Originally Posted by
patnoe
Are you against used because you fear an unreported crash? Or some other reason?
Crash damage would certainly be a concern. The last bike I bought used I had to change everything to make it work for me, ( gearing, bars, stem, saddle, post,and eventually, wheels.)
Some bikes only come with warranty to the original buyer. A BF friend bought a used Trek a few years ago and when the frame failed near the bottom bracket, Trek refused to cover it. Whatever money he saved by buying used was nothing compared to the cost of a new frame.
Also, some people need the help of a shop to get their new bike set up and working for them.
Vintage bike buyers/collectors like Wildwood are a different story. He knows what he wants, probably always gets a good price, and does his own work. In fact, I think working on and building up vintage bikes is part of the hobby for him. With as many bikes as he owns, it's doubtful any of them get tens of thousands of miles put on them.
I have close to 80,000 miles between my 2 road bikes. Thinking about shopping for a new one. I'd love to own that blue Merckx he posted above, but I'd probably only ride it occasionally.