Buying Secondhand

[Ivan Ardon]

If your budget really is on the floor, what about a steel framed 90's rigid MTB as a base for a 26 inch wheel tourer? I've built one a Tange framed Saracen. I use it for commuting, day rides on rougher routes and the occasional tour. All in it's cost me under £100, the biggest cost being the SKS mudguards.

I've also built up a full cromo framed 700c tourer from a higher end 1994 Raleigh Pioneer that cost me £20 from ebay. Including a (rather expensive, but good) powder coat, it stands me in £150. For a good looking bike with a decent frame and all new wearing parts, I call that very good value.

Yes, my "proper" touring bike is better than either of them, but it's not six times the cost better.

 

[david1701]

on the floor means as low as poss but if its spread out decidedly flexible.

I'm a freelance so I can pull money from the accounts when I get a few jobs in but other times I'm poor as church mice (it takes a while to build up a decent financial reserve and I'm young )

I could buy the £20 frame and then pick up the components as I went, which I'd like to do as its a way to spread the load of building a really good bike and learn how it works.

I did start pricing up at a components place but it got real dear real fast

 

[swee'pea99]

I'd strongly recommend against building it up bit by bit. People make money by buying bikes on ebay and stripping them down to sell bit by bit. Much better to buy a complete bike.

I'd disagree with those who talk of a test ride being essential. It's not really a practical option if you live in Bude - or at least, it's one that drastically limits your options. Of course you *can* end up with a pup buying remotely, but the odds are very low, especially if you swap a couple of emails first. The overwhelming majority of bikes sold on ebay are fine. This is a good example of what you can get - nothing fancy (it's Reynolds 501, so ok but not top drawer) - from a seller with a near-500 100% positive feedback rating. It'll probably go for 50-something, so with delivery, that's 75-80ish.

That's what I'd go for - not necessarily that one, but something along those lines.

 

[david1701]

I've looked at that one

aye its kinda my plan, email asking about rack lugs (which are hard to see in a lot of the shots) and how tall they are then go for it. Only issue really is combining the fittings for a rack with being the right size with being in that post invoice period when I'm not a big ball of stress

 

[g00se]

I'm in the process of building a bike from scratch via ebay - I'll put a blog up about it later for anyone sad enough to be interested.

It can be more expensive doing it that way - but for me, it's partially a challenge and learning process. Also, it's letting me pick and choose exactly what I want and keeping it within a budget. It can take a while to get everything together and you'll also need access to proper bike tools (which I'm lucky enough to have via a charity I do work for). I think I'm going to end up with a decent sportive/audax bike with lower-midrange Campag kit for around £300 (I've been lucky with the frame and biding my time to be lucky with the wheelset).

 

[mightyquin]

I did exactly what I said to myself I wasn't going to do, and bought a secondhand bike I didn't know much about, via ebay!

Not knowing too much about bikes anyway, I really wanted to buy new, so I could see/try the bike first and have somewhere to go back to if I had any problems.

Then I just saw a bike I liked the look of on the bay, stuck a bid in and won, doh!! As it turns out I got quite a bargain and I'm happy with it. I did send an e mail to the seller (after I bid which I know is the wrong way to do it) and he gave me a helpful and friendly response, which was a good sign. I also made sure I was bidding on something I could collect/pay for in person - and even though it's an auction the goods have to be as described otherwise you don't hand over the money!

Buying via forums like this is probably better, as you are more likely to be buying from someone who knows about bikes and has looked after it well.

 

[MacB]

Be careful with building up it can be addictive, I've just bought an old Peugeot steel racer(no good for your purposes sadly) and junked what was no good. So out went wheels, bottom bracket, chain, cassette(freewheel actually), all cables, headset, saddle, bar tape and brake levers. I stripped the rest right down and spent a few hours at the weekend cleaning and polishing. So now I have a frame, new headset and BB fitted, forks, seatpost, quill stem, bars, crankset, pedals, brakes with new pads and front and rear deraillers with 7 speed downtube shifters. Not too bad to there, total outlay about £50 and some elbow grease, but still another £160 to complete the bike. Yet I don't actually want a racing bike I just wanted something to fettle. I'll probably finish it then flog it on at a slight loss(he says optimistically), but I really need to break this habit

Another thing to consider is whether you can pick up an old bike with a frame you really like and then buy a complete new bike with components that you want. Strip the pair down, concoct the bike you want and sell off what's left over. Ridiculously a new bike can cost less than it would just to buy the groupset and wheelset seperately. Even building your own wheelset seems to cost more, price up the components needed and just look at wheebuild prices available from places like Spa Cycles or Wheelcraft. Another consideration are tools, if you need to pay someone else to do the work, or buy a load of tools, then it'll work out pretty pricey.

Not to say you shouldn't do it, I think it's great but you'll be paying so you need to get a buzz out of this sort of thing.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Try looking at the web site 'Preloved'. It has plenty on there and 3 can set up email notifications if you don't mind the invasion

 

[hondated]

Just returned from collecting a mountain bike I won on Ebay.Its a 2011 Specialised Hardrock Sport and given the upgrades I have saved about £150 so I am happy. Just as well it was upgraded because having won it I found that you could buy the basic model for less than I paid second hand.Still thats typical me but do your research before you bid.

If you can wherever possible try and collect the bike from the seller because then you can reassure yourself it is not stolen.In my case it meant a 200 mile round trip but it was worth it.
macb totally sympathise me too. I saw a Hybrid frame going cheap on Ebay so brought it and then of cause I needed to buy straight bars grips etc thankfully I had gears levers wheels but like you I now have another bike that will just be left sitting in the garage. I just love fettling but it can get expensive.

Anyone know of a reputable charity that needs bikes.

 

[Maz]

This[/url], for one good example, will probably end up going for a lot more than it's really 'worth'.

Went for £511! You could get a decent new bike for that money!