Buying used mountain bikes for sales may become a significant investment if you are lucky enough to secure a used bike for sales at a bargaining price. On the other hand, it may be your worst nightmare if you happen to stumble upon scammers. Thus, it is always necessary to evaluate several criteria before hitting the purchase button to buy a used bike online. With patience and a bit of luck, you can own a decent used mountain bike for sales at a fraction of what would cost to buy a new one.
Many cyclists have doubts about whether they should go for a used mountain bike or a brand-new one. Which option is better? Is it safe to ride a pre-owned mountain bike? To answer these questions, I’ve done substantial research on various mountain bikes. Finally, I come up with the pros and cons of both options.
I will start with a brand-new mountain bike option. After that, I will move to used mountain bikes for sales in the market. Theoretically, I can’t justify which option is the best choice for you. Only you can pull it off. However, it is advisable to read this article thoroughly before making any decision.
Buying a brand-new mountain bike
Purchasing a brand-new mountain bike is undoubtedly a secure and safe option to do. Many novice cyclists opt to go for a brand new one by buying the bike from local bike shops or getting best mountain bikes under $500 online. However, the safe option doesn’t always mean the right choice. Let’s get down to the pros and cons of buying a brand-new mountain bike option.
Pros
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You get what you want
Buying a brand-new mountain bike always ensures that you will get what you are looking for. Typically, there are many best mountain bikes brands available in the market and, obviously, not all model provides the same efficiency. To buy a brand-new mountain bike for sale, you need to make sure that the bicycle truly meets your expectations.
Generally speaking, you won’t bother paying your hard-earned cash for something you don’t really want, will you? At least, the price you are paying for a certain level of quality should compensate for the benefit and performance you have been expecting. In this sense, I would like to recommend opting for a significant brand and buying the best model that your budget on hand can cover.
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Tons of mountain bikes models to choose
It is undeniable that the saturation of the mountain bike market has already been at its peak. Anyway, most cyclists substantially benefit from this situation. Several brands are now being forced to compete with each other in terms of price and variety of models. Consequently, the buyer will have tons of mountain bike models to choose from. Moreover, the selection of mountain bikes for sales is practically endless, and selecting the right product from a variety of bike models can prove to be overwhelming to most buyers. The bottom line is that buyers can pick the product from immense offers and also opt for the best option that suits them most.
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Brand new mountain bikes usually last longer
Practically, a brand-new mountain bike for sales usually lasts longer than used bikes. Buying a new mountain bike for sales, you will get all-new components with a valid warranty from manufacturers. Therefore, purchasing a new mountain bike is likely to be a good investment in the long run.
Due to the fast-changing market, many cyclists end up getting a new bike within 1 or 2 years after buying a previous model. Don’t forget that we are now in the middle of the highest peak in the bicycle market. You are likely to be bombarded with new bike catalogs almost every week. Not surprisingly, only a handful of cyclists will continue pedaling the same old bike they bought 5 or 10 years ago. On the other hand, this situation has funneled the growth of used mountain bikes for sales in the U.S.
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Manufacturer’s Warranty
A manufacturer’s warranty is probably the most reliable warranty on the market and the only way to get this type of warranty is to buy a brand-new mountain bike. Typically, most manufacturer’s warranties have offered a 2-year limited warranty on components, but some brands like Cannondale or Trek may extend to 3-5 years in some models. Due to severe competition, some brands might even offer a lifetime warranty on some of the high-end models.
Cons
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Price factor
Price is obviously the biggest drawback of buying a new bicycle for sales. The price of a brand-new bike is substantially higher than that of used mountain bikes of the same model. Even though the price of a new mountain bike for sales has recently dropped compared to the past several years because of the fierce competition among major brands. Unfortunately, the price remains a critical factor when buying a mountain bicycle.
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Overtly exaggerated influence
In the world of cycling, there are a number of furtive contents that we should avoid. Like most significant companies in the world, every brand mainly exists for commercial interest, and, likely, their interest doesn’t match yours. In other words, do not be fooled by overtly fantastic offers from notable bike brands in the market because many of them are lacking consistency and reliability.
To single out yourselves from those overtly exaggerated influences, you must entirely make up your mind and be clear of your intention and need. From this standpoint, you have to consider buying a mountain bike that suits you best without being seduced by an exaggerated but inconsistent offer. Fortunately, there are tons of new models out there waiting for you in both brick-and-mortar stores and online stores. Thus, choose your bike wisely. Money is yours and yours alone.
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Need to update the current market
Unlike other products, you cannot only press the buy button to get a new bike when you’re just coming across the new model. You need to keep yourself updated on the current market. There has been a report that many novice cyclists bought obsolete models at a high price after visiting a bike shop for the first time. With tons of new models launched every week, some bike shops will do whatever it takes to clear their stock in the warehouse and they usually target newcomers. This point is very dangerous to both novice cyclists and those who are unfamiliar with this sector. Therefore, it is essential to keep yourself informed before making a final decision. Don’t fall into a discount or promotion offered by the bike shop. For instance, a lack of appropriate bike fitting may lead to a health problems in the future. Thus, do your homework well.
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Little room for customization
Although brand-new mountain bikes do offer you a variety of colors and models to choose from, unfortunately, those brands provide small room for customization to fit your needs. Most manufacturers leave you only a few options, such as colors, and models in the catalog that they have printed so far. However, they simply restrict you from customizing other components such as frame type, wheels, shifting gear, or even tires. On the contrary, used mountain bikes do offer you more room for customization ranging from colors to tires.
Some manufacturers decided to launch a program that allows you to customize your brand-new mountain bike to fit your cycling style. For instance, Trek has come up with The Project One program, which will enable you to do the customization in their workshop or online.
Buying a used mountain bike
Used mountain bikes for sales are gaining popularity over the past several years due to a much more friendly price than a brand-new ones. Many novice cyclists are opting for used mountain bikes over brand-new bikes, especially those who are on a limited budget.
Pros
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Affordable Price
Price remains the most significant advantage that enables the used bike market to compete head-to-head with a brand-new market. For a fraction of what you pay for a standard brand-new bike, you could own a high-performance used bike. Additionally, if you are patient or even lucky enough, you may secure best mountain bike brand at a very bargaining price. To do so, you may have to pay a regular visit to various major auction sites or online used item stores. Another advantage is that most of the used mountain bikes for sales are negotiable in terms of price and delivery.
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Best for the value of money
With the same budget allowance, you usually get a much better quality product from buying a used mountain bike over a brand-new one. For instance, it is almost impossible to own the brand-new mountain bike equipped with Shimano DEORE XT series groupset for a US$ 1,000 budget. However, with the same amount of money, you are likely to get one from the used bike market. Thus, buying a used mountain bike has proven to be better for the value of money than buying a brand-new one.
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More room for customization
One of the factors that are propelling the sheer popularity of the used bike market is the ease of customization. As the size of the used bike market is growing exponentially in the past few years, more and more components become available in the market at an affordable price. With only a handful of budgets, you may be able to build a unique mountain bike that is not available anywhere else in the world.
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Readily available upon purchase
Many used bike shops are recently becoming a one-stop service shops for bike enthusiasts. Taking advantage of a variety of components in the market, you can buy, sell, customize, and do a bike fitting at the bike shop within a day. On the other hand, you may have to queue up for a fashionable bike model and possibly put on the long waiting list if you plan to buy a new one. Practically, the used bikes market is well recognized for its speedy service.
Cons
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High defective rate
If you are a novice cyclist and plan to buy a used mountain bike for the first time, the chances are that you might stumble upon faulty items in the market. Obviously, buying a used mountain bike does carry a risk of getting a defective product. Therefore, it is advisable to do more research on the product you are going to buy before deciding to write your check or hit the “BUY” button.
You may request a ride test to make sure that every part is functioning well if you buy it at the local bike shop. Also, search thoroughly to find any scratch or small bump that may be easily overlooked. If possible, bring an expert to help you. Unfortunately, some defects in many parts are hidden inside and impossible to detect.
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High risk of being scammed
Scammers are prevalent in the used market, and the used mountain bike market has no exception. There are several reports about the purchase associated with the scam in the online used market. Usually, many scammers are targeting novice cyclists or newcomers. This term can be applied to both buyer and seller.
Another quite common case is being involved in a “stolen item” sold online. As a matter of fact, there are many organized crime syndicates that professionally work by looting expensive bike models and simply selling them in the used market. If you happen to come across a top-rated mountain bike brand at a price you wouldn’t get from your best friend, the chances are that you might be dealing with the stolen item. Be aware of it.
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Basic bike knowledge required
Like other used markets, you need to possess some basic bike knowledge to ensure that you will get a decent used mountain bike for the value of money. Generally, the used bike market is a full-fledged auction type. You need to equip yourselves with the information about what you are going to buy or sell. Also, it does require the art of negotiation to get the best result.
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Limited warranty
From my point of view, the biggest drawback of buying a used mountain bike is that you will get a limited or no warranty at all from the seller. In the worst case, you may accidentally be involved with a stolen item sold under a false profile from the seller. Therefore, be vigilant and try not to deal with sellers or buyers in private. Instead, use public portals such as the online auction site or the major used bike shop. Some of them may offer you a limited warranty under their name.
Additionally, you may seek help from many state consumer protection agencies. Some of them may guide for each party to assume its obligation. You may even download the sales contract outline from their website and legally use it as the contract of your purchase.
The Bottom Line
From my point of view, it is a good idea for newcomers to buy a used mountain bike because it is likely to save you a lot of money. In the worst case, you may lose a small amount of money if you finally found out that cycling was not for you. On the other hand, you can upgrade to a higher and more expensive model if you like it.
When you start searching for your new mountain bike, whether it is a brand-new or used one, you may well receive various mixed reviews over the internet. Some of them might be delighted to own a decent used bike at a reasonable bargaining price. On the other hand, another buyer expressed some frustration because of the defect he found on his bicycle. These arguments mentioned have proven to be true. In other words, there is no definitive “right” answer to whether you should go for a brand-new mountain bike or a used one. It depends on your interest, your budget, your condition, and the current market situation.
