I have discovered (as many other people have) a way to buy used bikes at a huge discount. Late last summer (Summer of 2008) I found a bike on Craigslist. It was a 2006 model that had barely been used and looked perfect. The MSRP on this bike was $2200 and I bought it for less than half of that price. I have been extremely happy with this bike but I will do a review of this bike at a later date. But I would like to discuss some things you should do before you buy a used bike.

1. Get in touch with the seller and get the Serial Number for the bike. You want to make sure the bike hasn’t been stolen. You can call your local police department and they can do a search to see if the bike has been listed as stolen. But beware most stolen bikes do not come up as stolen when the police do a search so you will have to make your own decision.

2. Make sure you know what size the bike is. Then go to your local bike shop (that sells that brand of bicycle) and talk to them about it. Have them fit you for that exact bike (or as close as your can get to that model) and make sure it is the right size for you. And look up the bike on the internet, there should be reviews of the bike if it is a fairly popular brand and model.

3. Find a bicycle shop close to where the bike is being sold. Tell the seller you want the bike to be looked at before you make the purchase. Most local bike shops will be happy to look at the bike to make sure there are no problem that you might over look for a nominal fee. And let the seller know ahead of time that you want the bike inspected at a bike shop close to them. The more money you are spending the more I would suggest having the bike inspected.

4. Bring a friend with you to look at the bike. Preferably someone who has knowledge about bicycles. Bring someone you trust and has a level head. They can stop you from making a mistake if you get too excited about a bike that may not be a good deal. Plus a second person can help with safety. It is very rare but it might be a trick to get you there under false pretenses.

5. Which leads me to my next suggestion. Don’t bring money with you. Work out a price with the seller and go get the money once you have a price worked out. Not only is this safer but it can help you get a better deal if you don’t have the money in your pocket.

6. Try to get the paper work for the bike. The newer the bike is the more likely the owner will have the paper work. If it is a newer bike (1 to 4 years old) and they don’t have the paper work that could be a red flag that the bike does not belong to the seller.

7. Listen to you gut. If you think the bike is not a good deal don’t be afraid to walk away. If you don’t trust the person selling and they cannot provide enough proof that they own the bike that is a good sign that you should not purchase the bike. If it seems too good to be true it probably is.

I hope you find the suggestions useful and can use them to find the bike of your dreams. Happy hunting!