A few tips
to buy a used bike
11 essential tips
Look at the exterior and overall appearance of the used bike. If you are in the presence of a dirty bike requiring the skills of an archaeologist rather than those of a mechanic, go your way.
If the bike is clean like new or near new, no problem.
Take the opportunity to take a deep look anyway, you never know...
In order to avoid surprises, check if the paint of the used bike and the marking are marked or damaged. If there are large breaks, chips or signs of wear that could be the result of a shock or accident.
At this stage, look at the original threads of the frame (bottle cage, sheath stops and cable passages). Saddle clamps and derailleurs must have no visible cracks. A look at each part of the used bicycle frame is necessary.
The paint can wear and crack as the compsite is in good condition.
It is likely that additional costs are to be considered for a refurbishment or the purchase of a frame, for example...
Then remove the wheels and reassemble them. This is a good way to see if the dropouts and discs are still in good condition and especially if the wheels are not damaged.
The steering stem, cranksets and hubs must be free of play, this is important.
If there are abnormal movement games between some compdaring, find out the number of kilometers traveled with these headsets for example. be aware that a damaged bearing can in turn damage other compdaring important transmission for example.
Even if the gears can shift correctly, this does not mean that the levers and derailleurs do not show wear.
The brakes must not be at the end of their travel but must still have a margin of adjustment.
Know that these compdaring ones can generate quite high costs if they are not in normal working order.
A very worn chain can be replaced at no significant cost, but a chainring and its sprockets can generate quite significant replacement costs.
Even if the replacement of sheaths and pads or brake pads will remain reasonable costs, but it does represent the mode of maintenance and care given to the bike in question.
An opportunity remains an opportunity, but for your comfort and safety, take care to replace tires that are too worn.
Pay attention to the condition of the braking surface of the rims for wheels with pads.
Although wheels can normally show a little with some radius adjustments, be careful about the general condition of the wheel.
As far as carbon rims are concerned, check if there are any cracks or stray noises when rolling. A carbon wheel does not have the same life expectancy as an aluminum wheel.
Think that if you have to intervene on some compdaring to adapt your morphology to the bike, this will generate additional costs.
So opt for a bike that is as close as possible to your morphology.
The ideal is to always test the bike in different road conditions. Thus you will be able to judge the state of the geometry of the bike, the parasitic noises.
Stay objective even if the bike tested is of much better quality than yours.
Proof of purchase is necessary to ensure that you are not buying a stolen bike or a bike that should not be sold.
Even if the seller puts you under pressure and you don't want this good deal to escape you, take the time to properly assess the administrative parts of this bike.
The value therefore depends on the new price, the age of the bike and its general condition.
So take the time to inform yourself that the seller can overestimate the original price and any modifications made to the bike.
Generally the discount (but this is relative to demand) is around 20 to 30% per year on the original recommended price in stores.
Equipment variables on the same model are frequent. So note well for example group mounted on the bike and compare what is comparable.
Above all, beware of prices that are too attractive, look for the error because there are very rarely too naive sellers!
How to choose the model and size of your bike?
In all known cycling practices, it is very important to choose a bike adapted to its morphology. Chaining the hours spent on the bike for several consecutive days can cause discomfort such as pain in the shoulders, back, knees, etc. It is also strongly recommended to consult a specialist in Fitting » this is a postural study that allows you to adapt the bike to your morphology down to the smallest detail.
A good position on a frame of your size will improve your performance and your well-being on your bike.
Each manufacturer has its own way of measuring the size of its bikes since there is no standard as such.
So a size "M" offered by one manufacturer will not necessarily be the same for another manufacturer.
Bike frames featured a straight top tube, and the length of the seat tube allowed for the size of the bike. This information over time has proven to be less and less valid with the appearance of new frame geometries such as: the "sloping" frame (sloping top tube), full suspension frame, city frame etc.
Most manufacturers have turned to international sizes such as S, M, L, XL… While others continue to use “classic” sizes by measuring the length of the seat tube.
We remind you that it is important to pay attention to the size of the bike in order to find the one that will suit you best. It is also strongly recommended to consult a specialist in Fitting » this is a postural study that allows you to adapt the chosen bike to your morphology down to the smallest detail.
- Take a tape measure and a thin, rigid support, such as a notebook.
- Bare feet, stand with your back against a wall, talons against it and spaced 5 cm apart.
- Place the rigid support between your thighs, taking care that it is horizontal and in contact with your perineum.
- Measure the distance from the floor to the top of your rigid support B. This will give you your inseam measurement.
- Refer to the diagram below to find the size of your bike.
Depending on the road bike brands, all sizes do not necessarily exist, in this case, take the size that comes closest to them. If you are between 2 sizes, refine the choice with your size (value A of the diagram).
Once this measurement has been made, a formula must be applied:
• For a road bike : Crotch X 0,65
• For a Moutain Biking : Crotch X 0,56
NAKAMURA E-Crossover S
- Nakamura E-Crossover S
- 2022
Electric / 25 km/h
City bike, VTC
Look 585
- 585
- 2010
Road, Race
Vintage women's motobecane
- Motobecane
- 1980
vintage-town
LaPierre Overvolt GLP 600 
- overvolt glp 600 ultimate
- 2019
Electric / 45 km/h
MTB, All mountain
At Vendre-son-velo.com, we specialize in the purchase and sale of used or new bicycles. Why opt for a product that has already been used? What are the advantages ? A quick overview of the second-hand market!
1 – An economic advantage
It is well known: buying used is cheaper. But to this truth are added preconceptions which often erect barriers and encourage buyers to turn to new rather than used products.
For example, second-hand products would necessarily be of poor quality. This is not always the case and, even, it can be the opposite! A quality product lasts longer, which gives the first user time to enjoy it before reselling it to someone else.
Our current society necessarily grants a higher market value to new objects. Nevertheless, as long as the object is functional and that its aesthetics are not too degraded (for those to whom that matters), it remains quite usable. We can also think that people only resell used products. However, on the second-hand market and more specifically second-hand bicycles, we often find products that have been used very little, even new and still in their packaging. Gifts that have never been used, a purchase on a whim, a duplicate product… There are many reasons!
With a little patience, it is entirely possible to find the perfect bike, barely used or not, at unbeatable prices. So take advantage of it! Vendre-son-velo.com is the ideal platform to find the rare pearl.
2 – An ecological advantage
The second advantage is ecological. If the use of the bicycle is necessarily less polluting than that of a car or public transport, its manufacture still has a negative ecological impact. Electric bicycles also have a higher ecological manufacturing cost than conventional bicycles.
We think that manufacturing a single bicycle costs, on average, 240 kg of greenhouse gases. By buying a used bike or electric bike, you therefore limit your carbon footprint and act for the planet. It also extends the life of the product. This bike would have ended up as waste, but it finds a second wind! This saves the resources necessary for the manufacture of the bicycle, but also those necessary for the treatment of waste.
3 – A wider choice
The purchase of a new bike also has its limits: the models are constantly renewed. Industrial collections are almost always limited in time. Brands produce new models, all the time, in order to encourage more consumption (we would be less inclined to buy from the same company if it only produced the same models from year to year).
Turning to the second-hand market, it is possible to find all kinds of models, still in very good condition and not necessarily aged, which are no longer on the new market.
4 – A conviction, not an obligation
Some people feel subject to the judgment of others: buying second-hand means that you can't afford to buy new. Nothing could be further from the truth! And, fortunately, mentalities evolve. Buying second-hand is now more of a belief than an obligation.
In a society that constantly pushes towards overconsumption, buying second-hand — and selling one's belongings — almost takes a stand and allows, at our level, to act for the environment and against an often unreasonable way of thinking. This gesture can be part of a more global approach:
- Have your objects repaired rather than throwing them away
- Recycle them and find another use for them
- Practice selective sorting
- Limit consumption and waste
- Eliminate food waste
- Choose public transport, walking or cycling over the car
- Etc
All these gestures have a positive impact on the environment, and can also induce substantial savings.
The second-hand bicycle market gives everyone the opportunity to participate in a system different from that of capitalism, a more united, more economical, more responsible and more ecological system.
