Buying a bike second hand

letap73

Obviously a second hand bike is not usually covered by warranty so what do potential buyers have to look out for?
Second hand bikes can also be very expensive - so how much should you be paying and what is the best way to pay?

MikeBrew

I had this a while back. basically if you're viewing before you buy or collecting - then it's cash or ( if you don't want to carry a lot of cash) paypal from your phone on the sellers premises, - not that Paypal will protect you then anyway. Neither Paypal nor eBay will protect you if you've collected the goods - even if that is after paying (weirdly enough). The worst possible scenario is paying online then being confronted by a pile of crap when you rock up to collect - neither Ebay nor Paypal will reimburse you in that situation. Against that you have the uncertainty of what the bike actually looks like in the flesh if you pay online and have it delivered. The bottom line is pay online and have it delivered, then either Paypal or eBay will give you protection and redress in the event of it being faulty/not as described/stolen.
Never pay online if you're collecting, there's simply no point.
After several lengthy telephone conversations with both eBay and Paypal before buying a bike that was listed as "collection only". I know this . In the event, I collected and paid cash only after a thorough look over the bike in question.

Price wise, it always has to be a good few hundred quid les than the best online retailer offer for the same bike. Private advertisers often start off with very unrealistic expectations about what their second hand bikes are worth. As far as what to look out for, I usually want a sound "back story" that tallies with the visual (or suggested) condition of the bike. Low use is the best thing to aim for. I like to buy from folk who bought it on a whim then barely used it. (though a lot will tell you that anyway !)
If you opt to see it in person Look at wear on the rims braking surfaces, play in the headset, marks on the frame set, play in the wheel bearings, obvious buckles in the wheels, play in the BB. Basically does the condition tally with the description. Even if it's not top line if it's a honest description and a fair price - hen you're dealing with an honest seller which is the main thing to look for.
If you're not confident of your own ability to appraise a bike in the flesh, buy online with eBay and/or Paypal - but ALWAYS have it delivered.
The most basic thing though, is to thoroughly research prices for the bike(s) you're interested in, ahead of time.

Anonymous

I think mike is being a bit over-careful.

Generally I think bikes are hard to really destroy and usually can be cleaned up with a few baby wipes and a new chain/cassette.

I've bought 5 used bikes and all have been excellent. One was a bit mucky but easily cleaned up.

Best way to pay is cash on collection but I've always done paypal gift and been fine.

As for 'what to pay'? it depends. How much can you afford, how much do you want it, how much are you willing to pay, how much is it new? Depending on age I'd look to pay 2/3 current retail price given lack of warranty. Maybe as little as 1/2.

ilovegrace

All I can say is , I sold a Lappiere Xelius on here a couple of years ago retail price of £2800 and i sold it a couple of years old for £750.
Top , top bike , just to big.
The thing is , there are a lot of good bikes out there sold by genuine good people , the trick is to find one.!!
good look.
regards
ILG

lesfirth

The best time to buy a bike on Ebay is when you dont really need one. That is when it has to be a real bargain to tempt you to part with your cash. If you really need a bike you will be tempted to pay over the odds and you will ignore the signs that say walk away. There are some great buys on Ebay ,particularly at the lower to middle price range, that have been bought with good intentions and then hardly used. I would not want to pay more than half list price for a bike that is like new. As has been said already, ask the seller questions that they should be able to answer. If you are confident that you can assess a bike, see the bike before you part with your cash. Any doubt walk away. Do not fall in love with a bike on the internet and if you dont love it when you have seen it and checked it out , again walk away.

supermurph09

Unless the appeal is a super expensive wheelset then I'd think all you need to look at is the frame, all other bits could be replaced quite cheaply? A bit of facebook / strava stalking never goes a miss, this can often reveal how the person looks after the bike.

MikeBrew

coriordan wrote:

I think mike is being a bit over-careful.

Well, yes granted. But I tailored my response to the OP who sounds as though he has very little experience or confidence in this area. Presumably he's very new to it.

letap73

MikeBrew wrote:

coriordan wrote:

I think mike is being a bit over-careful.

Well, yes granted. But I tailored my response to the OP who sounds as though he has very little experience or confidence in this area. Presumably he's very new to it.

I think you reading too much into my post but then you generally seem to be quite good at that.

MikeBrew

Wow is that the time.........