Used bikes; what to look out for, how much to pay.

[Phil4000]

Following on for my previous thread, I'm considering saving a few quid and going used.

Any tips on what to look out for, when getting a used bike? I'm considering age, would look at obvious signs of wear and tear, check wheels for any buckling, and generally make sure everything is operating ok.

Cheers.

 

[Oldhippy]

If purchasing on gumtree, ebay or privately check it isn't nicked.

 

[ColinJ]

check wheels for any buckling...

Assuming that it has rim brakes - check the braking surfaces of the rims for wear.

Ideally, those surfaces should be smooth and flat. After a lot of braking they can become significantly concave and are in danger of splitting apart.

Either avoid buying a bike with worn wheel rims or factor in the price of replacing the wheels.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Worth checking out the stores for EOL bargains this weekend, often extra discounts over bank holiday weekend.

So many "go to stores" I've used in the last ~20 years have gone, but besides your Halfords/Decathlon/Evans on the high street, a few others I'm aware of with decent reputation online include...
Pauls Cycles (where my ebike came from last year)
RM Cycles (where I nearly bought same ebike from)
Tredz

Many places will do additional discount via British Cycling, Blue Light Card membership etc. of up to ~10%.

 

[Sharky]

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