General Cycling Discussion - question on used vs new bike purchase.

Better to but new or used? Found a used garmin felt, not sure what year. Is this a good bike it seems to be in good shape? Also found a kestrel 200 sci, not sure what year but also in good shape. each selling for $400. Or should I buy a new windsor royal Windsor triathlon bike for $795?

By "garmin felt" do mean an actual Team Garmin replica Felt F1? For 400$? Are you talking about used bikes or stolen bikes here?

I whole heartedly believe in used bikes. The bike in question should always be tuned up properly before sale. I would think however that lugged frames have a longer life than welded frames.

It depends on your locale, and what's available for sale in the used dept. I buy new at the LBS since our local used bike choices are very limited for the type of bike I prefer, plus I no longer make online bike purchases since I now want to be able to do a test ride before I buy.

Depends...I buy both depending on what it is and how much work the used bike needs. Most of my used bike purchases are for bikes that have been out of production for years and there aren't really any modern equivalents available. Also how handy are you with a wrench? A $400 used bike can quickly match the price of a $700 new bike if you have to pay someone to make repairs or replace worn components.

There are plenty of good deals on used bikes out there, but you have to know what you are getting. My LBS sells used bikes and they come with a 90 day warranty.

Aaron :)

It depends on your level of experience and mechanical ability. If you can't tell a worn out chainring, cassette, or chain you might want to consider a LBS and a new bike. Shifters, bearings and other components can be more expensive than a new bike and depending on the age of the used bike you may not be able to easily replace the parts you are looking for. If you are considering triathlons then you might want a bike that already has 10 speeds and aero bars or your used bike could end up costing as much as a new one.

Then again if you do have access to someone that can look at the bike for you or if you feel you know what to look for then often you can get a better deal on a used bike. The best part is you will often get better wheels if you are looking at a used bike that was higher end.

Both the Felt and the Kestral should be Carbon Fiber and would be a good deal at that price if they are indeed in good shape the frame alone would be worth it. If they have at least as good of components as the Windsor they would seem like a better deal. If either is already upgraded to a 10 speed cassette rather than the 9 of the windsor that would be better still. If not the 9 speed might work just fine.

Well as said above, if you can tell by inspection that the components are good buying used can be a good deal. Also if you think the owner is honest, you can ask how many miles it has.

Really with any kind of upkeep, bikes will last quite a few thousand miles easily 30,000-50,000+. Even active cyclists rarely ride more than 2,000 miles per year. So if you get a bike that is just 2-3 years old, it probably has 90% of its life in it and for about 50% of the new price. The trouble is getting a used bike in the size and category that you desire.

I think that the intelligent The buying processes for new and used bikes are complete opposites.

When you're buying a new bike you can select the brand and model of bike that your budget will support. Then simply buy the size that fits you.

When you're shopping for used bikes, there's usually just one. Consequently the first cut has to be "How does it fit?" If it doesn't fit, it's not a good deal - period. Would you buy a pair of shoes that were too small just because they were cheap?

I bought both new and used but my HUGE preference is for a nice used bike. Good bikes are built to last tens of years so unless horribly abused, a few years old bike will give a very nice bang for your buck. Between Craigslist, eBay and garage sales you can always find something nice and sometimes even nicer :)

I would buy brand new....one time expense