Condition Scale

They say love is blind. When you look at your used bike, you likely see all the outstanding rides you had together. A nick here or a bit of rust there does little to deter the value the bike has for you. But for the person buying your bike, that damage either needs to be repaired or will reduce the performance and good memories they’ll have with the bike in the future.

Over the 35 years we’ve been in the bike industry, we’ve come to see that the condition of a used bicycle can be a very subjective thing. For this reason, we rate every bike we buy according to the Condition Scale below. Please use these criteria when filling out the Get a Quote form.

Mint

A bike in truly mint condition is very rare and in high demand. To be considered “Mint” your bike must have:

Low mileage, less than 500 miles
Decals and paint in perfect condition
Little to no markings from brake pads on braking surface of rims
No scratches, dents or dings.

Excellent

To be rated in excellent condition, your bike:

Will have moderate mileage, 600-1500 miles
Will show minor scratches on the frame OR fork, but not both
May show visible wear on bar tape, brake hoods or grips
Will be free of scratches on the bottom bracket, specifically “chain suck” scratches
Will have all bearing areas in good condition, with no “play”
Wheels must be true
Components might have minor nicks or scratches and work as designed by the manufacture

Good

A “good” bike will have mileage above 1500. Frame, fork and/or decals will show scratches, chips, peeling or fading. Servicing and/or replacement of some of the following parts may be needed:

Tubes
Tires
Brake pads
Brake cable and/or housing
Gear cable and/or housing
Grips, bar tape, brake hoods
Pedals
Saddle

Fair

Does your bicycle have:

Excessive mileage?
Dings, dents and scratches on the frame and fork?
Faded paint and/or decals?
Any number of parts needing to be replaced? ((Use the comments field on the Get a Quote form to list the parts that need replacing)

Don’t worry. It sounds like a full tune up will be required, but we may still be interested in buying your bike. Bring it down to the shop or Get a Quote to see what your bike is worth.

If you’re not sure, give us a call at (408) 209-2558 . We’re happy to answer your questions.