Tips for Buying a Used Bike

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Learn the ins and outs of cycling culture in “The Urban Biking Handbook.”
Learn the ins and outs of cycling culture in “The Urban Biking Handbook.”
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A more common route to bicycle ownership is buying a used bike.
A more common route to bicycle ownership is buying a used bike.

Across the United States people are leaving their cars behind and immersing themselves in the bicycle culture. The Urban Biking Handbook (Quarry Books, 2011) by Charles Haine offers an illustrated guide to cycling culture with repair and maintenance techniques as well as information on the health benefits of cycling. In this excerpt from part one, “The Ride,” learn what to look for when buying a used bike.

You can purchase this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: The Urban Biking Handbook.

A new bike offers a few benefits: you know its history (or lack of one), it is generally covered under at least a 1-year warranty against defects of manufacture, and practically every reputable bicycle shop offers a year of free tune-ups with the purchase of a new bicycle. Whether these benefits are worth the increase in price is a decision every cyclist makes for himself.

A more common route to bicycle ownership is buying a used bike. Every community offers a variety of outlets for used bikes, from thrift stores to community bike shops to online classified services. Used bikes offer great value, but come with unknowns, such as their previous maintenance history. With most types of bikes, however, a quick visual inspection will reveal if the bike is a lemon.

  • Published on Jun 20, 2013
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