Hi. Looking for some opinions from you experienced folk. I'll be buying a new road bike in spring and am already obsessing with the variety of choices, frame materials, components etc etc. I see a lot of used bikes on places such as eBay, Pro's Closet and the like. Some are 10 years old or more but are made of carbon fiber, have components like Dura Ace or Ultegra. And they're selling for fairly low prices, say $1200. For the same price I see brand new bikes, with aluminum frames, carbon forks and Sora or Tiagra components. My question: Would a person be better off going with a new bike such as these or with a used bike with a superior build and components. That $1200, by the way, plus or minus a bit, is all I want to spend, and I want to stay as light as I can.. Thanks already for your insight.

Personally I wouldn't buy a ten-year old bike for $1200. For someone who's new to the sport I'd go to the LBS and spend the $1200 on a decent aluminum that's going to fit me. You might be looking at a 4700 Tiagra or r3000 Sora equipped bike, but that's still very decent. Plus you will have a warranty with it.

The lure of having something 'high end' for a fraction of the cost is tempting for sure, but as someone else on this forum once said, the purpose of your first bike is to find out what you want for you second.

Examples of what OP is specifically looking at could help the discussion.
Eg.. just randomly pulling an example from one of the referenced sites, not quite 10yrs old (9 yrs), but in the price range mentioned. You could ask something like the linked below, vs. similarly priced CAAD option available new today CAAD Optimo Tiagra

https://www.theproscloset.com/collec...52cm-bike-2010
vs
https://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bi...ntid=undefined

using a Trek CF used example in similar vein:
https://www.theproscloset.com/collec...58cm-bike-2009
vs.
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...Code=red_black

More info needed. How much do you ride now and on what sort of bike? How much do you know about bikes? How adept are you at repairing bikes? How much are you willing to spend to have someone else repair a bike for you?

A few points: used bikes Can be great values---or huge money pits. If you buy used without inspecting the bike ... good luck. You cannot inspect bikes bought on EBay. And if you get a Craigslist bike, you can inspect it---to the limit of your inspection skills. If you buy a used bike, it might be a garage ornament being sold for a third of its value after years of taking up space---or the owner might have slapped a couple new tires and a coat of wax on an old bike. Doesn't mean the bike might not have a lot of life left .... might or might not.

Also ... high-end gear from 10 years ago is about on par with mid-low gear today. A nine-speed Sora group is as good as 10-year-old Ultegra ... and has ten years more life in it. Ten-year-old carbon fiber probably weighs as much a high-quality new aluminum and might have stress cracks you won't find until the frame snaps. or, the frame might last for the rest of your life. Roll them dice.

But just because it is CF doesn't mean it is better than Al or steel ... or even necessarily much lighter. An old or cheap CF frame might weigh more than a good modern Al frame at the same price point.And unless you plan to race seriously, a pound or two probably won't matter.

If you cannot do your own repair work, and are not well-stocked with tool, buy new. For $1200 you should be able to get a really nice bike, equivalent in weight and performance to a higher-end ten-year-old bike. The latest Sora and Tiagra groups are quite good---as good as the ten-year-old high-end stuff, and in many cases, better, because the best parts of the old designs trickled down ... and so did the best parts of the new higher-end designs.

Unless you want to buy quality steel and pay more, i'd suggest an Al frame/CF fork or a CF bike ... depending on what you plan to use it for. if you plan to commute with racks and panniers and a fair-sized load, I might worry about the capacity of some CF frames at that price point.

if I had no tools and limited repair skills, I would look at Fuji and Giant and buy as much bike as I could afford and ride it for the next to decades. Which models you would consider would be determined by how you plan to use the bike.

If I was on a tight budget, I would avoid used bikes because pretty much anything used Might need some repair or replacement---tires, tubes and cables at least---and might have minor problems which might get overlooked on the parking-lot test ride. And EBay used ... i guess you are protected by their return policies, but that means waiting on the bike, getting the bike, finding the fatal flaw, reboxing it, taking it to UPS, and after a couple weeks and a couple bucks, have no bike and a lot of disappointment.

On another hand, I got my Cannondale Rize MTB off craigslist and it was ready to ride and in awesome shape and really fairly priced.

Yeah I wouldn't pay more than 300-400 for used, period. Otherwise I'd go new.

However used bikes can be a good option to get quality at a low price point. You have to do a lot of research to separate the wheat from the chaff, and you have to be willing to do your own work. Working on a bike isn't hard but the learning curve can be daunting.

Good rule of thumb is to expect to spend $80-100 minimum for new cables, housing, chain, and brake pads. Most likely will replace tires too, with prices all over the map. You may or may not need to replace or service the spinny bits with bearings.

That said, I've been more than happy with my 10-year-old Specialized Tricross as my gravel bike, and I've ridden over 10k miles on it so far. I bought the frame+fork used for $200 and put it together with spare parts. I probably have thousands of dollars in it but I don't keep track and that's just stuff that wears out and need replaced regardless of what bike you are riding.

Caveat: I'm slow and frequently wrong.

I prefer a good used bike to a similarly priced new one. But there are a few caveats.

Groupsets have been slowly improving so an Ultegra 6800 or R8000 groupset will be better than previous generations (6500/6600/6700) including 11 speed vs the earlier 9s or 10s.

Nonetheless, some of the new lower status groupsets are still rock solid groupsets.

As far as prices, it all depends on the bike.

Build one with Campagnolo Super Record, 11 speed, and if it doesn't exceed $1000, then it will be in really battered condition.

But, prices are falling on used carbon bikes, in part due to building new ones with lesser components.

Here are a couple of local-ish ones for an example.
https://eugene.craigslist.org/bik/d/...754375782.html
https://eugene.craigslist.org/bik/d/...752486499.html

Craigslist, and other "classified" ads are good, and probably better prices than E-Bay.

I usually think of any used bikes I acquire as needing a complete tune-up/overhaul. However, that may depend a bit on whether you're shopping in true bargain basement territory.

Unless your peers require you to have the latest kit or they will shun you,
why not go Vintage.. ?

If you're any way familiar with bike maintenance, so you can effectively inspect a bike and fix any problems that arise, you can do very well with used - the depreciation on high end cycling equipment is ridiculous

I look for closeout deals on new bikes or frames that are 1-2 years old. Most recently, I bought a complete 2017 Colnago C-RS with shimano 105 for about half of the original price. I stripped the bike down to the bare frame and built it up with Campy Chorus, then sold the take-off parts, as a complete package, on E-bay. That got me the frame for about $950, compared to the retail $1700 for the frame only.

https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...71o3np3b98mvr0

The only bike I bought new was my first, at 10 yrs old. Many used since then, & no real problems, but I am handy & mechanically inclined.

The Pro's Closet tends to sell stuff that has actually been used, but in the bigger picture

bikes are often like other exercise equipment- bought with good intentions & set aside.

A good profile to look for is private party seller, several years old, little used, & 1/2 the price of new, IMO.

We live in a world crammed to the gills with stuff, so there's not much need to buy new.

Being patient and knowing exactly what you want helps. I have bought 3 bikes over the last 2 years. 1 from craigslist and the other 2 from ebay.

The first was a Ridley Helium in mint condition from Craigslist. It was a 2013 model that I bought in 2017 was full Ultegra and came with brand new HED Ardennes wheelset. The previous owner was a runner and bought the bike to nurse a knee injury and rode it for about 600-800 miles over a summer and after the knee got better he didn't feel the need for it anymore. He had all the paperwork and documents from the purchases along with all the pieces and parts that came with the bike, also gave me the pedals and shoes (They were my size) as he wouldn't need them anymore. It took me about 3 months of searching to find it. All the paperwork added up showed that he spent about 4800 on the bike, pedals, shoes and wheels. He sold it for 1400. (I couldn't in good conscious bring myself to negotiate the price although he probably would have)

The 2nd bike was an ebay purchase from Bicyclebluebook. I got a 2016 Diamondback Airen 5C with full Ultegra for my wifey for 1200. It was in mint condition, still had stickers, no scratches, free shipping, no tax. I was amazed at how nice the bike was packaged and shipped. This bike brand new listed for close to 2800.00 and at the time we purchased I could find it listed for 2000 - 2200 as last years model. It was hard to find the right frame size but BBB had the exact framesize we needed and had it listed for 1300+ I put in an offer for 1200 and they took it.

The 3rd bike I bought was from Random Bike Parts. I got a 2017 Blue Pro-Secco from them for 1100.00. Full Ultegra and it seemed like it was a lot buy from RBP and they were just dumping them. The bike was in great shape. I had an issue with one of the tires (It had a tear in the tire) and they gave me a 25$ refund.

If you have no problems doing a little of the basic work yourself buying online can be a great deal. Even if you have a good LBS that is willing to put it together for you.

Currently Random Bike Parts still has a few of the BLUE road and gravel bikes leftover from last year. Ultegra and 105 bikes are listed for 1300.00 but they have a special right now if you use the code BLUE20 you can get 20% off the list price. So you can get a great deal for about 1000.00 on a full carbon ultegra gravel bike or 105 road bike.

-Sean

Go to bikesdirect(dot)com. Buy new for half of your allotted budget and don"t look back.
Jon

I wouldn't go ten year old carbon. Not because of any fears of it blowing up, but because that is when they were first hitting mainstream, and they have been refined A LOT since then. New carbon with 105 can be had for not much more than that, which is plenty enough for anyone that needs help with this question.

A friendly example to prove a point: Save Up To 60% Off Carbon Road Bikes - New Fuji Transonic 2.3, Full Carbon AERO Road Bikes with Shimano 105 22 Speeds+ Aero Fast Wheelsets (not trying to get into a BD argument, just showing what can be found with no looking, tis the season for LBS to start blowing out 2018 stock)

I agree with [MENTION=953]Jon[/MENTION]_T and [MENTION=7263]JeffN[/MENTION]vk---Bikes Direct is a great source for low-cost, high-quality bikes.

Also check local shops for 2017 models that have been sitting forever, of some 2018 models that haven't moved---you have to get really lucky to find the right bike in the right size, but you can get good deals that way.

I also agree with this:

^This is how I feel as well. You're better off going to a shop imo and trying some bikes and getting some advice, rather than buying something that sounds cool on CL or eBay. Sizing alone throws many people off.

True, the bikes have been evolving. I'm currently riding on 20 year old Carbon. In my case, bought as a bare frame, and built to my whims with newer components.

There certainly has been some evolution in bikes. Mine is full carbon with aluminum dropouts, but tubing size and shape is very similar to the vintage steel road bikes.

I've heard that the early 2000's frames were a bit overly stiff, and then there has been recent effort to mix some stiffness and some compliance to the ride.

Those deals on Tiagra and 105 carbon fiber bikes are quite amazing!!! Unfortunately, it also puts the used prices in quite a squeeze.

The most important thing is that you enjoy your bike,and it brings a smile when you get out and ride.

When I took up photography long years ago, as a poor starving student, I had the same question. Do I buy the used Pentax SLR or the new rangefinder Yashica for the same price? I went for the Pentax, and loved it. Same with bikes, except buy what fits and buy what you can afford. You can always upgrade components later, if it's a bike you like and enjoy. I've had used bikes and new bikes. As long as they fit, and are properly adjusted, very little difference in the riding experience. I still have my 54 year old Legnano that I got new in 1964. Its only new for a few hours, then all bikes are used, so buy the one you like. I will say that 2 of the 3 modern bikes I got new were year end closeouts and I got great deals off list price. The other "newish" one was a mfr demo that rode like new, but was priced at substantial discount. Whatever, be sure you ride it first, ideally, ride several of them.

The trade-in value of a '15 bike that originally sold for ~$1700 is <$350 so... there's a lot of room to dicker.

Most of my photography equipment is factory refurb .... some people won't touch it, which makes me happy, because i can get as-new stuff for less. Used lenses, in particular if they come from a reputable source, can be a big savings ...

With bikes, as with anything else, if you don't really know your stuff, buying used is a risk.

it has nothing with 'old" versus 'new." it has to do with "damaged" versus "functional."

people aren't suggesting buying new because we are snobs about having the latest .... I rode my '84 Cannondale last night and I am heading out on my '83 Raleigh after I post this.

people don't want to see this person spend all his money on a bike only to find it has some expensive issue --- something like failing bearing which only show up under extreme load .... but will show up more and more until, after he has spent a month riding the snot out of his :"new" bike, he notices it squeaks and creaks .. and get worse and worse ....

My best advice to him would be to find someone who knows bikes and who he can trust, to go with him and buy a $300 used bike---something older or cheaper ... and just ride it to death. learn about how he likes to ride, so he knows what he Wants to ride, next season.

But ... if he can find someone who knows bikes, he can bring that person to buy Any used bike. The reason we are suggesting buying new is because the OP has not posted here about whether he knows anything about bikes.

The used market is a great place to shop if you know your stuff, or know someone who does. otherwise it can be risky ... and we all think h'd be happier on a new Fuji where everything worked perfectly, than on an aging Wunderbike with warped rims, worn bearings, and recalcitrant shifting.

What kind or "road bike" ... Gravel road is one thing, serious training level road (paved) bike is another. Commute, or just pleasure? Need more info?

I won't buy new because I'm a tinkerer. I want to tinker on an older nice bike and "fix it up". I like to slowly upgrade stuff. You may not be interested in that approach at all ...

I feel that you will most likely get more value for your money buying used , but you need to know what you are buying and why . you need a good eye ans a bit of luck . but usualy you will get way more for your dollars buying a quality used machine .

Don't be shy about making offers on Ebay or craigslist. $1,200 is a lot for a ten year old bike. I don't exactly lowball but I've gotten asks down a few hundred, into what I considered a reasonable range.I sell things, too, and I've always got a "get it out of here now" price in my head. Timing is everything.

As others have pointed out, consider how much work a used bike needs, and who is going to do that work. I got a great deal on an old Trek road bike. Nice shape, but I'd still like to tear it down and re-grease. I got a quote from a bike mech. Looks like I'll be buying that special helicomatic wrench after all!

Also, consider going with the classics. CF is nice, and light, but I get a lot of pleasure out of the old steel bikes. Some of them are asking high prices, but there are deals. C/V is my porn section here. I just bought a used Pashley Guv'Nor. Made an offer. It's not an old classic but it might as well be, and it's a pleasure to just sit in the room and look at. Wouldn't recommend it as a daily driver, but it's not bad at all. Hey, if you're buying used you can afford to buy several bikes for the cost of a snazzy new one, right?

fwiw regardless of what route you go, remember the costs of upgrades &/or accesories for the new, or new to you bike