2nd hand bikes...

jam1e
jam1e Posts: 1,068
edited November 2008 in The bottom bracket
Anyone else hate the idea of riding someone elses "cast offs"? It makes perfect sense and clearly you can get a bargain but I just wouldn't feel happy with a 2nd hand main bike.

Although I'd happily buy 2nd hand wreckers (retro project is the preferred term :wink: )

Comments

  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    If you want to spend 100s/1000s more on a bike because it's 'new' that's your choice. I've had new and used and to me theres no difference. Buy a brand new Prince and if you crash on the first ride - it's not new anymore. Of my high end bikes, one was ex-demo and I got to ride it over 2 long weekends abroad and the other was slightly shop soiled, but on those two bikes I saved over £4k :D My Pompino was 2nd hand, good condition. Look at the number of bikes in the classifieds - most have had careful owners and if you can pick up a dream bike at your price then that has to be good.
    M.Rushton
  • jam1e
    jam1e Posts: 1,068
    I agree 100% - still wouldn't feel happy doing it though...
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    If you can get a frame/bike that looks new, for a fraction of the cost of a new frame/bike, it makes perfect sense to get it.

    I'm not sure I'd get a second hand bike that's been really well used and showing more than bit of wear and tear to the paint work though.
    I like bikes...

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  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    I got a much better bike from ebay than i would have been able to afford new, ended up with a 2006 kuota ksano frame, pretty near perfect other than slight laquer peel on carbon seat post and most the other parts were brand new including ultegra sl group, carbon fsa cranks, fizik arione saddle etc etc, so yes 2nd hand i would definately recommend (mine cost 770 pounds)
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
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  • Al_38
    Al_38 Posts: 277
    Yep my first road bike (bought it just over a year ago) was 2nd hand on ebay. Personally I think it is fine so long as you go in with your eyes open and know what you should be looking for. I agree that I wouldn't buy a tatty looking bike unless it was to be used as a hack

    I saved something like half the price of the bike on the first one, and it had obviously been very lightly used, with a particularly vigilant owner. I have also just built a new bike from a carbon frame I bought 2nd hand, direct from the company - it had been the owners bike and he had used it for 2 months. saved ~ £1500 and when it arrived it was almost perfectly immaculate. A touch of cable rub round the back of the bb shell and the paint was slightly marked on the rear dropouts from clamping a wheel in.

    Personally I think that when you have done more miles on the bike than the previous owners then it is really your bike now!
  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    I've bought some second hand stuff off ebay. My latest 'used' purchase was this Mountain Cycle frame which cost about 500 pound shipped.

    It had 3 tiny chip marks in the paint on the underside of the downtube, otherwise in perfect condition. After 1 hour of bike lift + a further hour of riding downhill, the bike already looks considerably more used...

    As soon as it came off the bus lift it had a new blemish, and I was like "oh great", but at least I didn't buy it new & soon got over it. I would have been a lot more annoyed if I'd spent double the price.

    With all this consumerism, we've been brainwashed to believe that other people's scratches are somehow more damaging than the ones we make ourselves. We've also lost the ability to share.
    vertebr.ae | precision braking & shifting
  • robthehungrymonkey
    robthehungrymonkey Posts: 616
    I bought my bike off ebay. MBK team cofidis frame (see 'me' riding it left), Shimano 105 all over. £230. Sweet.
    http://www.KOWONO.com - Design-Led home furniture and accessories.
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    ALWAYS second hand. Only broken that rule three times AFAIR - seeing as I never keep any bike very long (3 months average I guess) these lost me a LOT of money. Buy a new bike for 1500, lose at least 500. Buy it for a grand, probably sell it on for 750. Saving is 250 quid! One of my new purchases depreciated at about £3 a mile!
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • Tempestas
    Tempestas Posts: 486
    It seems like a good idea, but how hard has the frame/forks been ridden and has it received any impacts that may not be visible to the naked eye? With all the hi-tech materials used nowadays I would be extremely wary of buying second hand if I did not know the owner. There may be bargains out there though and it could just be me being overly cautious...

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