What to look for when buying a road bike?

Buying a road bike can be a life changing experience. It can help you get fit, help you see the world and also give you a new hobby to splash all your extra cash on…

Choosing the right bike is therefore an extremely important decision. Here are just a few things to consider before you buy.

Style

Road bikes come in a number of styles, from aerodynamic Time Trial bikes to Cyclocross bikes that can deal with all the mud you can throw at them. When buying a road bike, just make sure that you know what style you are looking for and what types of riding you’d like to do.

Check out our guide on the different types of road bikes and the different types of groupsets here

Value

Buying a brand new road bike definitely has its benefits. When bought from a bike shop your purchase will usually be covered by a warranty, and there will often be a chance to test it before you buy. However, this does usually come at a cost. You can expect to pay a significant amount more when buying a new bike and its value will decrease between 20-30% as soon as you ride it out of the shop.

If you want to get more for your money then your best bet is to buy on the second hand market. You may not be getting a brand new bike, but you might be able to afford a bike with much higher specifications than if you bought new. If previous owners have looked after it then there is no reason why there should be any issues. At MyNextBike we ask sellers to include all bike specifications and detailed photos that fully demonstrate the condition of the bike.

Components

Cyclists love to alter their bikes, so many second hand road bikes online will have different components to when they came out of the factory. In most cases there will be improvements such as better wheels, higher quality brakes, new saddle and maybe even different forks. These small changes can make a world of difference, so take a close look when browsing as there may be more than meets the eye. 

On our platform, sellers can list all components so you can easily see what has changed and what has been improved.

Stolen Bikes

Due to their value, road bikes are always going to be a target for thieves. Whilst you can usually protect yourself from this by keeping it inside your house, bikes will inevitably end up stolen and subsequently sold on marketplaces. As a cyclist you should always ensure that you aren’t buying these stolen bikes, as it encourages thieves to continue. When browsing the second hand market, look out for deals that seem too good to be true and ask as many questions as you can to understand how much the owner knows about the bike. 

At MyNextBike, we ask sellers to provide a bike’s serial number so that we can check whether it has been registered as stolen on ​​BikeRegister, the UK’s national cycle database.  

Condition

We like to think that most cyclists will take care of their bike and keep it in good condition, but that isn’t always the case…

Reliable listings will show close up photos of things like tyre treads, brake pads and the chain so you can see a bike’s condition for yourself. If it looks well worn and hasn’t been taken care of then that is something you should consider. This may mean you can offer a lower price for it, but it might need some TLC to get it working as it should.

At MyNextBike we encourage sellers to provide as much information as possible so that buyers know exactly what it is they’re purchasing. We also offer a full refund in the first 48 hours if your bike isn’t as described, so you are protected if it arrives and is a different model or has a major flaw that wasn’t in the description.

Happy riding!