I see a lot of people here saying, “Buy used.” When I was just getting into bicycling I did just that; what I got was an over priced department store bike (Like I said, I didn’t know; I was just getting back into bicycling).

I had previously owned two Sears brand ten speeds that I liked; before that was the assortment of kids bikes. I then decided to get back into bicycling; motorcycles only were adding the pounds.

As I said, I tried the used route. There was almost no selection (there remains almost no selection in the part of the US I live in) and I feel I was taken. I think a lot of people become very hesitant to purchase used bikes because there is no way for someone who does not make bicycling a passion to come out ahead on used bikes. The ones that are not department store, or total junk, are almost always priced at, or above, new price.

Several years back my wife decided that she would go riding with me and I made the mistake of trying the used market. I spent so long waiting for something that was not junk, or overpriced, or both, that she lost interest in the idea. The next time she expressed interest I just put a suspension fork on my rockhopper and pointed her at it. No, it was not a perfect bike for her; but, it was a better solution that spending money on used junk or paying new price for old bikes.

These rare, “smoking,” deals that so many of you boast are just that, rare. It is fine if you have all the bikes you want and are just looking to fill the garage. However, it is not a useful resource for new riders.

People have good reason to avoid the used market and scorning them for doing so is just another elitist attitude.