How to buy a great used bicycle
Bicycles are perhaps the greenest mode of mechanical transportation — and a good one needn't cost a fortune. Here's how to identify a great used bike.
ROLL OUT: Get your exercise, save money and pollute less by riding a bike. (Photo: Sarah_Ackerman/Flickr) If you have a question about the condition of a used bike, take it to a shop for inspection. Bicycles are simple and reliable, but they must be properly maintained for safe operation. Here's a checklist of things to consider before purchasing any secondhand bike.
Comments
Try and think outside your thinking. As an example, there are many many older men/women on fixed income who would use a bike if they could afford one, or could find a 1950's style cruiser, for going to the farmers market, post office, library. But when you are on a serious fixed income, live far from a city, its often very very hard finding a used bike. Same with telling everyone to eat organic food. If you live in an area where you have access to affordable organic foods, farmers markets its.... More
I don't care how poor you are, buy a new bike from a good dealer that your local biking club endorses. Have the dealer fit you to the frame so that your extending your knees correctly and so your forward reach is comfortable. Buy a bike that is suited for city, or suburban riding and then maintain it properly by cleaning and re-oiling the crank, chain and bottom bracket and adjusting the brakes once a year at the dealer or do it yourself. Be willing to spend at least $500 or you will be buying.... More
Seems great, but in reality it sounds like YOU aren't poor. $500? Are you kidding?
Am so glad you noted the issue of a $500 bike. When we moved to the area we live in we intentionally chose a low income area because these wonderful hard working people had been badly ignored by most of society, including the jump on the bandwagon new green thinkers. The working poor are often the least wasteful from my personal observation. They buy clothes at the thrift stores, and simple bulk foods at warehouse style grocery stores.
And the idea of suggesting a $500 bike to.... More
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Don't endorse a new purchase and doubt I ever would. Last 3 bikes I bought were used. Still have all 3 and can use all of them. I'm using my last bike I bought and have all the confidence in it going 500 miles or better. Got it for about 1/3 of the MSRP and was about 3 years old. Did come close to Gene's $500 mark though.
You dont care how poor a person is and that they should be willing to spend at least $500? Your thinking is what makes some people see bike riders as spoiled elitists.
I live in a city where bike theft is rampant. Buyers of new bikes always run a higher risk, so buying a well-maintained used bike is definitely the preferred option where I'm from. This need not apply to those who can avoid locking up your bike outdoors.
Sounds like a bike DEALER!
There is ZERO reason to not purchase a bike used, especially if cost is a concern. Using the guidelines in this article, and perhaps a well informed cyclist friend, will get anyone on a bike that fits them properly and will be serviceable for many years. Obviously, folks should be on the lookout and avoid walmart and other big box brands when looking for a bike. Also, there is no bottom dollar price that always delivers a quality bike. As a former manager of a used bicycle shop I have seen.... More
I still have a bike that I bought used almost thirty years ago, a Schwinn Le Tour II (? have to go out and verify that). I've had minimal maintenance work done on it over the years and expect to have it for more decades to come. I paid $125 for it at a yard sale and have spent only about $100 in various minor fixes, new tires, etc. It's a traditional road bike with dropped handlebars. The shops that have worked on it have tried their best to sell me an expensive, cool new bike, but I won't do.... More
I got a great Specialized bike worth approx. $500 for 13 bucks at a local police auction. They do it a couple of times a year to get rid of the stolen bikes that are never reclaimed. You get a chance to look at the bikes before you bid, and you can always bring someone with you if you don't know what to look for. Good luck, wear a helmet and watch out for crazy drivers!
i live in mpls mn. there is a shop called re-cycle(perfect name)and they hold bike donation drives in the spring, fix them up and then sell them at a reasonable price. they are definetly doing thier part saving tons of scrap from the landfill. they also have a service warranty with the bikes they sell. you can get a pretty descent vintage bike for 50 bucks......that works!
90% of bikes are made in China now, I owned a bike shop in Florida.
They are OK, not great not bad. The difference in price is all about
advertising and brand name. Buy a cheap one, it will do you find for a few years
then replace it if you are one of the very few people that actually uses a bike
for more than a few weeks. Think of exercise machines. How many of you
bought one and used it for a few weeks and now it is rusting away in the garage.
It you our.... More
@Paul,
So what is it? Are you recommending a cheap Chinese bike or a decent one? And no, 90% of the bikes are not made in China, 66% of the bikes are,
http://www.dare.co.in/opportunities/manufacturing/the-business-of-bicycl... , a large percentage, but still you're almost a third off. .... More
The author of this article is obviously a writer and knows nothing about mechanics or bicycles. He/She should write about something they know about.
Paul
So, Paul, if you're such an expert - what exactly was the problem with the article? We eagerly await your illumination. Although strictly amateur, I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about bicycle mechanics and think the author did a fine job of presenting a good overview for the layperson.
Another great source of cycling information is local bicycle clubs. They are a source of used bikes and will be able to tell you what shops to trust and the ones to avoid.
my old bike came out of a swamp. I bought a new tire, sprayed a bit of oil around it and have been using it for years. It won't be good enough for the Tour de France but suits me.
That's funny, I thought I was the only swamp dredger.... Rotten neighbor kid threw a bike into nearby swamp/stream. I pulled it out a season later, rebuilt and repainted it for my daughter who has been happily riding it since. Like many other things in this country (exercise equipment!) the consumption of bicycles greatly exceeds the true demand...even if you're not willing to shop in your local swamp there are plenty of opportunities to acquire a low- or no-priced used bicycle.
Green to me means buying used whenever possible. And I agree that the old bikes simply were more sturdy. L L Bean has one I like and m saving for if I cannot find an old womens bike used.
I found a great Marin Larkspur from another short woman who graduated and was moving back home. This bike fits me perfectly. My previous bike, a Marin Muirwoods, was stolen. I am 65 years old, so I guess this counts as an old women's bike.
Walmart has new bicycles for $90.00. Why buy a rusty used one.
When looking for a new (aluminum frame) bike a few years ago, a bike shop told me Schwinn bikes sold at Walmart were made from inferior parts. To do business with Walmart companies have to sell a product for a Walmart price. Selling a bike for profit through Walmart, Schwinn had to take a few steps back in bike tech by using cheap parts. To get a real quality Schwinn I went to a bike shop (paid more but the quality was light years ahead). Guess the moral is "you get what you pay.... More
If you buy a $90 bike at walmart, you will soon tire of the weight and cheap components. The fun will be gone.
When I went back to Arizona for school I decided I was going to make a concerted effort to be more physically active, which meant taking advantage of trails and to class 40 minutes away (instead of a 10 minute drive). I looked on craigslist and checked out two bikes, one that was advertised on the site as being "gently ridden" but that had an unacceptable amount of rust on it, and the other one being a pink XT mountain bike, used 6 times originally bought for ~$450. I paid $225, and for the.... More
Sadly I know a number of neighbors who would love to find a used bike but many are out of work, have had work hours cut and thus less pay, and buying healthy food is a priority right now. Its sad there are no groups who provide free bikes to the working poor and others who cannot afford them.
Groups who could check the person out and see they are legit and then give them a good sturdy used bike.$100 may not seem like a lot to someome who has the money, but for someone living on.... More
I would love a free bike! where can I get one?! I don't make much money. All this organic food is costing me a fortune
Yes it's a sad state of our society, but there's still ways around if you have the slight know how. If a person doesn't have an internet connection they could go to their local library. Then find their local freecycle.org branch. Put up a request for a bicycle and they could be in business for nothing. Chances are the bike may need something, so they maybe needing to work something out there. Tires go for as cheap as $10 are the shop. Might even get some used ones for free.
Spend your time doing your home work if you're starting out pretty green. Go to www.bikeforums.net and look around. Explain to them what your experience is. Remember, everyone was green at one point or another. It helps that you know your height and inseam so they can tell you what size bike to look for.
If you're more or less just wanting to get something now. It maybe best to stick with the big name
continue, I don't know why my comment didn't get posted completely but anyway.....
It maybe best to stick with the big name companies if you're not sure what to get from who. Some of the big companies are Specialized, Trek, Giant, and Cannondale. All these companies put out quality bikes in the full price range. All these companies, with the exception of maybe Cannondale, you'd be able to find a $200 bike on craigslist.
I just bought a really good bike from Craigslist for $70, a 1995 Diamondback that cost $600 originally. How do I know? I checked out the model on http://www.bikepedia.com/ before I bought it.
Today you can buy a really good looking bike from Walmart for $200, but it's really junk. The average person can't tell without having some accurate information.
it's just a matter of adjusting the tension of the spokes- tighten the ones that are high, loosen the ones that are low.
Be careful here. If you don't know how to true a wheel you can mess it up very quickly. If the wheel has a "hop" it can be corrected but should be done by an experienced mechanic. Also check the rim for dents, bulges and flat spots. These are more serious because they can cause the tire to become unseated, often at a rather inconvenient moment. These can also be fixed, but should be done by someone who has the proper tools and knowledge.
I need a bike (haven't had one of my own for 25 years!) The initial search was overwhelming. But in talking about the bikes with my husband who is a bike enthusiast, I've discovered that what I really want is a cruiser. So my advice is to talk about the features you'd like to have. And then decide or discover if you want a cruiser/mountain/townie/hybrid/BMX/whatever... (I didn't know that there were so many choices!) And then look.
And for the sellers... as a buyer, I can tell you.... More
Cruisers are ok for short distances, but get rather tiring if you're going any distances. I guess it just matters what you want to do and where you live. Personally I would think if you're wanting to get in shape you would need something you can put some miles on. Also if you plan on riding with others, and if they have a more efficient bike, you may end up being the "anchor" of the bunch.
If you really do need that cruiser and nothing else will do, there are ways you can make it.... More
This article is strictly about where to find them and what to watch out for in terms of wear, but assumes the reader knows all about bikes.
When I try to get information on doing biking for exercise, it seems the bike shops try to steer me to the closer-to-$1000 bikes. I'm not sure I'm going to using it that often and will surely spend 1/3 that amount or less.
I've been looking to do biking for exercise and to lose some of my 280 lbs. I'd be mostly riding on roads or asphalt surfaces.... More
You're right where I was 4 summers ago. 280 lbs and out of shape. I bought the cheapest new 15-speed mountain bike I could find ( $53.00) at one of the big box stores - with the promise that if I were still riding it a year later, I would treat myself to a better bike. In the meantime, if I gave it up after a couple weeks, I wouldn't be out a lot of wasted buck$$$. That gave me time to get in a little better shape, learn more about riding and using all those gears efficiently. A year later I.... More
I wouldn't expect any kind of bargain from getting a bike from Walmart. If you don't know what to look for in a used bike in your area, I would start to look for and make friends with people that do. If you find someone that is passionate about riding bicycles, they will go to the ends of the earth to find you a bike that would fit you. With Walmart, you'll be back to where you are now after maybe a year. And probably dejected that bicycling is not for you.
The bike shops are not.... More
Aluminum and carbon fiber frames are not worth the risk--you should NEVER buy one used because you won't know the bike's history and weak points are usually invisible. With a steel welded frame you will never have to worry about your bike hitting a bump and falling apart.
Buying a used aluminum framed bicycle is not a problem. The welds are just as strong as a steel framed bike. As for the bike's history - well, we truly don't know the history of *any* used bike.
Try a bicycle classifieds like bikeservant.com to find a good used bike
