Secondhand bicycle store in Cambridge (UK)?

July 17, 2007 7:48 AM

I need a secondhand bicycle, and am having issues finding a store to sell me one. (Cambridge, UK)

I find myself in need of a bicycle. I don't really have the money to burn on a brand new bicycle in one of the shiny stores, and don't really trust the cheap ones I can't even see before buying at Argos and the like - so I want to get a good secondhand one.

I don't, unfortunately, have the time to walk all over the city looking for a store that actually has some choice, so I would be very grateful if anybody knew of a good place to look. (If it matters any, I'm located on Chesterton Road, near the city centre.)

posted by sailoreagle to sports, hobbies, & recreation (11 comments total)

have you tried ebay - they have a whole sub-section devoted to bicycles, bike parts, etc. there are literally thousands of used bikes on ebay
posted by Flood at 7:54 AM on July 17, 2007

I'm not sure which places sell secondhand bikes, but http://cam.misc.org.uk/index.php/Cycle%20shop gives some recommendations for shops. University Cycles would seem to be the nearest to you.

Alternatively, you could post your question to the cam.misc newsgroup or search for similar questions asked there in the past (unfortunately Google's archive for cam.misc isn't available just at the minute).
posted by amcewen at 8:02 AM on July 17, 2007

eBay is a good place if you know what you are looking for
posted by caddis at 8:07 AM on July 17, 2007

Craigslist is pretty much useless in Britain, especially outside of London as there are so few posts. You want Gumtree instead.
posted by caek at 8:28 AM on July 17, 2007

A couple of years ago, I bought a second-hand bike from a place on Mill Road, just near St Barnabas (before the railway bridge). I couldn't remember the name of the place, but Google shows up a Cam Cycle at 92 Mill Road, which looks like the place (as long as it hasn't shut down in the interim). It lasted me okay, and the price was reasonable, but I do remember some time later taking it to get a tune-up from the guys with the second-hand bike stall in the market-place (which, admittedly, wasn't there every day), and thinking that their prices were just about the same, and so I might have saved myself a long walk.
posted by hydatius at 8:34 AM on July 17, 2007

Wrong Cambridge M.C. Lo-Carb!

My ex-housemate got cheap bikes* from Cash Converters. Their web page shows that the is one in Cambridge. Your opinions on the shop may vary, personally I am undecided.

*her bike buying voodoo was not good, so she bought multiple ones until she found one she liked - this was her prefered solution to any problem (also used on household DIY). If you also know nothing about bikes, don't make the same mistake - take someone who knows about bikes, or do some reading beforehand.
posted by Helga-woo at 9:09 AM on July 17, 2007

Doh!
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 10:42 AM on July 17, 2007

Chesterton road? Well, on Milton Road (on the left just before the Golden Hind) there's a house with a sign up advertising second hand bikes pretty much all the time. I assume they're ones bought from police auctions.
posted by twine42 at 2:52 PM on July 17, 2007

When I lived in Cambridge I bought a bike at the police auction. I thought I overpaid, but seeing the prices of other 2nd hand bikes later it wasn't too bad.
Perhaps posting a bike wanted notice on a pole down near the colleges?
posted by bystander at 9:03 PM on July 17, 2007

I once bought a bike from The Bikeman, a second-hand bike stall on the market place. I can't remember on which day of the week they are present, it's something like once a week. You have to be there early (the good bikes go fast, I remember queuing at 8am) but they bring a new selection each week. The supply will be best in September around the time that term starts. Their cost is reasonable, given that included in the price is a total check-up of the bike prior to the sale. It is quite possible to bargain a bit with them - after all they are keen on selling the day's supply before the market closes!
It's a good place to have your bike fixed quickly too.
posted by spherical_perceptions at 8:00 AM on July 18, 2007

If you have access to the internal university newsgroups, there are often adverts of bikes for sale on ucam.adverts.forsale. Police auction is also a good place to look if there's one soon.

Once you've got the bike, a nice sturdy lock is also advisable.
posted by penguinliz at 11:01 AM on July 18, 2007