It’s no secret that mountain biking is a gear intensive sport! If you are new to mountain biking there might be a myriad of things that you need to hit the trail fully prepared. If you’d like to get on the trail without paying full price for everything, buying some pre-owned gear can be a good way to go. With that in mind here are some tips on how to shop for used gear.
We want to be really clear that we do not recommend buying a helmet second hand. Helmets have an expiration date and should be updated frequently. Old helmets are not safe helmets. Additionally, any helmet that has been in serious crashes or accidents should be retired from use. While sometimes a helmet may look unaffected after a serious crash with no exterior damage, the helmet has been compromised and should no longer be worn. For this reason we don’t recommend buying second hand. You should be the one and only owner who knows the complete history of a helmet. You should also follow safety guidelines and expiration dates of your helmet. Helmets are the one piece of gear you do not want to cut corners on. This is the most important piece of gear. It is worth the investment to have a good helmet to protect your head and brain!
Buying Used Mountain Bike Gear
So what gear can you buy second hand? What about buying a bike second hand? We have mixed opinions. Buying new is always better as you know the bike and parts should be in working order and won’t cause you issues on the trail. Additionally, newer bikes are going to have updated components and features that make mountain biking safer and easier. You can learn more about why we recommend newer bikes here and what features to look for in a bike.
If you are in the used bike market, look for bike that is no more than 5 years old. Utilize friends or even your local bike mechanic to look over or give their opinion on the bike you are looking at. Reach out on Facebook groups or on social media to get input from others. Be sure to test ride, take time thoroughly shifting through gears, pulling brakes, bouncing and playing with the suspension, looking for any play or movement in the rear and front axles, checking the seat dropper post for accuracy, listening for strange noises, etc. Ask the owner what the service history has been. Who tuned the bike, when was the last brake bleed or brake pad replacement, is it running tubeless, have there been any repairs, has the chain been replaced recently? Regardless of what the seller told you, we recommend taking your newly purchased, used bike to your local bike mechanic for a good tune and look over to be sure you are set for the trails. (We happen to have 2 used size medium bikes in excellent condition, hit reply for more details!)
Buying Used Mountain Bike Clothes
So what is left to buy second hand? Lots of items, especially clothing items. Shoes (lightly used), jerseys, shorts, jackets, cold weather pants, pedals, gloves, tools, bike racks, bike stands, bike saddles, bike lights, mountain biking glasses, activity tracking watches, bike pumps, hydration packs (but not hydration bladders).
I am a fan of Geartrade. They are passionate about reducing our carbon footprint especially as enthusiasts of the outdoors. They recently redesigned their site to make it easier to sell old gear and buy UnNew gear.
Some of our favorite places to shop used gear is through companies like REI or Patagonia. REI’s - Good & Used is a great place to buy used gear or sell your used gear. REI inspects all used clothing sent in and selects the best pieces to list on their website. They accurately list the condition of the item as well as describe any wear and tear. Their used gear site is easy to navigate and quickly find your desired pieces of gear. For those that send in their gear to REI will receive an REI gift card.
You can also try Patagonia’s Worn Wear Their used gear shop is similar, except it only extends to Patagonia products and they make repairs to their own products to extend and encourage reuse. They want to ensure their products are used to their fullest potential!
Other companies with used gear shops include: Arc’teryx and The North Face Renewed.
Mountain Bike Gear Swaps in Utah
You can also shop at stores like Sierra Trading Post or Steep and Cheap (owned by Backcountry). These stores often buy and sell overstock products, closeout deals or department store cancellations. You will find new gear here for a fraction of the price.
Another option is to join or find mountain bike gear swap groups on Facebook. In Utah a popular bike used gear group is MTBEU Gear Swap. This group is for the sole purpose of selling and finding used bike gear. Find a Facebook gear swap group local to your area or ask around on your local mountain biking Facebook group. It is always nice to trade gear locally.
Another popular place to look for used gear is Facebook Marketplace. While you have to be more specific in your searches, you can still find great deals. Especially, since many prefer to sell products on their own instead of using a third party. Another popular online used clothing store is Poshmark. Again, you will have to be specific in your searches as this is not an outdoor specific platform, but has become a new and trending used selling website. They also have an app that makes shopping easy and convenient.
Locally, you can typically find used gear shops or even annual or semi-annual gear swaps. Local to Salt Lake check out evo, The Gear Room or Lone Pine Gear Exchange. In Salt Lake we love the semi-annual Black Diamond Gear Swap!
Buying used is not only good for your wallet and bank account, but for our beloved planet. Let’s do our part and reuse or re-home gear when we can!