How to buy a used bike: check before the transaction

See you later: size, history and photos

Choose a bike for your routes and boarding. One designation M or 54 does not make frames of different brands the same. Match the geometry with the bike that suits you; if you are not sure, schedule a fitting or Bike fit before the purchase.

Ask for photos from both sides, serial number, transmission and damage. Ask who the first owner was, what details were changed, whether there were falls, frame repairs and painting. At the same time, find out what is included in the price: pedals, wheels, power meter and accessories in the photo are sometimes sold separately.

Find the exact model and its factory specification. Differences are not necessarily bad, but each of them should have a clear explanation.

Check the seller and origin

Ask for the purchase document, if it has been preserved, and verify the serial number. The absence of a check does not prove theft, and the presence of a check does not exclude problems: look at the entire history and the ability to confirm ownership.

Do not follow the sent "secure payment link" just because it looks like a page of a well-known service. Open the platform yourself. Do not send codes from SMS and card details in correspondence. If the seller is in a hurry with the deposit and refuses to inspect, it is better to look further.

To search for offers there are FATRACING marketplace. The presence of an ad in the collection does not mean that the editors have checked the bike or guarantee a deal.

Inspect the frame and fork in the light

Check pipes, welds or joints, steering and carriage assemblies, dropouts, clamping zones and places of contact with the chain. Look for cracks, dents, swelling of the coating, traces of repair and fresh paint in some areas. Ask to clean up the dirty place, and not evaluate it from the memory of the seller.

Pay special attention to the history of impacts of the carbon frame, fork and steering wheel. Eye inspection and tapping with a coin do not guarantee the absence of internal damage. Trek recommends checking at a bike workshop after a fall or impact: Owner's manual, inspection section.

If the origin of the damage is unclear, suspend the transaction until a professional inspection. Do not agree to a trial trip with suspicion of damage to the power part.

Check the nodes that will require expenses

• Transmission: the condition of the teeth, the measurement of chain wear with a suitable tool, the operation of all gears. A new chain on an old cassette by itself does not prove serviceability.
• Wheels: free rotation, runout, play of bushings, condition of rims, spokes and tires.
• Brakes: the operation of both handles, the condition of the pads and rotors, the absence of visible leaks. The residual thickness is checked against the limits of a specific model.
• Bearings: backlashes and jamming in the steering wheel, carriage and pedals.
• Suspension: the condition of the rods, leaks and service history. For a two-suspension, add a hinge check.

A trial trip is possible only after a basic security check and by agreement with the seller. Check landing, braking and shifting under moderate load. Do not try to "test the strength" by jumping.

Calculate the price together with the first one

Make up two amounts: purchase and mandatory work before normal operation. Add consumables, missing accessories and mechanic work. A conditional bike for 70,000 rubles with the necessary repair for 20,000 rubles should be compared with alternatives for 90,000 rubles, not 70,000 rubles.

If you can't estimate the repair price yourself, ask for an estimate from workshop. Do not expect that any rare part can be easily replaced with a cheap analogue: first check compatibility and availability.

Fix the set and calculation

Before payment, write down the model, serial number, completeness, known defects, price and date of transfer. Save the ad and correspondence. Get the bike and the agreed documents, check that the inspected set of wheels and components is installed.

For electronic systems, clarify the control transfer and bindings, the presence of battery charging and keys. After purchase, adjust the fit, perform the necessary maintenance, and start with a short familiar ride. A race is a bad place for the first check of your purchase.