Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
You're likely to run up on a lot of junk in that price range, I'd advise you to be very knowledgable about what to look for in a used bike, lest a lemon sour your taste for riding. I actually think the advice to buy a used bike is horrible advice, but thats obviously my opinion...
So, should he buy a brand new bike and lose a ton of money when he trades it in within a year when he's ready to upgrade? Chances are, he'll drop it, too, further reducing the new bike's value.
Theres many things he could do, But buying a ragged cheap bike is not like buying a beater car. If he's ill equipped to check it out properly or have it checked out then yes he should buy a new bike and consider the value reduction whatever that might be and from whatever cause the price of the education.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
If he is not mechanically inclined, to avoid a risk of getting a lemon, he can consider buying a used bike from a bike dealer - this way he'll get 30 days of warranty typically or if it's a lemon, he can bring it back.
Or he might take a trusted friend who is bike mechanically inclined along to help reduce the risk and also increase his budget... I don't think the market is saturated with $2500.00 / Warranty / Return policy bikes.