Spent $600 on a used road bike off Facebook and the chain snapped on my first real ride up a hill

The guy said it was 'ready to race' but I ended up walking three miles home in my cycling shoes and called my wife to pick me up, has anyone else trusted a seller way too much and regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

tessa_hill8614d ago

First thing, check the chain for a master link. Some sellers will throw on a cheap chain that's way too short or just worn out. If it's a Shimano or SRAM 10 speed or higher, you're looking at $30-40 for a decent replacement chain plus a chain tool. $600 is a decent price for a used road bike but that guy definitely didn't do any maintenance before selling it. I'd strip the drivetrain down and check the cassette and chainrings too, because if the chain snapped that easy the other parts are probably toast. Next time bring a friend who knows bikes or ask the seller to let you test ride it on a hill before handing over cash.

quinnmitchell14d ago

And I'm the guy who bought a bike without checking anything, so you're already ahead of me.