Buying A New Bike Vs Used Bike

Cycling in recent years has increased massively in popularity, in no small part - fuelled by the pandemic and the increase in people commuting via bicycle.

The cycling industry for many years has struggled to keep up with demand, and in turn, there has been an increase in second-hand bikes entering the marketplace - leaving customers the choice of buying a new bike or a used bike.

Although the stock situation is always improving, with more in-stock mountain bikes and road bikes available at any point in the last couple of years, we investigate whether you should buy a new bike or a used bike.

Why Should You Buy A New Bike?

There are undoubtedly many benefits to buying a brand-new bike - first and foremost, you can buy a bike based on your exact specifications. You have the complete choice of frame colours, frame materials as well as specifications and options. Now more than ever, more versions of bikes are available, allowing you to select the perfect bike for your budget and riding requirements. A clear advantage is also enjoying the full term of the manufacturer warranty and the after-sales service from the bike shop you have bought the bike - who can liaise with manufacturers in the unlikely event of any issues.

Another benefit of buying a new bike is access to the latest technology - whether that’s the latest blend of carbon fibre or the latest groupset specification and suspension technology.

New Bike Disadvantages

If you are a cyclist who likes to upgrade your bike’s components & parts - it can be a heartbreaking process, removing brand new parts of a bike to replace them with brand new parts. As a standard item to purchase, there is very little in the way of customisation from bike manufacturers - meaning if you want to customise your bike, you really do have to do it yourself after the point of purchase.

An unavoidable downside of buying a brand new bike is the cost - although we try and have sales on our bikes as much as possible - it’s obvious that new bikes are more expensive than second-hand bikes.

Why Should You Buy A Second-Hand Bike?

It would not be a balanced article if we did not discuss the advantages of buying a used bike! Used bikes are particularly attractive to new cyclists, who can try out the sport before committing to buying a more expensive bike brand new. As well as allowing you to enter the world of cycling at a lower initial price point, it’s also possible to buy a more expensive bike than you could afford new or a bike which has been updated with lots of pricy, high-performance aftermarket parts.

There are also some very good people to deal with in the cycling industry - so although there are risks when buying privately - there are plenty of good people to deal with, especially on cycling-specific forums. Several bike shops make used bikes they come across available, when possible - excellent quality used bikes with minimal use.

Used Bike Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage of buying a used bike is undoubtedly the lack of a manufacturer's warranty, but buying a second-hand bike from a bike shop may negate that. Also consider taking somebody you know, who knows their way around bikes, making sure that you are buying a genuine article, which is in good condition. Also read our checklist of what to look out for when buying a second bike.