Over the course of several years of buying / selling / trading used road bikes I developed a list of the most commonly asked questions and their answers.
Before I had a website I mainly used a fairly long auto reply email to disseminate this information to potential buyers.
I’ve since split some of the information up into individual blog type posts on my site.
Here is that original FAQ auto reply in its entirety:
If you are an experienced cyclist and know the exact bike that you want to come check out–and you indicated something to that effect in your initial email–you probably do not need to read through the rest of this reply.
However, if you are a newbie to cycling, you probably should.
If your original email / question is not covered below, no worries. I do get your original email… so you don’t have to send the same email twice. It may take me a day or two… but if you are legit I will respond personally to your original email (if the answer is not already covered here).
Also, due to Craigslist’s security features, as soon as I renew or delete the posting that you originally replied to–and I do that every couple of days–I won’t be able to reply back to your original email–and vice versa. So you may want to include an email address and/or phone # in your follow up email so we can establish a consistent / reliable connection going forward.
Obviously I would be thrilled to sell you a nice bike. But if your budget is not reasonable for the type of bike that you want, there’s nothing I can do about that. Probably 8 out of 10 emails that I get… (and I get a LOT of emails)… say something to the effect of:
“I’m looking for a nice carbon road bike and I want to spend $1000 or less.”
Where exactly this imaginary $1000 budget that everyone seems to have come from, I have no idea. But $1000 (or less) for a decent carbon road bike (that probably cost $2500 to $3500 new) is not really that reasonable. You certainly CAN buy a decent bike of SOME kind for $1000 or less–sometimes even a carbon bike. In fact, you can often get a really nice aluminum road bike for $1000 or less. And for most occasional / recreational riders, an aluminum bike is perfectly adequate.
But if you are bound and determined to have a full carbon fiber bike… and you budget is $1000 or less… it will likely be an older model… or maybe a bit worn out… or it wasn’t a very high end bike to begin with.
A more reasonable budget for a decent full carbon road bike is at least $1200 to $1400 (partly because everyone and their dog is trying to stay under that imaginary $1000 ceiling… which means that there are a LOT of good bikes just above it). For that budget you can usually get a $2500+ bike that is a just few years old… or a $3500+ / $4500+ bike that is +/- 10 yrs old.
So, instead of focusing strictly on price points (like “under $1000”), I sincerely recommend that you focus on VALUE… as in “bang for the buck”. The most VALUE might be a bike that is $1400… or $1500… or $2000. (And when I speak of value I am talking specifically about getting the most bike for each dollar spent… and that’s about the quality (i.e. weight) of the frame and the quality of the components.) Because with cycling in general–but road bikes specifically–the LIGHTER the bike, the BETTER the bike. ALL high end road bikes are going to be lighter than low end road bikes. In fact, that’s the easiest way to gauge the original price / quality of a road bike: pick it up. If it is heavy, it is probably junk. If it is feather light, it is definitely a high-end bike.
A good bike is not like a sandwich or a bottle of wine that you eat or drink and then it is gone. A good bike is more like a nice piece of furniture: if you buy it right and you buy it used and you take good care of it, it should last forever… and you can probably sell it for about what you paid for it 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 yrs from now. A good bike is an asset, not a consumable. The frame and the parts have a real, discernible, quantifiable, underlying value. (In fact, you can often get more for a bike by “parting it out” than you can get for it “complete”.) You might spend $1500 on a good bike, ride it for a year or two, and sell it for $1200. So, the REAL cost to you is only $300. If you buy a cheaper quality, brand new bike for $1500, you’ll be lucky to get $700 or $800 for that bike in a year or two… so the real cost to you will probably be much higher.
Another way to think about the value of a good bike is to compare it to the other things we spend money on every day, every week, every month–things that many times are actually very bad for us (like Starbucks, junk food, alcohol, TVs, etc). We all have vices… and I’d be willing to bet that almost everyone reading this email spends more on their vices each year than they are willing to spend on a good road bike.
From personal experience I can attest that the better your bike is–and the better it FITS you–the more often–and the longer–you will want to ride it. And that results in a happier, healthier, fitter you. And what’s that worth? If you were 10 to 20 lbs lighter in six months–and could ride a bike for 5 hours straight (100 miles)–would that be worth $1500 to you? $2000? $3000? Because that is easily doable with a good road bike and a little regular training.
Below are the answers to the most common questions that I receive about bikes each week.
FAQ #1 – Is this bike still for sale?
If the posting is still up and / or the bike is still on my website–the bike is still available. I’m very good about pulling postings down and updating my site as soon as a bike sells. But since I have 50+ bikes at any given time, even if the bike you are emailing about happens to be sold, I probably have at least one if not two or three very similar bikes in stock.
FAQ #2 – “Is the price negotiable?”
The short answer to this is that everything in life is negotiable.
The long answer is that when I price a bike I base that price on a few important things:
(1) the MSRP of the bike ORIGINALLY(which is the best indicator of the quality of the original frame and components)
(2) the overall condition of the bike TODAY (for obvious reasons)
(3) the price of other comparable bikes on Craigslist at this time (for example, other 56cm carbon road bikes of a similar vintage with Ultegra components–if that is the type of bike that I am listing for sale)
(4) what I have sold the same (or other very similar bikes) for RECENTLY
So, right off the bat, I try to price each bike fairly based on these four key factors. I’m not just pulling a number out of a hat–and I obviously don’t want to sit on bikes for months and months because they are over-priced. I’ve bought and sold MANY bikes. So I feel that I am pretty dialed in to what any given bike is worth in the Houston market… certainly more than you are. And certainly more than some arbitrary computer algorithm online that does not take into account things like the time of year, the specific geographic area, the strength of the local economy, etc–all of which clearly affect the value of any bike. Which means that–though usually there is a little wiggle room in the listed price–I’m not going to come off the price THAT much… because it is already at or below market value.
The question you really SHOULD be asking (yourself) is: “Can I buy this SAME bike–or a comparable bike–in MY size–for LESS–either on Craigslist or at a local bike shop–TODAY.” If you CAN… then do it. Buy that other comparable bike, for less, somewhere else. (And I don’t mean that in an offensive way; I mean that in a positive, “you’d be crazy not to” sort of way.) But my guess–from experience–is that you can’t. Or you wouldn’t be contacting me about this bike to begin with.
MOST of my bikes are full Dura Ace or full Ultegra level bikes (which would also include SRAM Red / SRAM Force and Campy Record / Chorus). Because those are usually the very best bikes made. BUT… I do occasionally get nice lower-to-mid-level bikes or clean, vintage bikes in trade–which I then tune up / restore, and re-sell.
(more about the different Shimano “groupsets” here: http://www.chainreactionhub.com/road/980-our-guide-to-shimanos-road-groupsets-from-tiagra-to-dura-ace )
You can’t really compare a Dura Ace/Record/Red level bike (best components money can buy) with a 105 / Rival / Athena (average), or Tiagra (below average), or Sora (below average) level bike. That’s an apples to oranges comparison. A 20 yr old full Dura Ace or full Ultegra bike is still often a better overall bike (and certainly often a better value) than a newer Tiagra or Sora level bike. In short, an older bike that was $3000 or $4000 or $5000 new–if in decent condition–is almost always going to be as good or better than a brand new bike that cost 1/2 or 1/3 that much. (Would you rather have a five year old Lexus or a brand new Hyundai?)
FAQ #3 – “I’m (insert your height and/or weight here). Will this bike fit me?”
Nobody rides just one size bike. And all bikes that are the same “size” do not have the exact same geometry and fit. I’m 5′-10″ tall and I comfortably ride 54cm, 55cm, 56cm, 57cm, and 58cm bikes from time to time, depending on the geometry of the model how the bike is set up. (Crank arm length, stem length, drop bar width, seat post type, saddle position, etc.) But 54/55cm is definitely my “sweet spot”.
Use the common bike sizing charts available online to determine what range of bikes should fit you best… and then focus on the middle of that range (the sweet spot).
https://houston-bike-exchange.com/bike-services/bike-size-charts/
After you’ve done that, ride about five or six different bikes in your size range until you find the one that feels / fits you the best. I’ve usually got 60+ bikes… so I’ll probably have at least five or six in your size range that you can ride. (People often come to me to check out one size bike and end up leaving with another… which is one of the benefits of buying a bike from me… you don’t have to drive around town looking at several bikes… you can do that at one location.)
FAQ #4 – “When did you buy this bike? / How long have you had this bike? / Why are you selling this bike?” / How many miles has the bike been ridden? Do you believe in God? / What’s the square root of 4,638? / Where is the nearest post office?
All of the above questions have about the same relevance to this transaction–and none of them tell you anything that you really need to know about a bike. I can’t speak for everyone who posts bikes for sale on Craigslist but most of my postings have very comprehensive details about the bike and usually a lot of detailed photos. Everything I know about the bike is already in the posting. READ IT. I often include links to the manufacturer’s website or to independent reviews of the bike or to bikepedia that contain even MORE info. READ THOSE. But I am not the original owner of ANY of the bikes that I have listed for sale. I do not know the bike’s entire history–and it is not relevant anyway.
Bikes don’t come with odometers so there is no way to know how many miles any given bike has been ridden–and anyone who offers you a mileage number for their bike is either guessing or lying. The only things that really matter when buying a pre-owned bike are: (1) the original quality of the bike and (2) the current condition of the frame and components. And of course (3) the size / geometry of the bike (as it related to you personally).
Many bikes have been upgraded over time… so, some of the bikes I have may be 8 or 10 yrs old but the components are only 2 or 3 years old. The frame might have 3500 miles on it but the components may only have 1000, 500, 200, etc. And a high end bike with 5000+ miles that has been properly maintained can easily still be a “better” bike than a newer or lower end bike with 200 miles on it–or a mid-range bike that has not been properly maintained.
FAQ #5 – “Why do you have so many bikes for sale? Are you a bike shop?”
No, I’m not a bike shop. I’m simply a bicycle enthusiast. I like bikes. I ride bikes. I appreciate bikes. I tune and restore bikes. And I always have. To me, bikes are like tiny little pieces of art & technology merged together. Since I was old enough to pedal I cannot remember a single day of my life that I did not own at least one bicycle. When I’ve lived in the city, I’ve ridden mainly road bikes. When I’ve lived in the mountains, I’ve ridden mainly mountain bikes. When I lived at the beach I’ve ridden cruisers. But I’ve ALWAYS owned and ridden bikes. So, I buy bikes, I ride bikes–and I sell some of my bikes so that I can buy other bikes. It’s a hobby. A passion. Something to do in the evenings to keep my mind and my hands occupied.
FAQ #6 – “Will you trade your super nice bike for my (insert some random, worthless piece of junk here)?”
Even though there is a Barter section on Craigslist–and my bikes are NOT listed in that section–I still get almost daily emails from dudes wanting to trade their old gas grill, rodeo tickets, deer rifles, stereo equipment, etc for my bicycles. My answer to that question is always the same: If your stuff has any value–SELL IT ON CRAIGSLIST–then trade that cash for my bike.
However, If you have a decent BICYCLE of some kind that you would like to trade in on one of my bikes, I may consider that. But you’ll obviously get trade in value, not retail. So, you’ll probably come out farther ahead in this deal by selling your bike yourself, then using that cash to buy my bike.
FAQ #7 – Can I come by and look at all of your bikes?
No. I only show specific bikes to specific people–by appointment only. If you are not actually ready–cash in hand–to buy a bike soon–please don’t waste my time. I mean, you certainly don’t HAVE to buy a bike on the spot for me to show you a bike or two… but if you are just kicking tires or killing time, go to a bike shop. They have more bikes than I do–and sales people standing by who will happily spend all day with you for free. That’s what they get paid for. But I don’t have that kind of time to kill.
FAQ #8 – Do I need a carbon fiber bike? / Are carbon bikes always better / than aluminum bikes?
Absolutely not. Though I deal mostly in carbon fiber bikes, it’s a well-known fact in the industry that most people riding around on brand new, high end, carbon bikes are just wasting their money. At the recreational / consumer level, most riders will never achieve any significant benefit from a carbon fiber bike (over, say, a good aluminum or steel or titanium bike). Remember: carbon / graphite bikes have been around since the late 1970s… but as late as the mid 2000’s, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Fuji–and most other bike companies–still designed, manufactured, and sold extremely high end aluminum framed road & mountain bikes. (The very first pro rider to win the Tour de France riding on a carbon fiber frame, for example, was Oscar Pereiro–in 2006–on a Pinarello). And one of those high end / pro-level / alloy-frame bikes–today–is still just as good–if not better–than a brand new, entry level carbon fiber road bike. The most important thing–more important certainly than frame material–is the correct size and FIT of the bike to the rider–(assuming, of course, that the frame and components are in good condition). You will not be as comfortable, efficient–or as fast–on a new / newer carbon bike that is too big or too small–as you would be on the correct size aluminum, steel, or titanium bike. In cycling… FIT is king.
There’s also a myth out there about bike weight and speed–the belief that a lighter bike is always a “faster” bike. And that simply, factually, statistically is untrue. Bikes are neither fast nor slow. Only RIDERS are fast or slow. And a fast rider on an older, heavier bike will still be faster than you–no matter how light your bike is–if they are in better condition than you are.
FAQ #9 – Do you warranty your bikes?
Well, this is not actually a “frequently asked question” because most people realize and accept that buying a pre-owned bike is very different than buying a new bike–and that “caveat emptor” usually applies. I’ve sold countless bikes over the years and less than a handful has every come back to me with any type of problem–and not one has for a refund. And that’s largely because I would never sell a bike to someone that I had not checked out thoroughly and did not feel 100% confident was safe and road worthy. And because of that track record I feel confident in guaranteeing that any bike that I sell will NOT have any serious problems (aside from normal wear and tear that you would expect to find with any pre-owned bike) or I will either correct the problem or buy the bike back from you (within a reasonable period of time of course).
This obviously does not mean that if you go out and wreck the bike or abuse the bike that you are covered. (We are talking about any issues with the basic mechanical systems… shifting, braking, etc.) And of course this does not apply to cosmetic issues… scrapes, scratches, chips in the paint or clear coat: ALL pre-owned bikes are going to have some of that. But it does mean that you can buy (and ride) with confidence when you purchase a bike from me.
FAQ #10 – What forms of payment do you accept?
I am just an individual tuning, tweaking, and selling a few bikes here and there on the side. I do not accept checks or credit cards. Cash only. So if you are ever coming to check out / buy a bike on a weekend or evening, you’ll probably want to hit the bank before they close… just in case. 🙂
FAQ #11 – Can we meet somewhere “safe”?
If we get to the point where you are coming to look at bikes, you will by that point have my email address, my phone #, and my address. Do you really think I’m going to then bonk you on the head and steal your cash? Would I really go through ALL of this trouble for that? Really? My shop is in a very nice area of Montrose. I am not going to drive around town loaded up with bikes, meeting strangers in strange, random places just to make them feel “safer” when there’s really no safer place to meet than my shop.
***
I hope this reply answered your questions. If you would like to schedule a time to stop by and ride a particular bike, simply reply to this email with some details about when you are typically available and how best to reach you.
I am in the Montrose area (near Richmond Ave and Montrose Blvd) and have a pretty flexible schedule so I’m easy to connect with (once we establish (a) what size / type of bike you are looking for (and your budget) and (b) that I have a bike (or bikes) that meet those criteria).
If there is any way possible, I’m gonna do my best to help you find the right bike for your specific cycling needs and your specific budget. If I don’t have what you are looking for, I’ll usually reply with some tips / advice on where you might find it.
Thank you!