Okay, so you already know the basics. Enough good replies already.
NEW - up your budget about 15k. (thats the short version after spending weeks helping a buddy search for a new bike under 10k)
SECONDHAND - absolute lottery .... in theory you CAN get a very nice bike. In reality you can get a lemon thats going to end up costing a LOT of money .... Few things to check (many threads about this already)
- take a chain checker ... a stretched chain is an expensive drive drain replacement, walk away
- check the tyres, especially if it is "tubeless ready". Also check if it is cracked (old and perished), dont get drawn in just by how much tread is left
- remove the chain, spin the crank .... it spin quietly .... now turn it gently through 180 degrees and FEEL the bearings. This is a cheap fix item, but tells you how the bike was looked after .... did it go swimming, was it pressure washed, etc .... and gives you some idea of the condition of the other internal moving parts.
- Remove the front wheel and feel the bearing movement ...
- with the front wheel off, now feel the neck bearings
Certainly not fool proof, but really should be minimum checks done.
And PLEASE, dont fall for "it was recently serviced" .... that was the worst lemon we ever bought !!!
Last thought .... Argus is almost done .... winter is almost here .... lots of new entrants onto the secondhand market coming soon.
