Follow these tips if you want to buy second-hand bikes. Find out how to do it safely on the internet. There are some users who change their mountain bikes very often, so the time has come for you to buy the model you have always wanted at an affordable price. Where to look What to look at How to close the deal? We have put together a second-hand mountain bike buying guide for you (many tips also work for road models).
1st step: What to look at?
First, decide what you want and how much you are willing to spend. This way you can better digest the hundreds of ads on the internet.
- Define your budget and do not get out of it. It’s easy to be tempted to get over it.
- Decide the type of bikes you want: wheel size, suspension travel, frame material, etc.
- Get the newest model possible. Bikes with the latest technology will have a higher resale value. Of course, older models will be cheaper.
2nd step: Where to look?
You can find ads on web pages and also on Facebook.
- Bikes websites have tons for sale.
- Facebook’s buy-sell pages are very good, although somewhat chaotic.
- Many stores sell bikes that have been used as samples to potential customers.
Do not forget the good stores in your city. It is important that the store tell you if the bike in question has been well maintained and if its former owner was careful with it.
3rd step: Choose the best ads?
Learn how to distinguish an authentic ad from one that is a scam.
- Seller’s story: if there are few photos of the bike, it does not have much activity on Facebook. All these details should make you desist.
- Always look that the ad has a phone number. Call and ask everything you can think of about the bike. If they do not give you clear answers, the bike may be stolen or they simply want to scam you.
- If there is no phone number contact the seller with a list of questions. If the answers are inconsistent, get defensive.
- A bad photo or description does not mean that you should give up on that purchase. Sometimes people don’t have much time to get it right so there are still few people interested in that bike. Ask for more photos and ask all the necessary questions.
- If the bike has a broken part, that shouldn’t throw you back automatically either. It will always depend on the price of the bike and how much it costs to fix it.
- If you buy bikes from a distant seller and have to send it to you, take into account the transport costs and the possible payment of taxes if it comes from abroad.
Step 4: Closing the deal
Once you have some bikes that interest you and after having asked all the questions, it is time to close the deal.
- Bid low. The normal thing is that the seller has made bikes more expensive than he thinks to sell it.
- Always try to see the seller in person and have him show you the bike. You will immediately know if what he has told you on the phone corresponds to reality.
- Ask if you could take the bike with you on the go. If he says no, there is most likely something strange.
5th step: Review the entire bike carefully
Review the bike thoroughly and don’t be shy!
- If the tires, brakes, and grips are smashed, the bike is most likely junk.
- Put the bike upside down and check all the welds.
- Check the suspensions, both the fork and the rear shock. If they are badly scratched, it is not a good sign. Ask when was the last time it was brought to the shop.
- Make sure the brakes are working well and are not sticking. Check the discs and pads. If they are in bad condition, the bike has not been taken care of.
- Check the spoke tension, the tires may be there to change.
- If you haven’t seen the bike in person, ask for photos of all the key areas.
6th step: The purchase
Paying should be the easy part. There are several methods to do this safely.
- Always try to close the deal in person. Ask the seller all kinds of questions.
- Do not make bank transfers unless you already have the bike in your hands. PayPal offers good protection in these cases.
- If you trust the seller and the bike is in good condition, you can make the payment on the fly.
- If you have not seen the seller in person and the payment is online, what happens if the bike does not reach your destination? If you have paid by a secure means, you can defend yourself against the seller. Keep all correspondence: emails and so on. Getting your money back can be a long process, but you’ll be glad you didn’t blindly make a bank transfer and used a more secure means like PayPal.
7th step: Roll with her
The time has come for you to roll towards the horizon with your almost new bike. Take a look at his books on mountain bike, ski, and snowboard maintenance.
Another article on this blog that may interest you:
BICYCLE: ADVANTAGES, AND BENEFITS OF ELECTRIC BIKES