Buying a second-hand road bike: What to look out for with second-hand road bikes
Kristian Bauer
· 13.10.2022
When looking at the price tags of the latest road bikes, some people's buying mood evaporates: do you really have to spend thousands of euros to elegantly race along country roads on narrow tyres at the weekend? If you don't have a lot of money in your bank account, you might only see one solution after an initial overview of the market: buy a used road bike. For beginners, this may be the best way to test whether narrow tyres are really good for you.
Buying a used road bike: The most important tips
Only buy from reputable sellers
Nobody who buys a used road bike wants to buy stolen goods, a counterfeit frame from China or a bike with accident damage. The only thing that helps is to critically assess the seller. Take eBay, for example: Is the offer suspiciously cheap? Is the seller based in a distant country? What has the seller offered or received in the way of reviews?
Request receipts
Is there the original purchase receipt or proof of service work?
Test drive
The best way to discover defects and
to see if the bike fits when you buy a used road bike. It also helps to assess the seller. And: Take a friend with you who knows the bike.
Buying a used road bike: surfing tips
Where used bikes are traded:
THE PERFECT BEGINNER BIKE
Aluminium or carbon?
Roughly speaking, bikes with aluminium frames are somewhat heavier but more robust than those with carbon frames - exceptions prove the rule. You can see dents in the metal and can also judge how bad they are; damage to carbon is not so easy to detect, so it is important to know the history when buying a used road bike.
Gearstick and brakes
Three manufacturers - Shimano, Campagnolo and SRAM - dominate the market, in that order. They differ primarily in the way their gear systems are operated.
Inexpensive bikes are often not equipped with the same type of components: Manufacturers combine a nominally more expensive groupset with parts from cheaper groupsets from the same manufacturer or with no-name products. The cheaper parts usually work almost as well when new, but are heavier and do not last as long. Since around 2014, most new road bikes have been fitted with 11-speed groupsets. Spare parts are available everywhere for older ten-speed groupsets, but it is more difficult for nine-speed and eight-speed groupsets.
What frame height?
You need to know this value if you are buying a used road bike. The rule of thumb is: inside leg length (cm) x 0.69 = frame height (cm). You can find out why the frame height - for example for very tall or very short people - can deviate from this rule of thumb here here explained in detail.
And the wheels?
Heavier riders (80 kilos or more) should look for robust and absolutely intact wheels when buying a used road bike. A sign of stable wheels are more spokes, for example 20 (or more) in the front wheel and 24 (or more) in the rear wheel.
What role does weight play?
The weight of the bike is of secondary importance for riding enjoyment. Most novices find every road bike light. Top racers weigh around 6.5 kilos, good mid-range bikes around 7.5 kilos and inexpensive entry-level models around 8.5 kilos. If a road bike weighs more than 9 kilos, it doesn't mean that you can't have fun with it. Rather, it could be a very simple bike with cheap, inferior components - or a classic steel frame.
How much is the bike still worth?
You can find the official new price for widely used models, for example, at www.tour-magazin.de out. If the road bike is used and two to four years old, the used price should be around 30 to 50 per cent below the new price. A simple method to find current prices: If you google the model, you will see used bikes, but often also remnants in mint condition. Even better: search for bikes sold on eBay via "advanced search". Age, condition, equipment and the marketplace determine the price differences. The same bike can be sold at a completely different price in an eBay auction than in local classified adverts.
The most critical part of used road bikes is the steerer tube. Even cheap bikes with aluminium frames nowadays have full carbon forks. We have summarised what to look out for in TOUR 06/2021 in a major report for our readers.
Interview: How safe is it to buy a used road bike?
Bicycle expert Dirk Zedler gives tips on what to look out for when buying a used road bike.
TOUR: Is it risky to buy a second-hand carbon racing bike?
Zedler: It is not known. The frames are not critical, but add-on parts harbour a high risk. I know of no case where a frame has exploded without warning. But if the steerer tube suddenly breaks, that's a real problem. You can't tell from the outside whether the fork is damaged. I would therefore always replace the fork.
TOUR: What about carbon add-on parts when I buy a used road bike?
Zedler: If the seat post, handlebars or stem break, I fall off. These are the parts we often have to deal with in our expertises. I would only rely on that if my best mate was selling it.
TOUR: What is the risk with used aluminium racers?
Zedler: The frames are not critical, but the fork is usually also made of carbon. The safety standard for aluminium components has risen massively over the past ten years. It is therefore an advantage to have a bike that is as new and modern as possible. Aluminium is also more "honest": an aluminium handlebar bends in the event of a fall - I can see that. A carbon handlebar may be pre-damaged without me being able to see it.
TOUR: What else should you look out for when buying a used road bike?
Zedler: There is a lot of cheating, from the wrong age and mileage to repaired accident damage. Second-hand bikes are often bought by laypeople, and they are easy to fool. I have already examined a case in court in which an almost new, high-quality branded bike was sold according to the description. In reality, it was a ten-year-old, very cheap bike.
TOUR: Should you buy a used road bike at all?
Zedler: I would only buy in the presence of an expert and from a trustworthy source - preferably from a friend. I've ridden a lot of second-hand frames myself, but I've always replaced all the relevant add-on parts.
Buying a used road bike: It can be expensive!
Damage to the frame
This includes, for example, rounded threads for bottle cages or other attachments - details that are not visible at first glance. Broken threads can usually be repaired, but it can be time-consuming and expensive.
A chain that has not been replaced for a long time ...
... also causes excessive wear to sprockets and chainrings. Changing the chain alone may not be enough and you may have to replace the other parts as well.
Braked rims ...
... can break sooner or later - and replacements are expensive.
Inappropriate translation
You buy a used road bike and want to ride in the mountains, but the bike was previously geared for flat routes. In this case, retrofitting can be time-consuming and expensive.
Retro racer
Original or true-to-original spare parts for steel classics can be difficult to obtain and expensive.
Buying a used road bike: The bike check
If you buy a used road bike, you must make sure that the bike is in perfect technical condition before taking it for a test ride. If you have any doubts, don't go for a test ride to protect yourself.
- Lift the whole wheel up a few centimetres and let it bounce on the tyres. Is something rattling? If so, can the noise be identified and eliminated?
- Lift the wheel at the rear and switch all gears through. Nothing should rattle or drag.
- Inspect the wheel for Fall damage (for example scratches and scuff marks on brake levers, handlebar bends and ends, pedals, rear derailleur and quick-releases).
- Dismantle the handlebars and stem if you buy a used road bike. Were the bolts very tight? Inspect the Check clamping points for damage, especially the steerer tube. Reassemble the wheel using a torque spanner.
- Lift the front of the wheel slightly. Can the handlebars be turned easily from left to right without locking? If not, the steering bearing is incorrectly adjusted or worn.
- Take a look at both tyres from close up, over the entire circumference and from both sides: Is there still enough tread left or is one of the two tyres already showing a square contour? The tread and tyre sidewalls must not show any cuts or cracks, otherwise new tyres will be due immediately.
- Turn the tyres one after the other Front and rear wheel when stationary and pay attention to the gap between the brake pad and the rim. If the wheel runs exactly true, the gap will always be the same width. You should not tolerate deviations of more than one millimetre or be prepared for the fact that repairs will be necessary sooner or later if you buy a used road bike. Push the wheel to the left and right when stationary: Is there any play in the hub bearings? Cone bearings can be readjusted, sealed industrial bearings can only be replaced.
- Check the spokes of the wheels. Missing, cracked, kinked or rusted spokes are a bad sign. Take a close look at the rim flanks and, if in doubt, place a cheque card on them, for example: If the sidewall has already slowed down considerably, i.e. a countersink is visible, the rim may be broken. In any case, a replacement will soon be due.
- Let the air out of the tyres, push the tyres to the side in the rim well and inspect the rim. Rim tape. It must lie exactly in the rim well without creases or folds and completely cover all spoke holes. If the tape is full of holes, threadbare, excessively stretched or otherwise not in tip-top condition, it must be replaced. The rim tape is one of the most safety-relevant parts on the bike!
- Are the brake pads still thick enough? (There must be at least 5 millimetres protrusion above the brake pad holder for rim brakes - even if you buy a used road bike).
- Check Chain and chainringsClearly pointed teeth are a sign of heavy wear. A chain gauge can be used to objectively assess the wear of the chain and check the mileage information.
Legal issues when buying used racing bikes
A purchase contract documents the ownership structure. The most important questions:
What should definitely be included?
- The "object of purchase" (the bike) with a brief description (manufacturer, model, colour, gears, wheels) and the frame number. In addition, both parties with address (show ID!), price, place and date.
What else makes sense?
- The buyer should definitely obtain a guarantee that the vehicle has not been involved in an accident or crashed. So-called ancillary agreements should also be noted, for example descriptions of condition ("as new" or "defective"). Both parties can refer to this later.
Can I cancel the purchase?
- Only if the seller has concealed a significant defect. Firstly, he must be given the opportunity to rectify the defect; a reduction in the purchase price is also possible.
Interview with lawyer Albrecht Dietze
He explains what you should look out for when buying a used road bike.
TOUR: Should you conclude a written purchase contract?
Dietze: A purchase agreement does not have to be concluded in writing. The law generally assumes that there is no formal requirement. Sales contracts can therefore also be concluded verbally, by email or over the phone. However, it is advisable to draw up a written contract, signed by both parties, which sets out the object of purchase, the parties with their addresses, the price and the place and date. This avoids subsequent difficulties with evidence and misunderstandings about the exact content of the contract. In particular, all ancillary agreements should be recorded in writing.
TOUR: Is it possible to cancel a purchase?
Dietze: Only if the seller is responsible for a significant defect and refuses to rectify the defect after the buyer has set a deadline or has rectified the defect twice without success. Instead of cancelling the contract, the buyer can also reduce the purchase price.
TOUR: Does buying a used bike from a dealer offer any legal advantages?
Dietze: In principle, yes, because unlike a private purchase, the dealer cannot exclude liability for material defects when selling to a consumer. He must be liable for the defects of the bike for at least one year. Excluding the warranty is not permitted. Clauses in a dealer's contract such as "Bicycle is sold under exclusion of warranty/liability for material defects" are invalid.
TOUR: Are there any special features when buying via Ebay?
Dietze: When buying online, the customer basically has the same rights as when buying in a shop or buying privately. However, when buying from a commercial seller, you also have a 14-day right of cancellation, which you can make use of without giving reasons.
TOUR: What can you do if a bike "as new" and then defects occur?
Dietze: If the bike does not have the agreed quality, it is defective within the meaning of the law. The buyer can demand rectification, reduce the purchase price or, under certain conditions, withdraw from the contract. If the bike is described as "as new", the buyer can assume that it shows virtually no signs of use.
Our purchase contract for download.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
