New vs used - opinions

bobbydigital

Would you rather buy a


Brand new bike for say £750 which is tk silver forks, cheap wheels, low end drive train but all new

Or

Used bike for £750 which would be good quality forks, higher quality frame/steel or alu, slx/xt, decent wheelset etc?


Seems people are a bit scared to buy used bicycles even though the components are so much better and the bikes were double or triple the price new.

I am quite shocked what under £1k actually buys you with a new bike, especially when a £1000 bike was probably £250 trade price.

tom_howard

especially when a £1000 bike was probably £250 trade price.

:roll:

More like 6-700.

For that budget I’d buy 2nd hand, but then I’ve been riding 20 years and can spot a decent bike. Some people can’t, or want a decent warranty/after sales support. Pays your money takes your choice.

swod1

I would consider used after what a couple of mates got recently for about 2k.

My bikes recently broke so Ive got a little project going building a hardtail out of parts off my broken bike, should turn out great.

While saving a bit up to get another full sus later on, some right bikes going for not much money on eBay loads of yt Capra etc.

tom_howard

I would consider used after what a couple of mates got recently for about 2k.

I sold a SC nomad v3 a couple of months ago for £2400. I paid around £8k for it.

swod1

Tom Howard wrote:

I would consider used after what a couple of mates got recently for about 2k.

I sold a SC nomad v3 a couple of months ago for £2400. I paid around £8k for it.

Yes that is what I meant some good bikes about used.

I’d never buy one new there just too expensive and then the value drops loads once ridden.

Santa Cruz must make a very nice profit margin on each frame even though it’s a premium brand.

steve_sordy

I sold a £2800 YT Capra with a recent £400 conversion from 2x10 to 1x12.

Mint condition and I considered myself lucky to get £1800.

That butcher from London got himself a bargain, although he probably reckons he could have got a cheaper deal.

bonzo_banana

Bobbydigital wrote:

Would you rather buy a


Brand new bike for say £750 which is tk silver forks, cheap wheels, low end drive train but all new

Or

Used bike for £750 which would be good quality forks, higher quality frame/steel or alu, slx/xt, decent wheelset etc?


Seems people are a bit scared to buy used bicycles even though the components are so much better and the bikes were double or triple the price new.

I am quite shocked what under £1k actually buys you with a new bike, especially when a £1000 bike was probably £250 trade price.

Not the trade price but wouldn't surprise me if that was the factory door price in Asia. I've seen basic folding bikes for about $30-50 on alibaba that retail for about £140 in the UK so that is about 4x. The margin on bicycle accessories and components is far higher. Factory door price to retail price for those is probably 10-20x.

tom_howard

I’d never buy one new there just too expensive and then the value drops loads once ridden.

No warranty though so you could be out of pocket if it breaks, some manufacturers transfer warranties, the vast majority don’t.

As for the ‘factory price’ that’s pretty irrelevant, as most of the costs involved involved in getting a bike from the designers head to the customer aren’t in the making of the frame.

Plus Santa Cruz don’t see all the money you give to the shop, obviously, (very little, I imagine) it takes a lot of people/businesses to get the bike to you, all of which need paying for.

figbat

I have a carbon fibre 29er HT, an alloy road bike and a carbon road bike. All bought used and all doing me a good job. Two of them had barely been ridden when I picked them up for nearly half their original price.

slc123

I would always buy second hand whether it be a bike or components. There is a certain amount of risk and like everything sometimes you might get burned on a second hand item. I tend to try and ask as much as oh can about the items you are buying. In my experience if it’s knackered and you ask the right question the seller will probably lose interest as they tend to know that it’s going to be hassle to sell something shoddy to you! If it’s expensive go and see it if you can and make sure everything looks ok before you part with any cash. I think it also depends how much you are happy to sort out yourself. If you are then it’s a much lesser risk as a lot of things can be fixed relatively cost effectively if you can be bothered. I’ve always found the depreciation of new bikes pretty crazy too be honest. The only benefit to it is if you’re buying new older models as they do seem to go on sale dramatically when new ones are released.

dcwhite1984

I think if you are competent with a spanner and happy to sort out bits that could break on a 2nd hand bike then go 2nd hand.

If you dont want to or cant face doing the mechanic work yourself or want a warranty for piece of mind then buy new.

2 years ago i was new to mtb and bought a new bike as i knew nothing and i went on reviews in magazines and forum advice, now i know a lot more and would be happy to buy 2nd hand.

You will always get better value 2nd hand but you may need to do a service or a bit of work to get it to a standard that you are happy with.

thistle_

Dcwhite1984 wrote:

I think if you are competent with a spanner and happy to sort out bits that could break on a 2nd hand bike then go 2nd hand.

+1
Bought my current MTB second hand, was a bargain but had loads of issues despite the seller reckoning it was well looked after and maintained etc:
*The "bearings have just been replaced" was just the top bush on the shock, not the frame bearings which had play in them.
*The tubeless conversion was totally bodged, expensive Stan's tape laid over (wider) Velox cloth rim tape so the air was leaking out of the spoke holes
*Threads showing through the sidewalls of the tyres

Still pleased with it for the price, as I've been able to fix everything myself.

A couple of months after getting it I wrote off the rear mech (XT), which want so bad because it was second hand and not shiny new. Oh yeah, it somehow had the wrong mech hanger fitted on it :roll:

The Rookie

I build most my own bikes, my current ride (Whyte T129) was bought as a frame (with shock) and then built up using the bits from my previous bike (the Niota) but with new (to me) wheels and tyres plus a hybrid fork made up from a 26" Revelation and new 29" lowers from Amazon. Practically everything else was swapped over.

bobbydigital

swod1 wrote:

I would consider used after what a couple of mates got recently for about 2k.

My bikes recently broke so Ive got a little project going building a hardtail out of parts off my broken bike, should turn out great.

While saving a bit up to get another full sus later on, some right bikes going for not much money on eBay loads of yt Capra etc.

That was based off of halfords mark up, they were paying between £80-£100 for low end bikes that retail for £300/400. Like their carreras. It's from some cytech trainer I know who worked at a store for a short time and showed me the "paperwork".

bobbydigital

I did ask because my Staton Switchback 650b has been on ebay for a while and wasn't sure if people just built their own used bikes or bought new, a lot of watches (40+ near the end) but no messages.

The frame, forks and wheels seem like an expensive on a used bike with no warranty but everything else apart from really high end components, xx1 eagle stuff, wouldn't be too much to fork out on a used bikes.

swod1

The Rookie wrote:

I build most my own bikes, my current ride (Whyte T129) was bought as a frame (with shock) and then built up using the bits from my previous bike (the Niota) but with new (to me) wheels and tyres plus a hybrid fork made up from a 26" Revelation and new 29" lowers from Amazon. Practically everything else was swapped over.

My last two bikes I’ve built myself and done the same. was a few years since I actually stood in a shop and bought a bike which looking back was the wrong choice.

Found it so easy to build one from ground up.

Recently just put one together on Friday night rather enjoyable, I’m just waiting on some bits to finish it off.

Don’t think I could buy a bike from a shop I’m too used to nice parts on my bikes.

tom_howard

Don’t think I could buy a bike from a shop I’m too used to nice parts on my bikes.

All my bikes have nice kit, all bought new, either off the shelf or custom built from shops. Not the internet giants. Because I want the industry to grow and keep developing, and support local bike shops.

The only reasons for me to buy second hand are if something is no longer available new, or I’m skint. But if I’m that skint, I have bigger problems than what rear mech I have...

slc123

I am pretty sure you can buy bikes with nice parts from shops... :shock:

If you want a specific setup of components, then that's a different story... I build my own because I enjoy it and it's more cost-effective (usually)

tom_howard

I am pretty sure you can buy bikes with nice parts from shops...

I think the poster is alluding to that LBS's (and everyone in the industry) are all money grabbing shysters, how dare anyone make a living out of a hobby etc

Ironically there's as much, if not more profiteering in the 2nd hand market than new...

slc123

Tom Howard wrote:

I am pretty sure you can buy bikes with nice parts from shops...

I think the poster is alluding to that LBS's (and everyone in the industry) are all money grabbing shysters, how dare anyone make a living out of a hobby etc

Ironically there's as much, if not more profiteering in the 2nd hand market than new...

Ahh... I see what you are saying. No point in discussing LBS vs. online retail giants. We all know where that discussion goes.

I agree on the second hand market, ultimately you'll find a lot of second hand sellers are just LBS's and online retail giants! - The bargains to be had are from people actually selling second hand.

tom_howard

I agree on the second hand market, ultimately you'll find a lot of second hand sellers are just LBS's and online retail giants!

a few maybe, but they are the exception (too many variables, unreliable supply compared to new, potential legal issues), what I mean is...

The bargains to be had are from people actually selling second hand.

These bargains are often snapped up by people (not shops/actual businesses) with the sole purpose of stick it straight back on ebay to resell with a huge markup, but still just less than market value. I've even seen people put up wanted ads for stuff, with some poverty story, that they just want to get back riding again, only for those donated/cheap parts to be on ebay a week or two later at market value.

I'm happy to sell stuff cheap if it helps folk out, but i'm careful who to so as not to be taken for a mug

eric_draven

I have bought nearly all my push bikes 2nd hand a few previous years bikes,always refuse to pay new prices,i have had a frame break on me and wasn't able to get a new swing arm for it,it was the risk I took but I new that,only 2nd hand bike i have had any trouble with,did go to buy a Kona Stinky some years ago and the guy had tried to cover a chip out of the shock shaft,but i knocked off a bit of the money he wanted to get it serviced and repaired
the 2 months either side of xmas you seem to be able to pick up some good buys

slc123

Tom Howard wrote:

I've even seen people put up wanted ads for stuff, with some poverty story, that they just want to get back riding again, only for those donated/cheap parts to be on ebay a week or two later at market value.

I've not come across this personally, but that's pretty poor. I don't actually tend to sell stuff, just buy and then hoard it until I can build something else with it!

The biggest issue with second hand is just the risk of what you are actually going to end up with, but ultimately you win and lose some. I got pretty burned on the last frame I bought. Guy was selling with headset and said the shock was X, but when it arrived, he had stripped the headset out and changed the shock for a sub-standard model. Guess what?? Never replied to my emails.

steve_sordy

One of the guys on the MBR Forum sold a very well maintained top end Fox fork on eBay. The buyer complained to eBay that it didn't work properly. He got his money back and he returned the fork. When the seller inspected the fork all the internals had been swapped out for some rusty crap! The seller ended up with an unsalable fork and no money! :shock: :twisted:

The Rookie

MCOL was his remedy then.

froze

At that price range second hand is the way to go. If you buy new you'll have to dump money into it in the near future to get it where you want it or to replace stuff that broke prematurely. Buying used you can get a high quality fork and rims for a much lower price, of course you need to know enough about bikes to be able to determine if the bike has either a lot of miles and things are worn out or it's been abused, so take someone along with you who knows what to look for if you don't know.

The Rookie

That's why I build my own bikes, it means I can buy a frame and the bits that have to be different for that frame but the rest I can just swap over if its good. My XTR rear mech, carbon bars and lightweight stem, Formula brakes and the saddle are all on their third frame, as are sundry other parts.

FishFish

I've bought second hand before and got a reasonable bike which was a trial for buying a better one and which I rode into the ground! I live near / in the Thetford forest and come spring see a lot of new bikes appearing and these are seen for the second time in late Autumn for sale!

I think new with discount is worth a consideration. Halfords flash sales, British Cycling (UK Cycling?) membership discount or stock sold off to allow room for the new model works well and I've used that too.