Buying a second-hand bike can save us thousands of zlotys. Below are some tips on how to choose such a bike.

It’s clear – buying a brand new bike may not always be on your budget. If you’ve been considering buying one – especially now that the pandemic is still going on and many people are avoiding public transport – and you don’t want to break the bank, you should consider buying a used bike.

Follow our tips to find the perfect used bike for you, give it a second life and get the maximum bang for your buck.

Refine your search

Whether you’re looking for a road, mountain, or commuter bike, identify three or four models that suit your needs. If you do not know where to start, contact us and we will advise you on what type of bike will be optimal for you.

Make sure you know your size is one of the key elements when choosing a bike.

Check the reviews

If we already know what exactly we are looking for, it is worth taking the time to search online forums and customer reviews about a given model. It is important not only to look at the ratings, but also the specific descriptions. Remember our advice at the beginning of the text – you need to properly identify your needs. If we buy a road bike and we live near the forest and all the paths are dirt, the opinion of a given user will necessarily be negative, although the bike may be excellent in a different use environment.

Take a look at the frame

Small chipping and scratches in the paint are usually fine. But rust stains and frames with dents or cracks on the tubes are not good, says Kamil Różycki, owner of Bike2Hand, these are weak spots and areas where the frame could fail in the future.

Examine the areas that are most stressed while driving (check: under the bottom bracket and around frame joints where cracks are more likely to form). But take a close look at the entire frame – cracks can form anywhere, and you don’t know if your bike has been involved in an accident or has been mishandled.

Check the parts

Replacing the wheels – and other major parts like a suspension fork or drivetrain – can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, so make sure these critical parts are in top condition.

The tires themselves are easy (and inexpensive) to replace, and a damaged wheel can usually be repaired with the help of an experienced mechanic – in fact, look at the rims for damage or extreme wear. This can be verified by a trace of use of the rim brakes. The rim brakes will wear down the rim surface over time. Modern alloy wheels often have a wear indicator; when it starts to wear down you should think about replacing this wheel. Carbon rims also wear when using the rim brake.

If you pick up your bike locally and can do so, it’s best to take a quick test ride. Shift all gears and test the brakes.

Final touches

At Bike2Hand, we do all the work for you and only offer safe, “healthy” bikes in great condition. We believe that it is worth having a bike serviced before putting it on sale and we replace all the necessary elements and clean all the required places. Thanks to this, despite the fact that the bicycle is used, you can only find ready-to-ride bikes in a condition that does not differ much from the new one (this can be compared to the purchase of a pod car).

Nevertheless, it is also worth developing the above habits yourself when choosing a used bike and taking a moment to familiarize yourself with the photos.