With a big shortage on new bikes a lot of us are now looking to the second hand market to find a road bike because you'll be able to get it faster and you may actually be able to find the model you want. So, we've put together a list of things you should either check or replace when you buy a second hand bike to ensure it's going to be safe and fun to use. There's nothing worse than a bike that doesn't operate smoothly so if you follow our tips then you should be set for a hassle free bike ride.
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00:00 There are so many reasons to buy a second-hand bike.
00:02 The huge amount of money saved is a major one,
00:05 but with the continuing constraints on availability,
00:08 buying second-hand can make it that bit easier
00:11 to find the model that you actually want.
00:13 It's also better for the environment
00:15 to use a bike someone no longer wants
00:17 rather than adding in yet more demand.
00:19 But whilst the brand new box-fresh bike
00:21 only needs a little bit of adjustment to get you rolling,
00:24 a second-hand bike does require
00:26 that little bit more care and attention.
00:28 So we've put together five things
00:30 which we'd either check or replace on any second-hand bike.
00:35 Let's get into them.
00:36 (upbeat music)
00:38 You probably don't need us to tell you
00:43 just how important functioning brakes are.
00:45 The first thing to check is how much life is left in the pads
00:49 whether they're rim brakes or disc brakes,
00:51 chances are, even if you don't need
00:53 to replace them immediately,
00:55 you probably will in the near future.
00:58 As a side note, if you've got disc brakes
01:00 and they sound noisy or feel underpowered,
01:03 that's a sure sign that they've been contaminated with oil.
01:06 You can try sanding the surface off
01:09 or you can bake the oils out in the oven,
01:11 but chances are, you'll have to replace the pads.
01:14 Just make sure to give the rotors a proper clean
01:16 with specific disc brake cleaner or isopropyl alcohol
01:20 before you fit the new ones.
01:22 It's also worth checking the braking surfaces for wear,
01:25 whether those are the rims or the rotors.
01:29 These have a longer life than the pads,
01:31 so you likely won't need to replace them,
01:33 but it's certainly worth checking just in case.
01:37 Finally, if your cable actuated brakes are feeling spongy
01:40 or the lever won't spring back as quickly as it should,
01:43 that's a sure sign that the brake cables
01:45 and the outer housing need replacing.
01:48 It's very much worth splashing out here.
01:50 Getting some top-level housing and cables
01:52 will transform the braking performance,
01:54 making them more powerful and easier to control.
01:58 Now, they may be double or triple the price
02:00 of some of the cheaper sets out there,
02:02 but it still comes out to less than half a tank of petrol,
02:06 and there aren't many upgrades of that magnitude
02:08 that can be had for that kind of price.
02:11 If it's hydraulic disc brakes that are feeling spongy,
02:13 that's a sign that they do need to be bled.
02:15 Now, if you haven't done this before,
02:17 it can seem rather daunting, but in reality,
02:20 it's as simple as a syringe full of oil
02:22 through the brake lines.
02:24 It is a lot cheaper to do yourself
02:26 than taking it to a bike shop,
02:28 so if money is a consideration, it's a skill worth taking up.
02:32 To sum up, you probably do need to buy new pads
02:35 for your second-hand bike, and there's a reasonable chance
02:38 you'll need to either change the cables or give them a bleed.
02:41 You probably won't need to replace the braking surfaces
02:44 with new rotors or rims,
02:45 but it is definitely worth checking.
02:52 There are a few things in life more frustrating
02:55 than a bike which doesn't shift gears properly.
02:57 The first port of call should always be making sure
03:00 that the cable tension is set correctly,
03:02 and then checking whether the neck hanger is aligned.
03:05 Investing in what may seem like a big metal stick
03:08 might feel like a bit of an extravagance,
03:11 but really, they are so useful so often.
03:15 If the gears still aren't shifting right,
03:16 then you're probably going to have to replace the cables.
03:19 Now, if your bike is sufficiently second-hand enough
03:21 that you've got external cable routing,
03:23 then this might be a job that takes you
03:25 about five minutes per derailleur if you're practiced,
03:28 or maybe 15 minutes per derailleur if it's your first time.
03:33 If the bike has internal cable routing,
03:35 depending on the model,
03:36 it could take a professional mechanic hours to complete.
03:39 Now, if you have the money,
03:41 it might be worth saving your time here.
03:43 If you're looking to save money, though,
03:45 then there are kits out there that you can buy
03:47 to make the process a whole lot easier.
03:49 Definitely worth the investment for the time saved.
03:52 It's also worth getting a chain checker tool
03:55 to see how worn your chain is,
03:57 or you can use the time-honored method
03:59 of pulling the chain away from the chain ring
04:01 and seeing how far it will go.
04:02 If you can see a lot of daylight,
04:04 then it's too worn and needs to be replaced.
04:07 Do bear in mind, though,
04:08 if the previous owner has been riding around
04:10 on an extremely worn chain,
04:12 they will have also accelerated the wear
04:14 on the cassette and the chain rings
04:16 to the point that the shifting could be even worse.
04:20 Unfortunately, this means that you may end up
04:22 needing to buy a new cassette and chain rings,
04:25 but it's worth using this as an opportunity
04:27 to consider your gearing.
04:29 If you need something a little lower or easier,
04:31 or if you want a tighter spacing
04:33 for more even changes in cadence.
04:36 As chain rings are typically included
04:38 when you buy a new crank set,
04:39 this could even be an opportunity
04:41 to change your crank arm length.
04:43 So, to sum up, adjust your gears,
04:45 but also it's probably gonna be worth
04:47 buying some new cables and outer housing.
04:50 And if you're doing your brakes at the same time,
04:52 then it does make sense to buy these together.
04:55 Do check your chain,
04:56 but you're probably going to need to buy a new one.
04:58 And just bear in mind that you might need
05:00 a new cassette and new chain rings.
05:02 (upbeat music)
05:05 As with buying any bike,
05:10 it's pretty unlikely that the stock saddle
05:12 is gonna be a perfect fit for you.
05:14 You might be selling your current bike
05:16 to back finance the new second hand one,
05:18 in which case you can just swap the saddles over
05:21 and save yourself the money.
05:23 Otherwise you'll be having to shell out for another saddle,
05:25 which you know works for you.
05:27 Now, new bar tape almost goes without saying,
05:30 for something that can look and smell quite so bad
05:33 and cost so relatively little to replace,
05:36 it's amazing how many people go without
05:39 and how many people will splash out on new wheels
05:41 whilst keeping the tape same for the entire season.
05:44 As for your final contact point,
05:47 you probably don't need reminding,
05:48 but you're probably either going to need to swap in
05:51 or buy new pedals.
05:52 (upbeat music)
05:55 Now, we're coming to the upgrades,
06:00 which can potentially be left for a little longer
06:02 after the initial purchase of the bike.
06:05 Definitely do take the tires for heavy wear,
06:07 but generally there will still be some life left in them.
06:11 That said, a set of lightweight, fast rolling tires
06:14 really does transform the feel of a bike
06:16 in terms of the performance
06:18 and also just keeping your consumable components refreshed.
06:21 New tires are a great investment.
06:24 But even if you're not obsessed about speed,
06:27 it's unlikely that the tire spec
06:29 will have the right balance of puncture protection
06:31 or be optimized precisely for the terrain that you're riding.
06:36 Should you wish,
06:36 you could also take the opportunity to go tubeless
06:39 if the bike isn't already set up as such.
06:42 You'd get the benefits of greater puncture protection,
06:44 the ability to run lower pressures
06:46 and a decrease in rolling resistance and weight,
06:49 although the technology does work best on those wider tires.
06:53 (upbeat music)
06:56 Finally, your bearings.
07:01 Now, they do tend to last quite a long time,
07:04 but equally that means that it's an area
07:07 that can get neglected.
07:09 Now, we'll look at the bottom bracket first,
07:10 which is the bearing which allows your cranks to spin
07:14 and will probably also protest the loudest
07:16 if it's worn out,
07:18 especially if the frame is designed for press fit BB cups
07:22 rather than threaded.
07:24 It is worth noting that it is possible
07:26 to get thread fit bottom brackets for press fit frames.
07:30 Now, this consists of two parts that screw into each other
07:33 and this means that you don't need to hit them
07:35 in and out of the frame,
07:37 which makes maintenance a whole lot easier.
07:39 Although you will need a specific BB tool to screw them in
07:42 as with any threaded system.
07:44 And of course, you will need to get the current BB out
07:48 in the first place.
07:49 Now, a bike shop is usually best for that job.
07:52 Your wheel bearings may need servicing,
07:54 especially if you can wobble the wheel from side to side.
07:57 On cheaper wheels and some select high-end ones,
08:00 these tend to be cup and cone bearings.
08:02 Now, to service them, you'll need some degreaser,
08:05 some fresh lithium grease
08:07 and potentially some new ball bearings
08:08 if the current ones are worn.
08:10 It's a little fiddly and does require some specific spanners
08:13 but the tools are cheap
08:14 and once you've done it a few times,
08:16 you do get a pretty good knack for it.
08:18 Wheels with sealed cartridge bearings
08:20 will need a specific bearing puller
08:22 and a drift for slamming the new ones on.
08:25 These kits tend to be rather expensive
08:27 and we wouldn't advise trying to bodge this.
08:29 If in doubt, a bike shop is definitely best here.
08:32 Finally, there's the headset bearings,
08:34 which are the ones that allow your handlebars to move.
08:37 These protest the least
08:39 and don't have so much of a negative impact on your speed.
08:42 So they are something that are often really neglected
08:45 and can be really quite corroded
08:47 by the time you get to replacing them.
08:49 But it is very much worth doing,
08:52 not least so that rusty grease
08:53 doesn't keep seeping down your fork.
08:56 To sum this one up,
08:57 you'll know if your bottom bracket needs replacing
08:59 and if it's a press fit system,
09:01 it is worth thinking about getting a thread fit system
09:04 as a replacement.
09:05 Wheel bearings need swapping if they wobble
09:07 or they feel gritty when you spin them.
09:09 And if they're cup and cone,
09:11 that's great 'cause they're cheap,
09:12 but they are then fiddly to work on.
09:15 Whereas the sealed cartridge ones,
09:16 although nice and easy to maintain,
09:18 you do need some expensive tools.
09:21 Headset bearings can get forgotten,
09:23 so it's really worth checking them.
09:25 If you're unsure, a bike shop is always your friend.
09:28 To recap, in descending order of importance,
09:31 check and replace the parts of your brakes.
09:33 Then do the same for your gears.
09:36 Get the contact points,
09:37 those being your saddle bars and pedals,
09:38 set up as you prefer.
09:40 Then check the tires and bearings for wear.
09:42 They'll either need replacing immediately if so,
09:44 or can be a nice little upgrade later down the line.
09:48 So there we have it.
09:50 If you've bought a secondhand bike recently,
09:52 did you follow any of these tips
09:54 or do you have some of your own
09:56 that you'd like to share?
09:57 Do drop them down below.
09:58 If you enjoyed the video, drop it a like,
10:00 subscribe to the channel for more content,
10:02 and I'll see you again very soon.
10:03 (upbeat music)
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