TOUR What are the risks of buying a second-hand bicycle?
ZEDLER Buying second hand is business based on trust. If a defect occurs after the purchase, it is not seldom that the parties dispute in court. Those who have no profound knowledge in technology, may even buy a road racing bike which doesn’t fit or has a completely wrong gear transmission ratio.
TOUR But should you not have confidence in the bicycle dealer or the vendor on the Internet?
ZEDLER Of course you should, but the framework conditions, in particular the legal conditions, differ. The bicycle dealer has a greater choice of new models and adjusts the bicycle to the customers needs. In the case of a new purchase, the dealer is liable to the customer within two years for defects in the goods. Furthermore, most dealers provide extended warranties for frames and forks, occasionally even for further components. Some manufacturers offer a crash replacement regulation for the replacement purchase of a damaged part at reduced prices. In case of purchases by Internet the buyer has the additional right to return unused products within 14 days. When buying second hand from a private individual all these rights are missing. As a buyer you must be aware of that. Warranty for material defects and the right to return are usually excluded by a private vendor.
TOUR That means you advise against buying second hand?
ZEDLER Yes and no. Buying second hand bears many risks. I would buy second hand from reliable sources and if I knew the history of the bicycle. In a laboratory, such as ours, a bicycle could undergo thorough tests, but the expenses for a reliable result would be enormous.
