WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Give second-hand bikes a good checking-over before parting with any cash. Ideally, get a friend who’s handy with a spanner to have a look too. See if the gears and brakes work, there are any leaks from the fork/shock and how worn the paintwork is – these’ll all give you clues as to how well it’s been looked after. Look for cracks in key areas too, such as shock mounts, chainstay welds and head tube joins.