Second Hand Frame - would you? « Singletrack Forum

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Second Hand Frame - would you?

19 posts & 18 voices | Started 1 year ago by thatscold | Latest reply from epicsteve

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thatscold - Member

Have you ever bought a second hand frame, and if so would you buy another? I want to get my first full susser but money is tight (when isn't it!). So do I buy something second hand (looking at a Trance X), or will I regret it and should I save and buy new?

I'm just worried that I'll buy something and find that it needs new bearings, the shock is shagged, there's massive play in the suspension etc.

What are your experiences?

P.S. I'm enjoying a nice pint of Hobgoblin this evening and I do own a single speed. (this is true!)

Posted 1 year ago #
atlaz - Member

I bought one frame second hand, built it with second hand parts. It's good, it's not broken yet.

Posted 1 year ago #
Curly68 - Member

In all my years of biking (it is many!), I have bought four brand new bikes. The rest I buy second hand and build them up. That way I can get the bike that I want and at a price I can afford (ish).
It maybe a risk but so far, only been bitten the once but got it fixed at a little cost.

Posted 1 year ago #
nickjb - Member

My last 4 were all second hand (2 full sus, 2 HT). All have been fine and still going strong. Buy carefully, though.

Posted 1 year ago #
iamsporticus - Member

To be honest I have a great FS frame which I have thought about selling in the future

Its 5y old

Ive replaced the shock bushings a few times

I did the bearings a couple of times which was hell
The bodging was awesome
The shock itself has never been serviced which is debatable but it works and it works well
I also bolloxed one of the pivot bolts but its stuck in and still seems fine

Im actually not sure if I could morally sell it due to the significant bodging and damage I know about but that you cant obviously see unless its stripped down

Im super cautious and check it before and after every ride and every descent during every ride

Oh and Im pretty good technically too so if I can wreck a frame goodness knows whats happened to the ones you see on ebay

Its a toughie

Id love a Blur but cant afford a new one
Id be worried about buying one SH with a similar history to my own poxy low end framebut without an honest seller

Good luck!

Posted 1 year ago #
Elmo - Member

My first full suss was(is)second hand.
I think the usual car buying rules apply.
Don't let your heart rule your head,do your homework,take a mate who doesn't have your rose tinted glasses!
I think i hit a bargain with mine. Didn't fasll apart as soon as i got it home and its still worth most-probably all-of what i paid 18 months ago!

Posted 1 year ago #
phiiiiil - Member

I'm on my second second-hand frame, I don't think I'd do it any other way unless I really had money to burn. Even if you budget for a shock service and a complete set of bearings - which, hopefully you won't need, but even so - you still won't be anywhere near the price of a brand new frame.

Posted 1 year ago #
thatscold - Member

Thanks for the advice, I guess if I'm careful and not too impetuous I might do all right.

I suppose the usual applies where if someone has bought a pup, they won't want to admit it, as they will probably try and sell it on to someone else!

Posted 1 year ago #
brakes - Member

my last five frames have been 2nd hand
only regretted buying one of them, and that wasn't because it was 2nd hand

Posted 1 year ago #
colande - Member

yeah bought a 3 second hand frames off the classifieds here,

2 hardtails 1 steel, 1 ali, any damage was flagged up so I knew exactly what i was buying, both these frames were posted,
but you get an idea by correspondence from the seller,
if they are super helpful with pictures and information then i wouldn't hestitate,

also bought a full-sus frame but the seller was fairly close to me so viewed it before buying,

like others say buy carefully,
ask lots of questions,
simple things like what type of riding has it had,
is there any damage
the more info you get the better!

Posted 1 year ago #
Norton - Member

I tend to avoid second hand now - gone for years without any problems but been caught out more than once recently with used stuff from apparently respected members of the MTB community- there's just so much that can go wrong with a hardtail (let alone FS)that I'd rather buy new with warranty now. Lets face it most stuff you can but second hand you can probably find new as last years model at a sale price if you look hard enough.

Posted 1 year ago #
Taff - Member

I've bought a few over the years. As long as you ask the right questions then that should cover all eventualities.

Posted 1 year ago #
takisawa2 - Member

Ask direct questions, & demand lots of photos. Don't deal if the best they can do is a crappy phone pic.

Posted 1 year ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

bought more used than new bikes/frames over the years, and never been disappointed with the example I got. My current PAJ is a used Mk1 Nomad with lots of nice kit, which was genuinely the hers in a his-n-hers matching pair and looks like its been barely ridden.

Conversely someone somewhere is riding an immaculate Litespeed with gorgeous top-end kit, because I had to give up riding hardtails for medical reasons.

Lots of pics, lots of communication with the seller. Got my dream bike for a fair price (and less than the price of a new frame) and no way I could have afforded one new. People sell for all sorts of reasons, you need to find a frame sold for the "right" ones rather than because its ragged.

Posted 1 year ago #
the-muffin-man - Member

I've bought 6 or 7 2nd hand frames of here and eBay - not had any problems with any of them.

Posted 1 year ago #
andrewh - Member

Had four new FS frames.
Had seven HT/road frames S/H, they have all been fine. Not sure about a S/H full suss though, too many potential issues I think. Maybe for fun bike, not for race bike.

Posted 1 year ago #
goldenwonder - Member

As long as you know what you're buying you're ok. I've bought & sold quite a few, all of which have been fine. We do get loads in the shop for repair where people don't know what they're looking at & have had thier fingers burnt

Posted 1 year ago #
4ndy B - Member

I'm not the original owner of all 3 of my current bikes

'80 Falcon road bike, freebie rescued from the skip, Shimano 600 mechs & shifters on it!
'98 Orange Clockwork, 2nd hand off ebay last week
'07 Orange 5ive pro, ex demo bike direct from Orange

Although every other bike I've owned has been brand spanking new

So long as you know what to look out for you should be ok buying 2nd hand

Posted 1 year ago #
epicsteve - Member

I've had loads of 2nd hand frames with no issues so far. At the moment I've two that were bought new (Epic and Inbred) and the rest 2nd hand (Soul, Zion, Enduro and Dave Hinde M3).

Posted 1 year ago #