Buying guide for used full suspension bikes

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Buying guide for used full suspension bikes
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flag freep
Posted: Jul 10, 2008 at 20:03 Quote
Hey all,

I'm considering buying a used full suspension bike. Can anyone give me some tips or suggestions of things to look for and avoid? I'm still pretty new to this, so I don't know if I would recognize the signs of bad deal.

Thanks in advance.

edit: Mostly ride XC
flag knightridersix04
Posted: Jul 10, 2008 at 20:48 Quote
where do you live because I have a dual suspension for sale
flag freep
Posted: Jul 11, 2008 at 9:22 Quote
Vancouver... what kind of bike is it?
flag knightridersix04
Posted: Jul 11, 2008 at 9:50 Quote
it's a Norco Fluid
which is a xc/all mountain bike
flag t3rry
Mod
Posted: Jul 12, 2008 at 20:05 Quote
Don't buy it if the deal looks to good to be true.
Take it for a test ride? Any weird creaking or anything or any thing that doesn't seem to work?
Check the frame thouroughly for cracks on the welds.
Buy from someone you know if possible or off a local shop.
Take someone along who knows lots about the mechanics of bikes to help you check it over or see if you can get an LBS to check it over before you buy.
Is it the right size? Don't buy if it isn't even if it is a good deal.
How old is it and how much has it been used?
How much are you willing to spend and what do you expect for the money?
Are you going to need to change any parts to meet your physical stature or your riding style such as shock springs or a chainguide or pedals etc.?

Lots of stuff to consider when your buying... Best way to do it is find a nice friend that knows a bit about bikes (eg local shop mechanic) and get him/her to help you choose a bike that would be good for your riding style, size, and budget.
flag wanderingrobots
Posted: Jul 17, 2008 at 8:08 Quote
http://www.downhillforcheap.com/downhillbikes

thats the source of this, read this
So you are looking to buy a new or used downhill bike off E bay or the Internet. How do you make sure you are going to get a great bike and the best possible deal. Let me first explain what bikes go for the highest prices on Ebay.

The downhill bikes that will go for the highest prices on ebay are ones being sold by sellers who have a high number of sales and a great rating. People love to buy stock bikes as well. Why? Because you can buy with confidence that no one has installed something wrong on the bike. A slapped on Boxxer or Monster T does not necessarily decrease the value of the bike but often times these bikes have fewer overall bidders than a stock bike does.

Another thing that people like to see when buying the bike is to try and get insight into what they previous rider rode like. When you buy a used bike, even for down hilling, it is always preferable to look for one that has been lightly used. You want to buy one that was bought by a mid 30s rider who rode it lightly, not the 17 year old who has done every drop to flat he can find. The trick to getting a great bike then is to watch a lot of auctions before you buy one. It will give you a good eye for detecting when a bike has been heavily used and when it has not been abused.

Sellers who communicate well in the description and title as well as the pictures sell bikes. Sellers who type in two sentences and have a blurry phone cam pic do not. This is where you need to take risks when it comes to buying on Ebay. I suggest to exploit this you look for buyers who have a great reputation but write horrible descriptions.

If you want to get a great deal on Ebay, you need to think outside of the box then. Look for more obscure brands. The most popular downhill bikes like the Kona stinky, any bike from Norco or Transition Bikes go for top dollar. But if you are willing to buy from a company like Iron horse, Giant, Trek, or Cannondale, brands that aren't known for their downhill bikes you can get a great deal.

To summarize, to get the best deal on a bike on Ebay, you need to do your research. Find a non trendy bike brand that is still well reviewed, a seller who has not abused the bike and can't write a great description. The combination of those three is what you want to aim for! Good luck and happy riding.
flag freep
Posted: Jul 17, 2008 at 16:42 Quote
That's awesome. Thanks for the responses.
flag motostu93
Posted: Jul 17, 2008 at 16:58 Quote
just dont get a bike with marz drop off forks. there shit
flag knightridersix04
Posted: Jul 20, 2008 at 19:15 Quote
are you still interested in my bike?
flag kawasakirules
Posted: Jul 20, 2008 at 19:34 Quote
another thing is, if hes dropping the price before you even say its a bad price, its probably not a good thing.

ex. i was looking at this car, show up, and look around, ask what price, and the owner says" well im sellin for 3600, but wats ur price, i say 2 to 3500, he says ill give it to u for 2800 with subs,haha, brought a mech the next day, the car needed 4000 to get it running right
flag freep
Posted: Jul 21, 2008 at 14:43 Quote
I looked at a bunch of used FS bikes, but most required more fixing then was worthwhile. A lot of the ones in my price range have been ridden pretty hard or just weren't that great to begin with. Fortunately, a local bike shop is giving me a wicked deal on a new Trance or Trance X.
flag sofa-king-fast
Posted: Jul 24, 2008 at 1:37 Quote
can't go wrong with a giant
flag motostu93
Posted: Jul 24, 2008 at 10:27 Quote
ocrap wrote:
can't go wrong with a giant
you can ge them cheap i got a faith1 frame built up with codes 888rc2x,x9,srs, and others goods and came out to be under 2000(193Cool
flag damomcc
Posted: Jul 24, 2008 at 15:21 Quote
Are the Orange Patriot a good DH bike and how much would a good condition 05 bike be worth with 05 Boxxers .What can they be com paired to.Big Grin Big Grin Cheers
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