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Buying A Used Bicycle

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You nearly always get a better bike for less money if you buy second-hand. First you'll have to track down a suitable bike in your size, you'll need to be sure it's not stolen.

Try local newspapers or e-Bay for a second-hand bike, the bulk of them are cheap. You may have to wait for a good one to come up some local bike shops have second-hand bikes too.

When you find what your looking for, take a mate with you if your technical knowledge is lacking. Check the bike is in working order if it's not & it needs work doing to it that should reflect in the final price.


	~ Crash Damage ~ Rippled paint on the top & bottom tube where they meet the head tube suggests crash damage. Do not buy it.

	~ Frame Alignment ~ Try riding the bike hands off, if you are able to on the test ride. If the bike consistently veers to one side the frame could be out of line. Do not buy it. (Cannondale Lefty's all veer to the eerrr ... left!)

	~ Are The Wheels True? ~ Lift the front and back wheels off the ground and spin them. Any side to side movement & the wheels may need truing. Bulges or cracks in the rims will require a wheel re-build.

	~ Bent Forks ~ Check the forks are not bent inwards towards the down tube. Check the tops to see if they are aligned. Look at the forks head on to see if the wheel sits equally between the legs. Check to see if any oil, dents, or broken seals are visible. Check the value attachments are in good order.

	~ Rear Wheel Alignment ~ Check the seat-stay are not bent and the wheel sits equally between them. Check the rear mech hangers not bent too.

	~ Worn Gear Sets ~ Check for hooked teeth on the chain-ring & sprockets, they are a sign of wear. Generally to replace these items could cost anywhere from £40 - £300 depending on the quality.

	~ Worn Head Sets ~ Check the bars, apply the front brake and rock the bike. If it feels loose, the headset is either too loose or worn. Lift the bars to get the wheel in the air, and turn left and right. Any sticking?. The headset is too tight, or worn.

	~ Bent Pedals Or Crank ~ Check the pedals for damage, spin the pedals to see if they rotate freely & are not seized up. Look at the crankarm, make sure it's tight and feel the crank or free-play.

	~ General Wear ~ Check-out for frayed cables and end caps, ripped saddle, worn out bar ends. They are signs that a bicycle has had some heavy use. Look out for worn tyres & brake blocks too, if the bike has disc brakes check the pads for wear.

	~ Worn Disc Brakes / Rotors ~ Check the system works, pull on the levers and see if the brake pads bit and hold fast. Look for contamination of the pads. Check to see how much braking material is left on the pads too. Look for any signs of leakage from the connections and see if the rotors are in good order.

	~ Worn Spokes / Nipples ~ Check for bent or snapped spokes, if there are any it will need a wheel re-build. Loose spokes can be re-trued. Check the rim has no splits or major dents.

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