Second-hand bike buying advice

TallPaul88

I'm buying my first "real" MTB this weekend, a used 2011 Genesis Core 10 for £300. The seller says it's been recently serviced, and it's only been owned since April, so I think it should be in fairly good condition, but does anyone have anything in particular I should look out for? Does the price seem ok?

Here's a pic:



Thanks!

delcol

cracks and dings on the frame..

The Spiderman

Its always worth checking the drivetrain carefully.If the chain has worn it is quite likely that the cassette and chainrings will be worn too.£30 + for cassette,£15 for chain and £££s for new rings so check carefully.Worth seeing if you can borrow a chain checker to measure the wear.

Also check forks for leaks and that they rebound OK,check frame for cracks.

Tyres can be £50-60 a pair so check them too.

£300 sounds reasonable but it is very much dependant on condition.Any savings on buying secondhand can soon be eaten up by replacement parts,and bvear in mind you can get something like a brand new Carrera Fury for £500-600.