This will be a long, informative post on what you should look for when buying bikes secondhand! Photos are of bikes that I bought for €150 (Flybikes Proton, new €690) & €250 (Subrosa custom build, €1000 worth of parts). I also regularly buy neglected big brand bikes for as little as €50, invest about €100 and sell them for upwards of €250.
THINGS BEFORE CONTACTING AND VISITING THE SELLER
1. Try different sites depending on where you live. For me I use either Marktplaats or Tweedehands (I’m from Belgium).
2. Look daily! Good deals will be gone rapidly. Some people will sell their bike for cheap. I got my Subrosa so cheap because the guy shattered his foot in a work accident and just wanted to get rid of it. I got the Flybikes so cheap because the kid rode it twice, let it sit in the garage, then moved out and the parents sold it for cheap, not knowing what it’s worth.
3. Use Google and/or ChatGPT to your advantage. Oftentimes people will just put the brand name or ‘bmx’ in their ad. Googling the brand along with the colour can go a long way. Look for decals as a way to find the name of the model. If you then Google brand name + model + colour you can find the year too. And once you have that, you can find all specifications.
4. Know what is a good bmx and what isn’t. This might be tough for newbies, but general guidelines on what are red flags if you’re looking for a good quality new school bmx:
-Big sprockets (department store bike or kids bike to pedal on)
-Reflectors (same as above. In very rare cases good bikes will have reflectors still on them, especially if parents bought it for a young teenager)
-Tiny handlebars equipped with rear + front brake
-Bulky frame, uneven thickness in TT and DT
-Weird brand name. If you haven’t seen the brand on this sub, it probably sucks. Examples would be names like: Muddyfox, B’twin, Run & Bike, Amigo… and others
-One piece cranks are a biiig no no
-Super skinny tyres
5. Always compare asking price to retail price. Some people will sell their bike for €300 when the retail price is only €350. Some will even ask MORE than the current retail price because they paid x amount. Well buddy, you just got scammed.
6. Scratches are fine, dents are NOT! Always ask for extra, high quality photos. Any serious seller will send you extra photos if you say you’re genuinely interested.
SHORT ‘BIKE INSPECTION’ BEFORE YOU HAND OVER YOUR CASH TO THE SELLER
1. Ride it, even if it’s just for 20 meters in the street. And do a quick check of moving parts:
-Does the headset turn smoothly?
-Turn bike upside down: how do the wheels spin? Are the hub bearings okay?
-Turn the cranks. Any grinding sounds in bottom bracket, chain…?
-Do the pedals spin? Are the hubs okay?
(Check bike specs online beforehand to see if/what hubs are sealed)
- Visual inspection:
-Is the sprocket straight?
-Are wheels severely bent?
-Check for (paint) cracks along the welds
-Big dents or dents in stress points?
-Is there a lot of rust? Always ask if the bike has been kept inside or at least dry
-Forks and bars are often most scratched, that’s just how it is if the bike has actually been used! Try to ignore those cosmetic imperfections. Can always respray if it bothers you so much.
GENERAL
1. If you live in a remote area, you’ll obviously have less to choose from. Be willing to make a two hour trip for a good deal. Most sites will let you sort ads on distance, like ‘within a 20km radius’.
2. Be patient. Like I said, check daily and don’t just settle for a bmx because ‘it’s all that’s available currently’. No. Wait. One day a steal will pop up.
3. If you don’t know much about bmx’ it might be smart to get a friend involved in choosing the right bike for you. Don’t be afraid to ask on this subreddit too.
4. Meet the seller at a public, visible place just to be safe.
I hope this helps at least some people who are considering buying secondhand. If your budget is 300, you can’t get anything good really if you’re buying a new one. If you’re buying secondhand, you might just find a custom build that was over 1000 worth in parts, now selling for 300. Good luck!!!
by valz4130