Used Mountain Bike Buyer’s Checklist

We’ve put together the below buyer’s checklist for you to use to help with the process of buying a used mountain bike.

Talk to owner about the history
Check for signs of maintenance (dry rot, rust, frayed cables, dirt/grease)

Wheels
No loose, broken or missing spokes
Wheels bearings have no play and rotate smoothly
Wheels are true

Frame
No major bends, cracks, huge dents, rust through frame
No dings or gouges through the resin on Carbon frame
Push against the cranks to check frame integrity
Check the dropouts on Carbon frames

Suspension
No major dents or breaks
Compression and rebound is smooth
Seals are good (holds are pressure, no oil leakage during compression or rebound)
All the controls function properly

Drive Train
No major damage, bent front der. cage, or damaged shifters
No broken, or otherwise damaged teeth on the chainrings or cassette
Shifts through all gears smoothly
Rear derailleur tension springs work fine

Brakes
Brake levers have no major damage
No damage to cable housing or hydraulic lines
Disc rotors have minimal to no warp
Brakes actuate and return properly and without hesitation

Other Parts
Quick releases function properly
No tears in the seat and seat rails are straight
Handlebars and stem have no damage and pass stress test
Pedal bearings are good and no major damage
Headset bearings are smooth
No play in the headset

Model and Price:

Location:

Notes:

Buyer’s Guide to Used Mountain Bikes

So you are looking for your next mountain bike. It is a big purchase, and a smart buy on the used market can save you a lot of money or give you a lot of headaches in the future. Many people abuse and improperly maintain their mountain bikes, and this may lead to problems easily noticeable as well as problems you will not be able to easily determine. This is where I hope to help. This guide combines the standard checklist for used bikes with a few extras to help you really get a good feel for how well taken care of the bike was.

Easy Tells
This is one step a lot of people don’t think about when buying anything used. Inspecting the bike for wear and damage will only tell you so much, but a few questions and indicators can tell you if the owner took good care of the bike or if it was abused and improperly maintained. The first thing to do is talk to the owner if you can. Don’t turn it into an inquisition, be casual. If you ask someone straight away how often did you maintain the bike most people will exaggerate the truth a bit. Start the conversation by mentioning that it looks like a great bike, or some other compliment, that’ll usually get them talking. Find out if they have other bikes or ride often, basically get a feel for their biking experience. Now is the time to find out how often they rode it and why they are selling it. Keep in mind that miles or ride time on a mountain bike mean absolutely nothing. I have seen bikes taken through washes and thousands of miles across country that were methodically maintained and remain immaculate. On the flipside I’ve seen bikes that were out ten miles and came back with broken chainrings and bent rear shocks. All you want to do is find out if this person knows bikes well, kept it maintained, had any accidents, just a little bit of the history.

After you had your little conversation, or even during, it is time to check some indicator spots to see if it was regularly maintained. A rusty chain, dry rotted tires, sun damaged reflectors, mud/dirt, and decaying seat mean this thing was stored outside and not cared for whatsoever. If it passes that test look for frayed cables, damaged cable housing, a bent derailleur hanger, and dirt and grease build up around and in the derailleurs. These mean that the owner probably put in some basic maintenance but not much beyond that. It doesn’t mean the bike is a bad choice, but there may be some hidden damage to watch out for. If it passes both of these tests with consideration (if it looks fine other than a frayed cable or something else very minor that’s not much to worry about) then you have the makings of a great bike, as the owner probably put in the time and effort to fully maintain it, and ensure the proper functioning of every part. You still are far away from a decision, but this will give you some background info to help make a final decision. Time for the rest of the tests.

Wheels
Check for loose, broken and missing spokes (spokes typically break at the nipple on the rim or the hub) by wiggling each one individually and carefully inspecting. Check the rim for any major damage and then wiggle the rim side to side to see if there is any play in the bearings. Spin the wheels checking wheel true (side to side movement in the rim) and listening for any strange noise from the bearings. Take time to inspect the wheels thoroughly.

Frame
First check the frame for cracks, dents or bends. If there is rust (only on steel frames) tap it to see if it flakes off or it is just on the surface. Aluminum, steel and titanium frames can take dents, gouges and dings without compromising the structural integrity, for the most part. Cracks, bends and huge dents mean the frame needs to be replaced. Face the bike like you are about to get on. Hold one of the handlebar grips in one hand and let the bike tilt away from you a little bit. Use your feet to rotate the cranks to their lowest point, and push on the side of the crank. As you do this make sure the frame flexes forward and back without any give or abnormal creaking noises. Most frames will creak when you do this, but you want to listen for any cracks being stressed, which will sound a bit different.

For carbon fiber frames you need to be a more cautious. Dings and scratches that do not fully penetrate through the resin clearcoat are nothing to worry about. Obviously cracks in any frame are a sure sign of failure, but smaller gouges through the resin coat may or may not prove to be a structural problem. Test the integrity of the frame by applying force. In other words you need to push against the frame, especially at joints to stress possible problem areas. If you hear carbon cracking (you’ll know it when you hear it) or see a crack in that spot opening, stop. This means the frame needs to be repaired or replaced. As a side note let the owner know what you are doing before you try this in case you open a crack: The owner may try to blame you for breaking their frame. On carbon fiber frames, sometimes the dropouts are carbon as well, so pull the wheels off and take a look just to be sure that there is no excess wear or damage.

Suspension
First visually inspect the suspension for any major dents or breaks. If it looks good compress it and let it rebound a few times. Focus on how it feels when you compress the suspension. It should be smooth and even in the travel. Watch for any oil leaking while you compress it. If the bike has air suspension and it is currently empty make sure you pressure test it to ensure the seals are good. Check to make sure all of the adjustments like rebound, compression and travel adjust function, if the bike has them.

Brakes
Inspect the levers and make sure they function with no issues. Check the cables and housing/hydraulic lines for any damage. For rim brakes make sure the calipers rebound promptly after you release the brake lever and they are not bent. For disc brakes spin the wheel watching the brake rotor for any bending or warping. Minor warping is common and that can be fixed if you know how, or want to pay for it. You can also run disc with slight warping, they will change due to the frictional heat.  Read more