Advice for a new biker

[pooks]

If you were advising a new biker with limited funds (say, $500 or less), would you advise them to go their LBS and get the best used bike they could for that money, or to buy a new bike?

[Cassandra_Cain]

Pooks - either could work you know - used or new...

A quality LBS should not be selling suspect used bikes. To me it is a matter of personal preferrence.

As a rank beginner though the appeal of a new bike also has to do with the fact that some LBS's, like the one I go to, give free lifetime adjustments on new bikes. So that is certainly comforting and appealing.

More important than the bike of course, are good riding skills, proper equipment (helmet, gloves, shorts), and common sense.

Besides, your friend has you - a wealth of knowledge at your disposal

[Bikingmomof3]

Either would work. I know my bike store bought my old Giant bike off me (it was only 3 weeks old) and promptly sold it at a very decent price. Yesterday when my DH was in to buy his Trek the bike store had a used Giant OCR at an awesome price-wrong size. My point? My bike store checks out all bikes before they buy them off customers and tunes them, etc, and sells them at awesome prices-it is rare to see a used bike in that store, thye are iommediately snatched up.
Also, this time of year there will be sales.
I think your friend should be able to get a very good bike for $500 or under.

[pooks]

Thanks for the feedback! I just need to get her here on TE, don't I?

[mimitabby]

I find that when i go into the LBS for a used bike, they have a limited supply and both times I ended up buying a new one instead.
If you want a used bike, it will probably take longer to find the right one.

[Bad JuJu]

Thanks for the feedback! I just need to get her here on TE, don't I?

That's what I did. I've got a neighbor who (1) bought a used Cannondale--much too big for her, then sold it and (2) now is road-riding on a heavy Trek mountain bike that she got with saved up credit card points. Both nice bikes, but neither one of them is really right for her. I sent her straight to this forum, as well as craigslist and our LBS, where they already know her since the used-gi-normous-Cannondale debacle. She hasn't found "her" bike yet, but it's only a matter of time. Meanwhile, she's tearin' up the road, as much as possible, on her Trek mtb.