Hi all-

I am in the market for a used hybrid. I haven't ridden since I was young, but I'm looking for a decent bike to use to commute to school and back and to ride on some paved paths for a little extra exercise. I went to a local bike shop yesterday and told them I was looking for a hybrid to use for this purpose, and they sold me a used, Schwinn mountain bike. They sold it to me for $125. It has a hole in the tire that has been patched. I looked online and the bike retails at WalMart for $150. I feel a little ripped-off, only $25 less than new doesn't seem worth it, especially with a patched tire- I went to a LBS specifically bc I had read that department store bikes were not worth it and could even be unsafe when ridden on roads. I also didn't want a mountain bike, but I felt so out of my element in a bike shop, that I felt like I should just trust them. Am I justified in wanting to return this bike and go elsewhere for another? I was also wondering how much I should expect to pay for a decent used bike- an entry level Giant or Trek hybrid retails around $500, from what I've seen- it is reasonable to think I could get a used one for $300 or so? If not, what is a good, entry level, bike store quality hybrid that I could get used in that price range?

If you can return that bike for a refund, you should. But the fact is, they asked a price - an overly high price - and you apparently paid it without complaining or negotiating it down initially. The trustrworthiness of a used bike salesman is probably not very different from a used car salesman except in scale and scope. It's reasonable to think that someone who knows what they are doing could get a very good used bike for $300 - but you might not be that person, if you don't know how to evaluate the condition of a used bike, and how to negotiate a purchase of a used durable good like a bike. BTW, there's no way that any used bike unless it's a rare collectible or in really virtually brand new condition should sell for more than half of it's list price when new.

Do you have any friends who are fairly serious bicyclists who know bicycles? If so, see if they'd go with you and help you evaluate used bikes in your area in exchange for a six pack or a pizza.

While I agree that you need to know a lot to be able to evaluate whether you are being overcharged on a used bike, I think you should return the bike and never buy so much as an inner tube from that shop again. It sure sounds like they took advantage of you, and that is valuable information. The main reason to use an LBS is because they know more than you do, and if they use that knowledge to rip you off instead of provide a service, stay away from them.

However, when it comes to buying your first bike, you need help to get a good fit on a style of bike that fits your usage while staying within your budget. An honest LBS is tailor-made for what you need -- but you need to find the right shop. Ask around or do an internet search to find a good shop not too far from you (if you don't have friends who ride, go to the nearest trailhead and ask an assortment of strangers for suggestions. Commonly, one or two names will keep recurring in the recommendations. Start with those places and see if it feels comfortable to do business with them.)

a used bike is always going to be higher priced at a shop compared to buying the same bike from an individual, but that is a bit too much for the bike you purchased. How much too much is hard to say as you did not describe the condition of the bike other than say used. Was the tire itself patched or just the tube.
I am surprised the shop even had a bike at that low a value to begin with, hardly worth their time.
Since it appears that your knowledge of sizing and fit... and wrenches is a bit on the low side, I would not suggest you buy from an individual/craigslist, I would suggest that you visit a couple more LBS in your area and talk to them and see what they have to offer.

Are you certain it's the precise same model at Walmart? Then I'd return the bike if you're able.

Schwinn is kind of a strange brand these days. They sell low-end bikes in stores like target and Walmart, and they have a higher-end line they sell through bike dealers. Make sure first that you're really comparing like models.

I'm honestly not fond of the "buy used" advice that is so often given. Used bikes are a maintenance mine field, and people on venues like Craigslist tend to ask way too much for what they are offering. And not all areas of the country have a robust used-bike market with a decent selection to choose from.

Expect used bikes to have worn rims (rim brakes wear them down), cassete, chain and drive, check condition of them all if it's derailleur. Check crank and bottom bracket, parts should be firm and no play when wiggeling the crank arms. These parts will need to be replaced at some point, and it can cost more than its' worth. If it all wears down before 6 months have passed it has been a very bad deal for you. It's often worth replacing but you need to like the bike and frame for it to be so. The patch in the tire (tube?) is no problem! Used usually go for half of brand new, unless original parts have been replaced with something much better and it's spot on what you are looking for.

Department stores doesn't necessarily sell anything inferior to a bike store; you will usually find very varying kinds of offers, qualities and price ranges either place. What you might expect from a specialising bike store is better mechanics, and storage of parts; it all depens on the individual there though. Some department stores have experienced and knowlegeable mechanics. You would expect some wear and upkeep on a used bike, but if seller says harldy used there should hardly be signs of wear. It's often hard to determen what's the better place to go, unless you know them first hand; they are all in competition and it's often a hard job to stay in business where ever you are situated. If sellers are any good, they should be honest and open about price, quality and condition of the bike. I am always reluctant to go back to a place where I felt cheated or treated badly; you will likely not be treated much better next time you enter their store. An identical frame, with the same name, paint and decals can have different hubs, rims and gear setup, etc, it will affect the price. A good bike mechanic/seller knows this and should inform the customer on what he/she is buying.

I'm guessing the used Schwinn you bought at the LBS is a different model than you'd find a department store. I'm guessing it was a MOAB, which is a decent mountain bike and $125 for a used one in good (not new) condition would be a fair price. Perhaps you could get the store to give you $125 in store credit for an upgrade if you return it.

I would be willing to bet that "used Schwinn" was likely a fairly new bike some person bought at the BBS and quickly realized it needed lots of adjustment to work properly. They took it to the LBS and had them work on it, only to be dismayed to find the repairs cost what the bike did. You probably just picked up the bike for the repair bill. Super, super common thing. The shop I worked for refused to continue working on them without a deposit up front, and later not at all.

What model is it and do you know the year? Schwinn carried on its model names of some decent bikes they had over to their department store line. Post a few pics of it. What is the groupset on it? Is it a rigid fork or suspension? You might have something better than you think. Even if it is a department store frame, perhaps the components have all been upgraded at some point in the bikes life.

Buying a used bike from a bike shop is often like buying a used car from a car dealer- you pay more, and get screwed 7 different ways if you don't know what you're doing.

If they would take the bike back and give you a refund, great. Do it, and buy a used bike from a private party, on Craigslist or something. If they won't take it back, or will, but only for store credit, then sell it on CL. The shop is under no obligation to take it back- as you agreed to pay what they were asking, but i would never deal with that shop again- you trusted them, as being "professionals" to at least put you on a decent bike, and they not only let you down, but screwed you over too.

Don't let the nay-sayers scare you away from used bikes. All of my road bikes except for my very first one (an el-cheapo), including the 2 I have now, were bought used, and I've never had a problem, and have gotten great value. Half the bikes out there that people are selling were never even really ridden. Lots of people buy bikes, and let 'em sit in the garage for a few years after taking a ride or two, and then finally decide to sell 'em after they've sat for a few years without being ridden. It's not as if most bikes were ridden into the ground by pro-level racers who put 40,000 miles on 'em- especially not hybrids! The average hybrid you come across used, will likely be a bike that was bought new, and ridden a few miles on weekends once in a while, and still is like new.

Just learn a little about bikes by reading forums like this one- learn how to tell a decent bike from a junker, and get an idea of how to figure value (or post prospective purchases here, and we'll help), and you'll be fine.

Another option might be to consider a new entry level hybrid from a LBS. You mentioned looking in the $300 range and for about that you could get a new Giant Sedona which is at least likely to be reliable. I suspect there are other real bike store bikes in that price range as well.

Give us a description of the components(brand/model) on the bike - drive train, shifters, and brakes and someone here may be able to tell you if you truly got ripped off. If you got a mass-merchandiser version of the Schwinn, then that is unfortunate. If they sold you this bike because the owner balked at repair costs, that makes the bike shop pretty shady. With LBS labor costs being what they are, getting a repair ticket that exceeds the value of an entry level bike isn't difficult. That's why you should NEVER drop off a bike with just the directions "Just do a tune up on the bike." Get an estimate for specific repairs BEFORE you leave it. The bike shop I once worked in would tell the customer outright that the repair cost would exceed the value of the bike. We always got a bunch of those immediately after the local police auction when stolen bikes were sold off. Either the person overbid or the bike had been trashed while in police custody as they were piled in a heap in the storage area. Buyers with not a clue would see a familiar brand name and bid way over the value of the bike while leaving less familiar brands to the bidders who knew quality when they saw it.

Used bikes are the way to go but only if you are able to judge the real value of the bike and can tell trash from good bikes. I spotted a K2 mountain bike marked $5.99 in a local thrift store last week. It was in rough shape but all I needed to do was a quick look at the components and to pick up the bike to know it was worth a lot of TLC to make it work. It was no Walmart special. Way too light for that. Unfortunately I was about 3 minutes too late as another shopper had spotted it first. He didn't have a clue about the bike. All he saw was the ridiculously low price. It was probably sold by Dick's or Sports Authority. Not the best place to buy a bike but the quality is well above a mass merchandise POS. Buy some basic tools and do your own wrenching using the Park Tool company maintenance guides. You will come out way ahead.

Thank you all- I ended up returning the bike, because it was not what I wanted anyways, and mostly because it was so heavy that I could barely lift it a foot off the ground on my own, which just isn't reasonable for me. I am still searching for my perfect bike... all of your advice here will be of help!

Buying a used bike can be frustrating. However, a reputable bike shop is probably the safest place to buy one. The best used bikes I've seen were sold by a reputable shop that sells that brand of bike and took the bike in on a trade-in. Typically these bikes are late model bikes. If you're looking at a used bike from a good bike shop, they should be able to go over their check list of what they reviewed when the put the bike up for sale. The better shops warranty the bike for a reasonable period of time. The downside is, they rarely have a large enough selection to put you on the right size bike in your price range. Still, don't give up on the bike shop possibilities, just shop around. Keep in mind, the used bike industry is huge. Estimated sales are at $1.3 billion per year (figure provided by the retail bicycle industry web site) and that does NOT include private sales. So there's a lot of shops flipping used bikes.