Should I buy a used bike rack? Is a Used Bike Rack Worth the Risk?
Originally posted on October 19, 2021 @ 13:33
When you are in the market for a bike rack, it is important to consider all your options. Many people might automatically assume that they should buy new, but there are some good reasons not to do so. Buying used can be a risky business with many pitfalls along the way, which may make it worth spending more money on something newer and safer.
When considering whether or not to purchase a used bike rack, you should ask yourself these questions: Is this going to last me as long as I need it? Will I be able to install this myself? Am I willing to risk getting scammed?
So, Should someone buy a used bike rack? the answer is most likely no. There are many reasons to avoid buying a used bike rack, most notably because it is almost always cheaper and easier to buy one that was never used in the first place. What I mean by that is that for less than a hundred dollars you can get one.
there are even ones around 50 bucks. Why bother getting a used one which might have dents, scratches, or is on the verge of breaking into pieces. Having to text a seller, waiting for them to respond, haggling driving there finding out it is not what you are looking for, repeat.
And we’re not even talking about the age and the metal fatigue. How did the previous owner treat the rack?
Maybe if you are dead set on getting a Thule bike rack for a real bargain only finding out it’s not a real Thule. With the low prices and the ease of getting one online, my advice would be, no.
So to summarize why you shouldn’t buy one used:
- New bike racks aren’t expensive
- The used rack can have scratches dents, might be brittle
- Saves precious time waiting for the owner to respond
- No need the haggle
- Metal fatigue caused by age of the rack
- treated by the previous owner
- Getting Scammed
Here you have it, take time to find out which one you want (our buying guides might be very helpful!) and purchase one which will serve you for a long time.
Table of Contents
Where can I find a used bike rack for sale?
There are many places where bike racks are sold. The question is do those places provide the information you might need? There are plenty of places where you can get a used bike rack including eBay, Craigslist, your local classifieds, or Facebook marketplace of course.
But if you are worried about buying used, there are also plenty of places where you can buy brand-new racks like:
Why would someone sell their old bike rack
Well, I can think of a couple of reasons why one would sell their rack. One is that maybe it doesn’t fit the new car or they upgraded to a different model. Or someone might be getting rid of their old bike rack because they want to stop biking altogether. or the new bike doesn’t fit their old rack. especially now with the introduction of Electric bikes which tend to be a bit heavier than regular bikes.
Best time to buy a bike rack
The best time to buy a bike rack is usually in the fall. Why? because there are more people looking for deals, and possibly selling racks as well since they don’t want it anymore. or because people tend to ride a bike less in the fall and winter so there is less need for buying a rack which drives the prices down.
Also, you can find some really good deals. Bike shops are attempting to clear out old stock and make way for fresh items. Black Friday is a good time to look for a deal. Otherwise looking around Christmas and Easter. In spring more people are looking to ride again and therefore in need of a bike rack which pushes the price up.
What are the benefits of buying a used bike rack over a new one?
In some cases when buying a used bike rack you can get one for almost half the price. Good deals are to be had if you know what to look for! In this case, instead of asking yourself “should I buy a new or used bike rack?” your question would become more like: is that a good deal really or should I just for a new one?
There are many benefits to buying used. For example, you could get an almost-new rack that has only been lightly used and is still in excellent condition at half the cost of a brand-new one. Some people find that they have no use for their old bike racks anymore or maybe there was an upgrade to their car and they don’t fit.
The other great thing about buying a used bike rack is that you can usually buy it directly from the person who had one first hand or through an ad, which means there are no middlemen involved like with new racks. This way if something goes wrong (though rarely does) you know whom to contact.
What are the risks of buying a used bike rack?
There are actually very few risks involved when you buy a used one. First, it’s important to remember that older models have been in production for years and they’re not going away any time soon so there is no need to worry about getting stuck with an old model or technology that will be outdated in a few years.
Second, you can always go with the previous owner and check it out yourself before buying or just ask for their information which guarantees they’re not going to scam you over email!
Third, if there is any problem such as damage from age (metal fatigue) on an older rack then most of the time you will hopefully be covered by the previous owner’s warranty.
Finally, if for whatever reason there is a problem with your used rack and it needs to be replaced then this might go through the original manufacturer or producer of that model who should provide some sort of warranty on their own products
Conclusion
The question: “Should I buy a used bike rack?” can be answered with either yes or no depending on the person. If you are saving money, want to test out something before buying it new and if having an older model doesn’t bother you then go for it! Otherwise, just get a brand-new one because you know you will use it all the time.
