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Just sold a bike on ebay, the buyer admits to not knowing much about bikes, so put it into his LBS to assemble it after shipping.
He's just been in touch to say the salesmen who booked it in says the rear cassette and chainrings need replacing. Nothings that old and everything was working fine when sold. Looking at these pics do they look worn out and need replacing ? Especially as nothing was slipping and the gears changed like clockwork.
Seems beside the point if the photos and description you provided to the buyer are accurate.
They don't look unusably worn to my untrained eye, but more importantly it's a used bike and they are a wear item. Unless you sold it as new I'm not sure what the buyer expects from you.
Are kwik fit branching out into bike repair?
Plenty of life left in them, tell the LBS to jog on.
Is the buyer asking for money back? It's not unheard of for a lbs to try and make more money out of a niave individual.
Only the chain can need replacing if everything's working - once the chain gets too worn, fine, you're going to have to do everything else, but you wait until it stops working prior to that.
Used bike, unless you said it has a brand new chain on and it doesn't, then it sounds like someone at it (customer or LBS), misinterpreting or being OTT.
That said, can't see the condition of the cassette from the pic and there is some wear evident on the rings. The chain doesn't look totally shagged though, so your description sounds about right, perfectly rideable but not new.
Various points as above:
How was it described?
Chainrings look ok but a pic tells nothing re chain and cassette.
Either buyer or chop could be trying it on.
to me that chainri8ng is badly worn suggesting a worn drivetrain but its a second hand bike, it was working fine and these are wear parts. If you sold it with the gears jumping all over the place it would be different so IMO you are in the right.
Unless you sold it as new I’m not sure what the buyer expects from you.
The bike was very much sold as used.Some parts were new and those were listed. The bike was described as in good working condition which it is.
The buyer seems a straight guy, but I'd imagine his concern is that the LBS has said these parts are worn out making the bike unusable untill replaced.
Anyway that opinion was voiced by the guy front of shop, the mechanic is looking at it tomorrow.
Yes .. and yes. That chain looks well stretched .. and that cassette got worse teeth than the Rocket.
Not to mention the front mech cable looking as if it gonna start to fray ... and you got weeds in your paving slabs.
Terrible ebayer!!
The cassette and chainrings looked used, nothing outrageous.
This screams of lbs trying to milk naive bike buyer for a load of new drivetrain parts.
My approach to chain, cassette and chainring wear in my workshop is to start with the chain. If the new chain skips on the cassette then it's new cassette time and likewise for chainrings. I never automatically change everything unless it's clearly been ridden to destruction.
Other bike shops may not take this approach and to save any hassle or comeback will just change the lot regardless, that way there is no way anything will skip.
just change the lot regardless, that way there is no way anything will skip.
If a customer came in and the bike had a problem I'd agree, its what I do. But if there was no problem and a customer had just said "check it over" at what point would you recommend changing working parts ?
Mooman, with that sorry excuse of a mntbike you have I'd not be casting the first stone 😉
Most likely only needs a chain and cassette. Change the chain, and if it skips, new cassette. Just got away with mine, chain snapped, but chain checker said 0.75, new chain and no skipping. Go to 1.0 on a checker and its likely a new cassette.
Chain rings are well used but look OK. 2x is a little more forgiving than 1x when worn. The rings arent cheap on the 2x.
Most likely only needs a chain and cassette.
But based on what ? The buyer hasn't ridden the bike nor has anyone at the lbs. Someone has just looked down at the cassette and says it needs changing, in use the drive train works just fine. I know cassettes can be hard to judge visualy but I can't see any obvious wear.
Bike shop probably stuck a chain checker in and it showed as worn.
A unit of drive train would be chain , cassette , chainrings .
Those chainrings look like they have seen better days
I see two cogs on the rear cassette showing signs of hooking so it's seen a few miles in its time.
Tbh unless you said specifically that drive train was worn but functional I reckon eBay will side with the shop/buyer on this.
Bike shop probably stuck a chain checker in and it showed as worn.
Nope the bike was dropped of partly dismantled. The mechanic will be assembling it tomorrow. Front of shop guy booked it in and started sucking his teeth.
I see two cogs on the rear cassette showing signs of hooking so it’s seen a few miles in its time.
Which ones, its a slx cassette some teeth have that profile
As they say - it takes one to know one ... and your correct, I know my mtb is in a terrible state. Front shifter not working; buckled front and rear wheels; brake pads pretty much on the brake plates ... and badly worn chain/cassette/chainrings ... and frayed cable ends. So I pretty much an expert on worn out bikes when I opine the condition of that old bike you sold.
Shocking ebayer!!
"at what point would you recommend changing working parts ?"
There's two ways of going about it.
If you work on the assumption that the bike is used regularly and serviced every year then would leaving a worn chain on "because it works" last another twelve months without issue.?
The second approach is to ride it until it shifts like a dog and or breaks.
The whole point of maintenance is so your pride and joy doesn't let you down half way through a ride, or at the very least eliminate the chances as much as possible.
Back to the OP buying a second hand bike I would be working in the assumption that most parts would be half way through their working life unless it stated there was new parts fitted or it was advised that something was shagged.
That new slx cassette has different profile teeth to the original photo at the top. The cog above the chain especially.
You can see where the rollers wearing the backside of the tooth and digging jn
If you work on the assumption that the bike is used regularly and serviced every year then would leaving a worn chain on “because it works” last another twelve months without issue.?
So if a bike comes into your shop and you estimate that the drive chain won't work flawlessly for 12 months you'd reccomend changing it ?
Not having a go just interested in the thinking behind this and how Lbs's work these days.
It's such a 'how long is a peice of string' question. You wouldn't fit a new clutch to a car every three years because it was 10% worn. You fix it when it starts slipping..
It's a second hand bike... If it was shifting OK then don't worry. Sold as described and all that, the rings do look a bit toothy but it seems the pictures were on the advert so it's not miss selling..
I've gotta very spikey sram triple on my bike at the moment, it just won't die, it must have been forged in the fires of Mount doom.
To put it another way, it's a wear item, if you sold a used car that only had 2.5mm tread on the tyres, and they asked for money back, because the local garage suggested it needs new tyres ... what would you think then? They are still functional but used.
You can see where the rollers wearing the backside of the tooth and digging jn
Not sure I can, but thanks for your input. I posted the pic to get a broad view of opinion. I'll take them all on board if the buyer wants to take things further.
Except moomans 😉
"So if a bike comes into your shop and you estimate that the drive chain won’t work flawlessly for 12 months you’d reccomend changing it ?"
If the chain is worn we recommend it's changed with the warning that other bits may need to be changed if things start skipping like a school girl in the playground. If the bike is going up the local towpath a handful of times a year then leaving a worn chain on probably won't make too much difference. If it's a commuter that is used daily then keeping things working slick is a no brainer.
It differs customer to customer.
Tell the buyer that you are confident it was working properly and they should just ask the LBS to assemble the bike as asked ... then come back to you if they have any issues when riding it. Does sound like the shop is sensing a sales opportunity!
Tell the buyer that you are confident it was working properly and they should just ask the LBS to assemble the bike as asked … then come back to you if they have any issues when riding it.
This is exactly my position 👍
Classic eBay trick is to claim various things need doing and then ask for some money back.
If it was as described and pictured then buyer has to be aware it may need some maintenence.
Does it work without skipping? I'd tell him just ride on until it does, then get it fixed. LBS will go straight for whole lot needs doing as yes its worn, but drive trains will run for way longer than you think when worn, and no it doesn't wear it any faster (in my experience, my bikes are proof of this).
If he wants nice new and shiny though, he should get it all replaced, but that's his call and cost.
Like buying a second hand car, tyres are legal, pass MOT, but bit worn and saw that on buying. Up to the buyer to replace them if they want.
Got a text from the buyer. He's happy so all good.
Just been picked bike up and mechanic apologised said salesman was wrong bike is really good and no problems at all so my lad over the moon , sorry to have Moaned yesterday he just worried me, thanks for all your help very much appreciated Colin , Brian.
LOL at some of the online diagnoses!