My first “London” bike purchase was a second hand bike when I was a student. I saved a ton of money and bought a bike I would not have been able to afford first hand. The two problems I faced were making sure the bike is not stolen and getting a good deal.
Note: This is taken from the London Cyclist eBook: A guide to Cycling in London which is freely available to newsletter subscribers. Click here to find out more.
Where to Buy Second Hand Bikes in London?
- Gumtree classifieds in London and eBay are classics though be careful about stolen bikes
- In a bike shop – the LCC maintain a good list of bike shops in London that sell second hand bikes.
- In a police auction – Frank G Bowen run the London auctions
- Classified ads in newspapers and magazines
How to Be Sure You Are Not Buying Stolen Goods
You don’t have to be a criminal detective to know when the bike you are looking at is stolen. There are obvious signs to look out for:
- See if the person who is selling the bike is suited to it.
- Look for the bicycle frame number. This is located underneath the bike. If this has been scratched off it is a tell-tale sign of a bike theft.
- Meet with the person at their house not in a location such as an underground station. If they refuse they may be selling stolen goods.
- Ask for identification
- Ask for an original receipt of when the bike was purchased. If there is no receipt then perhaps they have an original manual
If the owner of the bike has also been smart enough to use BikeRegister then you can use their smartphone app to check the barcode or frame number.
Getting a Good deal on a Second Hand Bike
It can be helpful to have someone with you who knows a thing or two about bikes. Also try and get a test ride. Here are some things you should be looking for:
- Correct frame size – if it doesn’t fit you then there is no point in buying
- Rust – on the chain and on the rest of the bike. The chain can cheaply be replaced but rust on the rest of the bike can be a problem.
- Dents – both on the frame and forks
- Tyres – Are they worn out? They will need to be replaced.
- Sprockets and gears – do the gears keep skipping, do the components look worn out? Replacing them can be a costly exercise.
- Do a full M check – check all the classic areas: bolts, buckled wheels etc should all be assessed. Some things can be fixed cheaply but can quickly raise the price of what seems like a good deal
Have you had any experiences with buying second hand bikes? Leave a comment..
Hi,
I have never bought a second hand bike but have always where possible done a part ex with the bike shop I was buying the new bike from.
They would tell me what the cost of any repairs to it might cost and I usually got about £40 for the old bike and the person buying my old bike got a good deal on a fully serviced bike.
So a bike shop would be my advice to anyone thinking of getting a second hand bike.
Call me I want
Hi, I own a bike which has been used only a couple of times so its almost as good as new. There is a basket attached together with a chain & lock. Pls call or if you email me I can provide a picture of it.
John
020 73512711
Hi John, I called your number. Please call me on 020 7456 8700 and ask for Renu Kaul.
I am interested in your bike.
Thank you.
You forgot to mention Freecycle – that’s where I got all 3 of the bikes that I currently own. All of them needed some work, but I didn’t have to pay a thing!
Hello, thanks for the info – buying second hand bikes is daunting if you don’t have technical knowledge.
I bought a really nice second hand bike from Squeaky Chains. http://squeakychains.com
They also have 4 vital tips for checking out if a second hand bike is good to go:
http://squeakychains.com/tips-for-buying-second-hand-bikes/
Hope you find this helpful.
Squeaky Chains no longer sell second hand bicycles. I rang them this morning in hope of purchasing one today!
Go for it- first bike was second hand 3 or 4 speed Sturmey- Archer, second bike again second hand, paid a fiver, went from Newcastle to Inverness via Great Glen and back-
first trip to France was on 10 speed second hand bike.
Local papers often have a section in the back advertising pages-
Carpe- Diem!!
I might add look to see if the bike frame is postcoded the same as the seller’s address, and if not why not?
If the bike is an old or vintage bike and the chain is rusty then replacing it might not be so cheap and easy. An old chain will wear down, and the cogs at the rear will wear down with it. This means a new chain will not match up to the gear teeth on the back and the chain will skip. This means that the cassette/freewheel and possible the whole back wheel will need replacing too.
To be honest, if a chain is that rusty, it means the bike has most likely been stored outside the majority of the time.
Bikesoup also seems like a decent second hand bike platform. Not loads of London classifieds on there yet but it has sweet functionality.
I bought 2 of my bikes ( 1 city bike and 1 folding bike ) at http://www.bikestotown.com, they have hundreds of bikes and offer free delivery all over EU.
Good article, but no mention of using your smart phone to check if the frame number is registered on bikeregister.com
This also checks the police register of stolen bikes too, and warn if a bike is stolen.
Adding this in now 🙂
Hi,
I am having a foldable bicycle which i have just used for 3 months. It is in good condition. I want to sell it for 90 pounds.
Please call or mail me i can provide you picture.
Thanks
Brij
hi
I want to see pictures of your folding bike . I want to buy it if it in good condition as you said
Modern India is the second largest country in the world and home
to about 1.2 billion people. The cities are brimming with some of the globe’s most highly skilled engineering and tech savvy
urban professionals. Sacred cows and lower caste street sweepers
also make up the landscape in places like Mumbai, Kolkata and the Indian capital, New Delhi.
tape in extensions It’s been two years since Rihanna’s last album and expectations are at
an all time high. Once known for releasing a new album every year, pop’s hardest working hit maker decided to take
some time off in 2013. While she continued to listen to demos and “phuck round”
in the studio, it wasn’t until October 2014 that she really buckled down and got to work.tape in extensions
lace front wigs Mark the head using the DVD pens (I use different colours for each edge) such that the first line covers the entire area of the cap, the second is about 1/4″ (six millimetres) inside the first, the third is 1/4″ inside that and the fourth 1/4″ inside that. See the picture for a visual guide. Coat one side of the sponge with liquid latex and then carefully start to dab the latex onto the head.lace front wigs
lace front wigs After this dramatic victory, and with the Franco Bavarian forces having captured Prague, Frederick forced the Austrians to seek peace. The terms of the Treaty of Breslau between the Austrians and the Prussians, negotiated in June 1742, gave Prussia all of Silesia and Glatz County,[37] with the Austrians retaining only that portion of Upper Silesia called “Austrian or Czech
Silesia.” Prussian possession of Silesia gave the kingdom control over the navigable Oder River as well as nearly doubling its population and territory. In 1744, Frederick also gained the minor territory of East Frisia (located on the North Sea coast of Germany) after its last ruler died without issue..lace front wigs
360 lace wigs Vanilla species may have hair extensions stems up to twelve meters with spaced leaves climbing over the trees. Some always grow upwards, others show pendent habits and grow downwards, hanging in the air from the branches of the trees.[12] In tropical areas, continuous growth is more common, although there are also many tropical species with seasonal growth. In areas subject to droughts or intense cold, seasonal growth is the rule.360 lace wigs
U Tip Extensions No ice packs, cold weather, hot water bottle, heating pads, or sun lamps. Avoid swimming in chlorinated or salt water. Avoid shaving hair in treatment area. A story in Justice League of America 219 220 (October and November 1983) served to explain the origin of Black Canary’s new sonic scream powers, and further, why she continued to appear youthful despite being active since the late 1940s (thereby making her nearly 60 years old). It was established that during the 1950s, she and Larry had a daughter, Dinah Laurel Lance, who was cursed by the Wizard with a devastating sonic scream. Her mother hoped that Johnny Thunder’s Thunderbolt could cure her, but the Thunderbolt was only able to keep the younger Dinah in suspended animation in his own dimension U Tip Extensions..
Great blog you have got here.. It’s difficult to find good quality writing like yours these days.
I really appreciate people like you! Take care!!