Don't be a Puff Ball - GO RIGID!

Phil at Simple Living Cycles in Framingham never dissapoints when it comes to advertising bikes on Craigslist. There are some very convincing arguments in this ad to buy a rigid 29er:

1. You have to be hardcore (according to the Urban Dictionary) to ride a rigid 29er which I believe that is what he means by Smashmouth.
2. I am sure he would agree that Gears are for Queers (reference courtesy of Bikesnobnyc) with his statement: No girly shocks or gears here. Because only hardcore mountain bikers (and Cyclocrossers) ride rigid.
3. I am not sure I would exactly agree with this statement: One-speed mountain folks are so tough, when they go to the bathroom, crowbars come out !! I do know my excrement smells like roses (and so does Jessica Simpson's flatulence) and is worshipped by the non-29er, full suspension riding community.
   

So, if you are looking for a good reason to go 29er and neither Phil nor I have been convincing enough for you, let me point you to six reasons why you should ride a 29er.

No Low Ballers. I always find it amusing people selling bikes on Craigslist that think the price they set is what you are expected to pay. You have to figure that the price on the bike is marked up at least 10 to 20% and what you really don't know is the actual condition. Of course, there are those people who put a bike up on Craigslist because they just want to sell it and that is the true value of Craigslist, I think. That is how I got my Mongoose. Twenty clams for the perfect family/winter commuter rig. At some point I hope to upgrade this to a Kona Unit 2-9 but for the price and the condition of the bike it fills the gap nicely.

Now, take this bike for an example, a 2009 GF Cobia that is being sold at almost half of it's MSRP? My first thought is that it's 2008 and not a 2009 but if the owner has too many bikes and is selling a bike with only one test ride, what this really sounds like is a Local Bike Shop. Probably one of their good customers wanted a 29er and they ordered this bike for them but the customer either didn't like it or it was too small for them. In order to keep the customer, the LBS took it back and is now trying the bike in anyway possible. Good chance they don't sell many 29ers if any at all.

This still could be a good deal if you are looking for 29er and the bike is the right fit. Still, I don't see why the seller couldn't be a little more forthcoming on the reason they are selling the bike. Of course there is a Low Ball and then there is a Low Ball Offer. I bet you, if you showed up with $600 cash money the seller takes it. You might even get it for less but probably not much less. That is of course you are getting what the bike is spec'd out as:

Wheels: Shimano M475 hubs, Bontrager Ranger disc 29" rims, 32h

Componentry: Shimano Deore front derailleur, SRAM X5 rear derailleur, SRAM X5 shifters, Shimano FC-M442-8-S crank, Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes | (Full Specs)

Suspension: RockShox Tora Race Solo Air 29, 80mm travel