR500 – appears to have a Shimano 600 rear derailleur, and a shimano bio pace crankset. Has some chips in the paint from pictures and seller says it has some rust but no cracks in the frame. Seller is asking $200 CAD.
Is either of these a good choice for a first vintage bike? Should I wait for something better to pop up? Would I be better off just going to a local bike co op and making something custom?
I ultimately want a vintage bike just for fun, casual rides, and to learn some bike maintenance. I'd like to possibly change out components for other "better" vintage components down the line.
by Altruistic_Sun