Hardtail or fully? Trail bike or enduro? Mail-order or specialist brand? Anyone looking to buy a mountain bike is faced with a whole host of possible decisions - and these are just a few of them. Regardless of whether you are at the beginning or the end of your dream bike search, one question still arises: Should I buy the bike new or used?
In an anonymous online poll, we wanted to know: "Do you prefer to buy a used or new bike - how do you do it?" - over 900 responded, here are the results: just over a third (36 per cent) buy used MTBs, with the majority of the rest opting for new parts.
New or used? 2 readers, 2 opinions
63% of BIKE Online users who took part in our survey prefer to buy new bikes in 2019. Why, why, why? The reasons vary. Two BIKE readers have their say here: Konstantin, who prefers to play it safe, and Michael, who is trying to save money.
Pro NEW - Konstantin Vierneisel (48), BIKE reader: "When it comes to mountain bikes, there's only one option for me: buy new! Here I get a brand-new bike without any faults - and if there are any, I can make a warranty claim. If I buy second-hand, I have no guarantee and don't know how the predecessor handled the material or whether there are any hidden defects. So it's better to buy new and possibly save yourself a lot of trouble."
Pro USED - Michael Walter (35), BIKE subscriber: "I prefer to buy second-hand because I save money. It's basically like buying a new car - the depreciation is enormous. My Specialized Stumpi cost 3500 euros new, I got it for 1500 euros. It was in good condition. With the money I saved, I gradually bought the components I wanted. In short: If you know how to tinker and have some knowledge, it's better to buy second-hand."
Sebastian Brust
Editor
