Buying Secondhand

craig1m

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a secondhand bike as hoping to get a better spec than new, around £500-650.
I've seen these on eBay, any thoughts please?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specialized-R ... 3cef3ae76c
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201253156674? ... EBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151512621477? ... EBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261719988184? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Also, although a lot cheaper thought it looked ok for a cheaper bike?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121534153751? ... EBIDX%3AIT


Appreciate anybody's thoughts, many thanks in advance,

Craig

KonkyWonky

Quite a variation on riding styles there, it's only a bargain if it fits you and suits your needs.

I'd only advise going the second hand route if you are experienced enough to know what you are buying, otherwise you could find that you need to replace numerous components immediately.

iron-clover

Welcome!
Buying second hand can be a great way to go- as you say you can get a much better spec for the money, but there are also the drawbacks.

First of all is sizing- do you know what size bike you need, and can you make sense of manufacturer's frame charts for those particular year models of bike? If its your first road bike even though the seller may indicate a height range of riders that it is suitable for, you might still find it uncomfortable, and you are much more likely to have to swap stem lengths etc yourself.

Second is the obvious "it is stolen/ fake". If the seller can't tell you very much about the bike or answer any questions without just copying and pasting from the manufacturer's website then avoid- and obviously only ever use pay-pal through ebay if paying before collection when you could inspect it thoroughly.

The second largest pitfall however is maintenance. These machines will have been used in the past and components could be wearing out and different bits such as breaks and gears might need more regular tweaks than from a brand new bike. If you already have experience at working on the different parts of a bike then second hand can be fine as you would already be doing such maintenance on your current bike. However, if it is your first 'proper' machine then it could be a little overwhelming when everything needs doing at once rather than gradually learn how to tune and replace parts (and purchase any specialist tools) gradually as they wear out from new. Buying from a local bike shop is an advantage here as they should be willing to help you.

If you have a budget of £650 you can get some nice machines from your local bike shop when they are on sale, and you will get to make sure they fit properly etc. You should look out for Tiagra equipped machines at that price point- Tiagra is a good groupset now and you should be perfectly happy with it, and the rest of the kit such as wheels are likely to be robust which is what you want on a first bike.

Basically, if you know what you want and are prepared to do some work on the machine, then going second hand isn't a problem. However, if it's your first road bike with that budget you would probably do quite well to visit a bike shop during the sales as they can advise you on a particular model that might fit your needs a bit better, and you get the personal touch. Also remember to budget in clothes and tools etc, although these are fine bought cheaper online- the cost can soon mount up in shops.

Good luck!

craig1m

Hi,

Thank you both for your quick replies. I am a bit torn between buying new and secondhand and thought I may get replies similar to yours re secondhand. I will have a bit more of a think before rushing in. If anyone has any thoughts on the bikes above I would still appreciate hearing them.

Thanks,
Craig

Bozman

If it was me I'd head for the Tarmac, lovely condition and well looked after shown by a great range of photos, good description and the seller has great feedback, the garden looks tidy too .
I would only pay cash on collection so that you can give the bike a once over, if you're not too confident take someone with you who knows what to look for. If there is something wrong you can always walk away with your cash.

meanredspider

I got a great buy on eBay. As above go there to buy it and only part with your cash if you're comfortable but there are great deals to be had.

northpole

Bozman wrote:

If it was me I'd head for the Tarmac, lovely condition and well looked after shown by a great range of photos, good description and the seller has great feedback, the garden looks tidy too .
I would only pay cash on collection so that you can give the bike a once over, if you're not too confident take someone with you who knows what to look for. If there is something wrong you can always walk away with your cash.

Wot he said provided you have done some research into the bike geometry to ensure sizing is approximately correct for you. You can always pay for a bike fit later for fine tuning, which may mean eg a slightly different stem - this is no different in my opinion than if you bought a new bike at one of the well known chains.

Peter

iron-clover

Purely from the ones listed the Tarmac is definitely the best buy- it does look in good nick and I like the wheels- they would be a very nice set of training wheels that can be rebuilt when the rims wear out. It will probably sell for much higher though.

The felt is probably the next best option purely looking at its condition- followed by the Cannondale but depending on how much its been used/ abused it might be more maintainence intensive, and a similar story with the specialized but the newer wheels could suggest it has been looked after- but the drivetrain could be on its way out on either.

kajjal

The above post mentions for about £650 in the sales you can get a brand new Tiagra bike reduced from about £1,000. Also you know it will be the right size.

Below is one example of many :-

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec054417

You can normally get a discount on anything else you buy with the bike if you ask.

Second hand is good if you know your sizing and also how to spot good / bad bikes.

craig1m

Hi all,

Thanks again for all the replies. I plan to go and have a look at the Tarmac before bidding tomorrow if I can arrange with the seller. I was thinking if I buy secondhand at a reasonable price I should not lose too much if I ever want to sell.
Kajjal, I have seen quite a few reduced bikes at Evans and a few other stores on line and plan to visit Evans when back at work next week (pass through Sheffield a few times a week for work) if I don't find anything else before then.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers,
Craig

Bozman

If you're going to look at the Tarmac before the auction ends make an offer, you've got nothing to lose and the seller may snap your hand off because he'll save a fortune in fees.

KonkyWonky

The Roubaix looks in pretty poor shape, quite a few scuffs to the frame, levers and rear mech. I'd be concerned that the hanger may be damaged given the scuffed mech. The Giant wheelset is also fairly strange. It's older Shimano 105 5600 fitted.

The Tarmac looks in excellent condition, chain and cassette look spotless which is a good indicator of how the bike has been looked after. Shimano 5700 fitted which was only superseded last year so fairly new kit, would be surprised if it goes for any less than £800.

The CAAD9 looks in reasonable shape but I'd be concerned that it needs a new chain and cassette, they look pretty grim in the pictures. It's also the older Shimano 105 5600, not worth the asking price IMO.

The Felt looks in excellent condition as well, although you are going down a groupset to Shimano Tiagra. Nothing wrong with Tiagra though. I'd be wanting it for a little cheaper than the advertised £425, but the seller may take an offer as has been suggested to save him the fees on ebay.

TheHound

Kajjal wrote:

The above post mentions for about £650 in the sales you can get a brand new Tiagra bike reduced from about £1,000. Also you know it will be the right size.

Below is one example of many :-

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec054417

You can normally get a discount on anything else you buy with the bike if you ask.

Second hand is good if you know your sizing and also how to spot good / bad bikes.

This ^^^

With that budget at this time of year it's perfect to buy a new bike at 2nd hand prices.

diy

I haven't bought a new bike in over 10 years. I tend to go nearly new or build up from parts (MTBs). Lots of cycle to work bikes end up unused and get sold in perfect condition 18 months old. Just remember there is no warranty on anything. If you are buying high end nearly new doesn't make too much sense as you are still paying lots for bike which is sold as seen - even if the seller thinks the warranty can be transferred, it probably can't and you are left with the good will of the manufacturer if you have a problem. You should be looking at 30-40% off new price minimum otherwise no point.

craig1m

Hi all,

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't get to see the Tarmac in the end as I was ill but it went for over £830 anyway. I have now decided to go for a new bike, especially after realising I can get one through the cycle to work scheme

I'll probably put up another post with my dilemma over what to go for!

Thanks,
Craig

chadders81

You'll get a better deal from the classified adverts on here. A Planet X Pro Carbon should be in your price range and they are really versatile bikes.

Keep £100 back for new tyres, brake pads, chain and cassette (unless it specifies it's got new ones) and then don't be surpirsed if it needs new cables.