If you came or live in Austria for some time and at the same time are a cycling enthusiast, you may have a question about where to buy a mountain bike or gravel bike. Naturally, to buy new bicycles, you can use online stores or regular bike shops in your city.
But if you need an affordable bike, then almost all residents of Austria know one answer to this question – the Wilhaben classifieds website.
This is a huge online platform for free classified ads. And most used bicycles are sold there.

Let’s say you found the bike you need and agreed with the seller to inspect it. What should you pay attention to when buying a used bike? Let’s look at a few of the most important points that play the most important role when buying a bike.

Bike diagnostics.

How can you tell what condition your bike is in and what needs repair?
This question is best answered by a professional mechanic. Within about 10 minutes of diagnostics, we will be able to find out everything that is necessary to get your bike in order. We can provide such a service – its cost is about 50 euros. (mechanic visit, inspection, if necessary, delivery of the bike and the client’s home).
If you would like to make your own purchasing decision, please use the diagnostic list below.

Check list of the bike diagnostics

1. Condition of the brake pads.
   Can be determined visually. If the pads are completely worn out, they need to be replaced. Also, if worn pads damage the rotor, it is also necessary to replace it.
2. Chain condition. A special tool, a chain stretch meter, is required. In most cases, the chain on the bikes we sell needs to be replaced.
3. Condition of the cassette. If a stretched chain has been used on a bicycle for a long time, then most likely it is necessary to replace the cassette as well. It is difficult to determine the need for this replacement visually, but it is possible. But a more accurate result will be if you test drive the bike, or test drive it with a newly installed chain.
4. Condition of tires. Worn tires also need to be replaced. condition can be easily determined upon inspection. But it is necessary to pay attention not only to the condition of the tread, but also to the absence of side cracks on the tires. When inspecting, the bike’s tires must be inflated by the owner, or take a pump with you for inspection.
5. Condition of the bottom bracket, hubs and headset. These are important elements of the bicycle transmission, so their diagnosis must also be carried out correctly. The wheels should rotate without any extraneous noise. There should be no transverse play. The headset should not squeak when turning and should not be tightened. The bottom bracket must rotate freely and quietly – to do this, you need to remove the chain from the pedals and check it in free rotation mode.
6. Condition of shift cables and brake cables and bowdens. If they are rusty they need to be replaced and this process takes at least 30 minutes or more from a professional mechanic.
7. Checking the gear shift of the bicycle. If switching does not work clearly, adjustment is necessary. Also, in about half of the used bicycles sold, the rear derailleur hook of the bicycle is bent. It is quite difficult to level it without a special tool.
8. Lack of “eights” on wheels. They shouldn’t exist. If there is wheel runout, then alignment is necessary.
9. If the bike has been sitting for several years without use, the shifters most likely need to be cleaned and lubricated.
10. Chainring of tha crankset should not be bent or show signs of impacts on rocks.

This was the first step of our guide “How to buy used bike in Austria”

Used bike suspension disgnostics and frame number

We also recommend that you find out the serial number of the bicycle frame in advance and check it on various sites dedicated to stolen bicycles. If the seller does not want to provide the frame number in advance, then this already raises additional questions.
A separate topic needs to be considered is the condition of the fork and rear shock absorber of the bicycle. Since these are some of the most expensive components of a bicycle, repairs and service can cost more than the used bicycle itself. Take this into account, because if you buy a bicycle from an ordinary person who did not pay much attention to it and did not maintain the suspension, then most likely you will have to do this and pay for it the same. Service of a fork or rear shock absorber in Austria or Germany can cost from 150 euros per piece.
Also a separate topic is the diagnostics of electric bicycles and their electronic components.

How to buy used electric bike in Austria?

When buying an electric bike, among other things, you need to pay attention to the noise of the electric motor. If the bike has a mileage of more than 10 thousand kilometers, then most likely in the near future it will be necessary to have the motor serviced (replacement of bearings and general maintenance). The cost of such services in Austria starts from 200 euros.
When buying an electric bike, you need to diagnose the entire system of the electric bike by connecting it through special software. In this case, the real mileage of the bike, recorded errors and problems that arose with it will be visible.

Based on the fact that diagnosing a modern bicycle is a complex and difficult undertaking for the average consumer. Therefore, we recommend that you contact a professional mechanic who can diagnose the bike you are planning to buy.