When considering your next bicycle, you might be debating whether to buy new or to opt for second-hand. Both of these options have many benefits, but which is the correct choice? Second-hand bikes or refurbished bikes can be a great bargain, but do you know what you are getting? As such, you know what you are getting with a new bike but can you/do you want to afford that initial outlay?
These are just some of the questions that we will be exploring in this article to help you decide whether a new bike or a pre-loved bike is right for you. A lot of what is discussed here depends on the individual and their views towards budget, risk and having the latest styles.
Contents and Quick Links
- Current Bike Market Overview
- Pros and Cons of Buying New
- Pros and Cons of buying Used
- When to Choose New vs Second Hand
- Edinburgh Bike Cooperative's Perspective
- Conclusion
Current Bike Market Overview
The styles and types of bicycles available are wider than ever with bikes available for a specific purpose (full suspension bike, touring bikes and pure road bikes) or for a multitude of purposes (gravel bikes and hybrid bikes). When you add in electric bikes the range gets even wider with electric mountain bikes, electric road bikes and electric hybrids available.
Electric bikes are the fastest growing style, and this is showing no sign of slowing down as the bikes are lighter weight and the technology keeps improving. For each style that exists in the non-electric bikes world, there is the equivalent electric version with electric road, mountain, hybrid, touring and cargo bikes available.
E bikes are trending with our customers at the moment, as well as bikes that can perform a number of tasks such as hybrid bikes and gravel bikes as these bikes can be used on different terrain and be used as a daily commuter or leisure bike. Specialized electric bikes and Gazelle bikes sell very well but so do Riese & Muller and Brompton Electric.
So, with all this choice available, does this affect whether to buy new or go second-hand? Let's take a look.
Pros and Cons of New Bikes
Starting with new bikes, we will take a look at what we consider to be the benefits and potential drawbacks of buying a brand-new bike.
Advantages
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You'll get the latest technology - a new bike will have all the newest technology, making it lighter, more efficient and easier to use. The gears will be smooth, and the brakes will stop you well, especially on disc brakes which are fast becoming the norm.
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Pick from the top brands - pick from reputable brands that make high quality bikes and elecrtic bikes.
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Full support from where you bought it (hopefully us) - when you buy a new bike from us, we offer a free initial service at 6-weeks to ensure that everything is working correctly and to correct any bedding-in issues that may have occurred. We are also one of the few retailers that offer a 12-month service to keep your bike working better for longer. In the unlikely event of a warranty having to be carried out, we will be there to assess this and walk you through the process.
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Customisation options - When you purchase a new bike at Edinburgh Bicycle Coop, you can choose to add mudguards, pannier rack, bottle cages, etc, and we will fit these parts for free while building and safety checking the bike.
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Fully safety checked - All of the new bikes that we sell have been assembled by a trained mechanic and are signed off as being safe to ride. We also offer the free services to correct inevitable bedding-in issues and keep you safer for longer.
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Predictable performance - when new gears and brakes are set up correctly, they shift and brake in a predictable way, leading to a safer ride. With a mountain bike or trail bike, correctly set-up suspension leads to more predictable handling.
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Choice of sizes - when choosing a new bike, you will have the choice of the correct frame size (or wheel size for kids' bikes such as Frog Bikes or a Ridgeback kids bike) as there are different sizes in stock for most bikes meaning you will instantly have a more comfortable and efficient bike.
Drawbacks
There are not too many drawbacks to buying a new bike but we will have a look at these now.
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Higher upfront cost - this is the biggest drawback of buying a new bike - the price. It will cost more up-front for something that is brand-new. This being said, there are a lot of different options, either full price or sale, at many different budget levels so we will likely be able to find something that is right for you.
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Immediate depreciation - it is no secret that a new bike does not hold it's value very well but hopefully you are not buying them with the thought of selling them on for a profit - the value in a bicycle is when they are used for years of happy cycling. Plus, the money you save in the long run will help to mitigate this depreciation (but the long-term benefits of cycling is another discussion).
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Overwhelming selection - This might be a drawback, but we see this as a positive. It means with the right assistance (i.e. from us) you will be much more likely to find a bike that fits your particular preferences and riding style.
Pros and Cons of Second-Hand Bikes
Now we are going to have a look at the pros and cons of buying used bikes and if you are set on buying used, we give some handy tips on how to buy well.
Potential Advantages
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Lower initial investment - there is no doubt that buying a used bike will be less expensive than the equivalent new bike. We would always advise checking the bike over before making a decision to see that there are no potential hidden costs to worry about such as replacement parts or areas of damage.
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Possible vintage/classic models - the only way you could get your hands on classic or vintage bicycles is through the second hand marketplace. Unless you are only searching for vintage looks in which case there are many new-bike options available.
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Potential environmental sustainability - there is a significant argument to be made to buy a used bike over a new bike to help protect the environment and we are all for this. Just don't fall for the trap of buying any old used bike as you may end up having to throw it away anyway. If you offset all the environmental savings that a bicycle brings, we believe that this offsets most (if not all) of the sustainablity issues of buying new.
Drawbacks
Here are some of the drawbacks to buying used.
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Potential hidden structural damage - this is one of the main issues with buying a used bike - you can never be totally sure of the quality of the frame and forks. This is particularly important with carbon frames as these can be damaged and not show it. Always, always check the bike for signs of damage or crashes if you are considering buying used. And with carbon frames, we would advise you to be really sure of who you are buying from before you hand over your money.
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Outdated technology - not a drawback in itself as some older tech works really well. The problem arises if the technology used is obsolete and replacing a simple part could mean replacing a lot of different parts. Cycling technology is increasing incredibly quickly and as such, certain standards go out of date quickly so do be wary.
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No warranty protection - If anything goes wrong with the bike, you will very rarely, if ever, have any support from the seller. The phrase "bought as seen" tends to come up a lot in these situations.
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Potential safety compromises - Aside from the 'structural damage' point above, older components might not be working as they should. This is particularly pertinent to brakes, but we would always advise checking not only the frame and forks, but the gears, brakes and moving parts as well.
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Time consuming - Finding the right used item can be time consuming and a little frustrating. You have to trawl through a lot of bikes before you find the right one and then, it might no longer be available.
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The bike could have been stolen - unfortunately, sites that are used to sell second-hand bikes are rife with bikes that have been stolen from their previous owners. We have experienced lots of situations where the bike is returned to the rightful owner and the unknowing purchaser is out of pocket for the amount they spent on the bike. Keep an eye out for deals that seem too good to be true as this sometimes indicates that someone is looking to offload a bike quickly.
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Electric bike considerations - because an e bike has an extra motor and battery, this introduces more components that could have issues. In an ideal world, we would hook these e bikes up to the diagnostic software to be able to discern the health of the battery and motor, but we know that this is very rarely an option. All of the other points above apply equally well to purchasing second-hand electric bikes.
Advice For Buying Used
Buying a used bike can be a great way to find a bargain but you need to be a savvy shopper. Here is some advice on how to protect yourself when buying a used bicycle.
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Check the frame, forks and wheels for damage
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If applicable, check the suspension fork is operational and free of rust
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Check for the presence of a frame number - if this is missing or damaged, this is a red-flag.
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Test the gears and brakes to make sure they are working.
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Make sure the handlebars are tight and the tyres are holding air
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Check the whole bike for signs that it has been crashed in the past - this includes the condition of the pedals, the bar ends and bar tape. Check the extremities of the bike as this can give an indication of how the bike has been treated.
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Be suspicious of a very low price - the bike could have been stolen
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Ask the seller questions about why they are selling, how long they have owned the bike etc.
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Check the frame number against a bike frame tracker website such as bikeregister.com (recommended by the UK Police)
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Take someone with a knowledge of bikes if you feel you need the support
When to Choose New vs Second-Hand
If you have stuck with us this far, you will hopefully have an idea whether buying new or second hand is right for you but let's sum up.
You will be likely to buy a new bike if you want to take the least risk possible on what can be a significant purchase. When you buy new, you have the peace of mind that the bike is in perfect working order and has been checked by professionals while having full aftermarket support from the store you bought it from (speaking for ourselves but we hope all other bicycle retailers are the same). You can also be sure that the bike is not stolen and that parts will not fail just after you make your purchase.
Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative's Perspective
Buying a second-hand bike can be a great way to get a cheaper bicycle but only if you are careful and know what you are looking for. We would always recommend buying new for the peace of mind but we realise that not everyone can afford a new bike. We believe we have some very competitively priced entry-level bikes so the prices may surprise you. There are also great sale bikes available on bikes - because they update each year, you may be able to pick up last-years models at a fraction of the price.
Conclusion
Whether you buy new or used, our ultimate hope is that you enjoy cycling regardless. We hope that this article has answered some questions you may have had if you are debating used vs new and has made your decision easier.
Please pop into one of our stores in Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds or three Edinburgh stores (Bruntsfield, Canonmills and Stockbridge) or contact our online team if you need any further help. Thanks for reading.