Getting the Right Second Hand Bicycle

Are you about to buy a used / second hand bicycle?

Do you know your single speed from your six gear? Well I’ve put together tips that will help you in efforts in acquiring the best second hand bicycles .

Do you know where to get the best second hand bicycles ? Share your stories here.

How to get the right second hand bicycle

1.What is are the second bicycles for?

Commuting – think about riding position and getting a comfortable ride,

Racing – is on a track or a road.

How long will you spend on the bike – i.e. long journeys short journeys.

What conditions will you ride in? Think about the icy winter.

2.Decide on a road, mountain or hybrid bike

Road bikes are the lightest and most efficient type of bicycle.

Mountain bikes are made to ride on rougher terrain than road bikes.  Older mountain bikes have no suspension.

Hybrid Bikes- These bikes have some of the mountain bike features and some of the road bike features.  Most have straight handlebars and give the rider a more upright position.

3.Female / male

These day bike are getting manufactured for women as well as men. Female bikes accommodate for longer legs and short torso of women. So if you’re looking at a fairly new secondhand bicycle ask if it’s been designed for a man or women.

4.Get the right frame size

In general a road bike frame’s “height” is generally thought to be ideal if it is 67 per cent of your inseam length.

Inseam – It’s from the point of your crotch to the end of your pants. Check out “how to measure an Inseam” for more

Once you have your inseam follow the chart below.

Road Bike Sizing Table Ideal Frame Size (C-T Measure)
Inseam (in.)	Inseam (cm)	Seat Tube (cm)	Seat Tube (in.)	Saddle Height (cm)
27	69	46	18	61
28	71	48	19	63
29	74	49	19	65
30	76	51	20	67
31	79	53	21	70
32	81	54	21	72
33	84	56	22	74
34	86	58	23	76
34	89	60	23	78
36	91	61	24	81
37	94	63	25	83

5.Give it a test ride

Obviously if you’ve gone around to someone house they will not let you take the bike out of their sight, so have them come with you on another bike. Remember, they are not retailers so if something breaks it may be a problem. So I suggest you just go around the block or up and down the street. This should give you the feel of the bike which is the most important.

6.Ask the right questions.

When you phone ask questions to establish rightful ownership and the real reason for the sale. For example “How long have you had the bike?”, “Did you buy it new?”, “What sort of riding have you been doing?” or “Have you replaced any parts on it?” A real giveaway for the seller’s honesty is to ask “Have you ever crashed on it?” If the answer is “No”, then you can’t really believe anything they say as we all crash sometimes.

7.Look at the new prices on similar bikes.

Even if this year’s model is twice as much, you might find shops selling off last year’s bikes at two thirds of the price or less. Get LIVE prices from Amazon here

In your search for a second hand bicycle don’t be too keen to purchase the first one you see, there are always great second hand bikes out there just waiting to be bought at amazing prices, so my final piece of advice is wait until you get the deal you want then go for it.