Why used bikes are better

My question is used carbon or not? I'm looking into buying a 3 year old Knolly Warden carbon but I don't know if the frame is compromised, and am kind of scared. What do the people think? ($2300, very nice parts, needs dropper, local pickup)

https://youtu.be/rHagRovHSYs Oops haha! It's early 🤷🏻‍♂️

@Mike Disper here's a link to a video that explains it. It's a super fun and rewarding rabbit hole to go down. You can also look into other measurements that are body specific like bar width and crank arm length, which can dial in your fit even more. These things do add up to a bigger overall smile when playing bikes. I hope this helps you out.

What is a RAD? When I google it I just get some weird electric bikes...

I love how you used recycled video (clip show episode!) to advocate using recycled bikes.

I've been looking at some of the newer bikes, just to see what's new. But I'm loving my 2018 RM Slayer I picked up used a couple years ago. I've upgraded a few things and changed a couple others to get it to fit my RAD. I'm still loving the 27.5 playfulness etc... Once I get a few other financial priorities in line, I'll be trying out a rear coil to see if I can get it's initial stroke to be a bit more plush. Other than that, it does everything I ask of it and more. Seth. I'm not sure if it'd be a decent topic for you or not? But bike fitting can have a huge impact on how big our smiles are. RAD changed my life for the better. And others I have shared it with. So much more confidence all around. Although it should, it may not be on most riders radar. It's cool to know your RAD # and just do a quick measurement of any bike you're looking at to see if it can fit you properly. Party on everybody!

Used bike values have gone up. Still love them though!

Couldn't agree more. I picked up a 2018 RM Slayer a couple years ago and have upgraded some stuff and want to put a coil shock on the back next. But I love the bike! It fits my RAD and feels amazing. I'm a firm believer in saving my money on new and picking up bikes a few years old, then dialing them in to me. And like Seth said, resale is great on used bikes too. Stay stoked!

i have a 2010 Giant Yukon that my mechanic built as a hybrid. i scored the frame from craigslist and bought all the parts i wanted. i now just ride streets and have upgraded a few things. Rockshox recon fork, Thudbuster seat post, Box 3 drive train with a raceface 34 tooth ring and a few other mods. yes i could go buy any bike i want but, no bike will have everything i want on it so for me buidling from ground up is the answer. im sure lots of people love buying new bikes and thats great for them. there is really no right or wrong answer to this. everyone wants what they like and will go about different ways to get exactly what they want

This is all so true! And that‘s generally my ideology for many things (cars, cameras for example)... it also allows you to change things more often and thereby try out more stuff as the depreciation doesn‘t hit you that hard/ideally not at all. The only problem I see here in Switzerland at least is that used prices (for two to four year old bikes) are very close to new prices - and in those cases, I‘d prefer the new one with the warranty. From what I‘ve been told, it‘s simple economics (higher demand, same supply) for used bikes and low supply/long waiting periods for new bikes due to all these supply chain issues.

I bought my 2016 Trek Stache as a demo bike in 2017. It's still my favorite even though I have added to my fleet since then. No way I am getting rid of it anytime soon and its still my #1 choice when I go out on the trails.

I love this video! It's exactly how I've gotten back into riding mountain bikes after 16 years of being away from it. I started with a Hyper Hydroform from Walmart which I knew needed a ton of upgrades to be anything but an inefficient commuter/gravel bike, but used it to commute to and from work and start getting back in shape. As the components broke I replaced them with sensible and more effective parts, and in the end it was a solid bike for riding green trails and I sold it to a guy looking for an entry-level bike to ride gentle trails on. I then bought a 2005 Trek Fuel EX7 for $500 locally and spent months tuning and upgrading it, riding it on local trails including some black trails that were a definite challenge with limited suspension travel. This has helped improve my riding skills and last week I had the opportunity to sell the Trek and buy a friend's 2006 Pivot Mach 6 as they were upgrading to a new bike. This is all the bike I think I'll ever need, with some basic maintenance and upkeep I expect to be riding this bike for years to come.

It’s not for everyone, but the data tells me people watch them all the way through and share them a lot. Either way we have much different stuff in the hopper!

2011 Gary Fisher HiFi Delux. Bought a brand new 2021 Marlin 6 back in Feb thinking cheap hardtail was the only option until I found a friend of a friend selling the bike his son used to race. I had to take it to my lbs just to help me set the sag on the suspension because even that was above my pay grade but now I can diagnose *most* issues with very little plans to upgrade anytime soon. I'll be ridding Kanuga in two weeks with 110mm of travel as the biggest test so far!

Secondhand bikes are cool, I have a 2014 transition bandit that I built in 2019, bought the frame and some new components and some I took from my specalized hard rock, the total build cost me £1400 and I ended up with a bike that would have cost three times that if I had bought a new equivalent! But I really love my bike scars and all!

Adam West

I am always excited to see you do another video and I'm all about used bikes. I'm not loving these devil's advocate videos though. I'm not sure what it is. I'm sure you'll get things figured out

Just here for the Oscar bits

My city beater bike is a 2010 Kona Worldbike, a 3-speed internal hub bike with just enough scratches and gears to deter thieves and get up the moderate hills of DC. Got it a couple years ago for about $200.

Also, slow-mo Oscar sounds are kind of horrifying.

I currently ride a 2020 Canyon Spectral 29 8. I bought it used for about 2/3 the price new, and I love it!!

I presently rock a 2016 trek Farley 7. Came fully rigid on 4.8” tires. Presently it now sports 3 wheel sets for summer fat, summer skinny and winter studded (in Minnesota). Also I added a mastodon fork and a PWN Dropper post. I love this bike.

Easy to fall prey to the marketing hype and think a new bike will make you better, turn you into Steve Peat etc. We've all seen someone on a brand new enduro rig get overtaken on some nasty terrain by some fella in their 60s on a late 90s GT though.

I find that I ride too "extreme" for older bikes, I had a 2011 transition covert enduro frame, and a 2012 tomac vanish 160 enduro frame. I have broken both frames within a year. I ordered a 2021 Dartmoor Hornet enduro/downhill hardtail frame and hopefully I dont trash this one as well.

My aluminum diamondback sync’r pro ht is my favorite bike for trail riding. It’s about 4 years old and cost me the price of the new dropper seat my brother in law put on it. He upgraded and basically gave it to me. What a score for $400.

Agree. Thats my cut off for old bikes. If it doesn’t have disc brakes, its a no go for me

While I usually agree with Seth, this time I have to disagree. Not with all of it, just the canti-brakes. I absolutely cannot ever get them to work right, or particularly well, but bleeding disk brakes is a hassle, but it works after I'm done.

Jacob A Cain

I love used bikes, I don’t think I could pay new bike price to be honest. I like to tinker and customize, let’s be real, there’s not many of us that are going to buy ANY bike of the show room floor and leave it just as it came. A bike that was awesome three years ago will serve me and my style better than the latest and greatest ever will :)

Yas bud! 👊 I rock an 15 year old Rockhopper with a ton of upgrades as well. Old bikes are the best 😎

Seth, I cannot agree more. Old bikes are so underrated. I bought a 2006 Specialized Rockhopper hardtail 11 years ago to commute to and from class in college. I’ve since replaced everything on it except for the frame and the cranks. I still shred just as hard or harder than most of my friends. I’ve even ridden at Windrock and Moab and countless times at Copper Harbor (I went to Michigan Tech). The only thing that I really feel limited by is the QR axle/fork (selection is super limited for 26” straight steerer tubes). I spent $200 on the bike (MSRP was $700 new back then) and put maybe $2500 into maintenance and upgrades over the 11 years I’ve owned it. Now that I live in SE MI where the trails are flat and flowy, I can’t really justify the upfront cost of building or buying a new bike when the one I have does everything I need.

My mom rode a 2001 gray fisher that she got $500 new

I commute in Boston on an 80s steel trek with friction shifting and old Shimano Rx. It's the only stuff that can take winter salt. Hose it off and grease it. I've commuted on modern bikes and the parts become junk quickly. On mtb I'm fully into the new stuff.

While not brand new, I like my 2016 Diamondback Release for modern trails, but all the rest of my bikes tend to be old. Most recently, I picked up an Access 29" hardtail (Performance Bikes house brand) at a thrift store for $40. As my second-newest bike, it's from 2009 or 2010. It still has an air fork and hydraulic disc brakes. For most of my "regular" riding (around town, bike paths, fire roads, green-level XC trails) it does the job great. Frankly, for trails within riding distance of my house, it's more fun as my Diamondback makes those trails too easy. To make it even more versatile, I'm considering a second wheelset with slick tires. Even if I bought the wheels new (which I won't), I'd still only have a minimal investment in this bike that can do all sorts of rad riding.

Michael Newman

Old bikes are sort of like old jeans- comfy and great patina

I have to agree, my skill set and ability doesn’t warrant having the latest and greatest. When I became interested in riding at Mountain Creek I went to a LBS and asked for a bike good for park and trail riding. they ordered me a Trek Remedy which is more than capable of everything I wanted but once I started riding at Creek I realized I should have just bought a used Scott 730 rental. So I did, just upgraded the brakes, new pedals, grips, chain, and greased the bearings. Now I have a ride that’s more than capable and better suited for the abuse of a beginner midlife crisis fat guy.

I'm riding a 16 year old single speed karate monkey. I got the frame new and put old at the time parts on it. Almost all the parts except the bottom bracket and headset have been replaced. I ride 30 miles a week of technical single track rolling hills.