Buying a Used Bike in Chicago: Where to Shop and What to Check

Buy from a shop that inspects its used bikes, or buy privately only after you have checked the frame, the parts and the serial number. This guide belongs to Plan a Ride.

Where to buy

Nonprofit shops

The Recyclery. A nonprofit educational bike shop in Rogers Park, at 7628 N. Paulina St., next to the Howard station¹⁸. It sells refurbished bikes, and each one is inspected, tuned and ready to ride¹. Your purchase supports its free community programs¹. Shop hours are Wednesday 6 to 8 pm and Saturday 11 am to 2 pm⁸. Its Open Shop lets you fix your own bike with tools and help from volunteer mechanics, with no appointment needed¹. Open Shop runs Monday 5 to 7 pm, Thursday 7 to 9 pm and Saturday 11 am to 2 pm⁸.

Working Bikes. At 2434 S. Western Ave.². The cooperative collects donated bikes from across Chicago and the Midwest². Those bikes are shipped to international bike projects, repaired and donated locally, or fixed up and sold in the storefront². Shop proceeds go to its bike donation programs². A full service department is staffed by expert mechanics². Current hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 6 pm².

Neighborhood shops

Igor Does My Bike. A local, family-owned shop at 5454 N. Broadway St. in Edgewater⁴. Its selection of used bikes changes every week, and the staff will help you find a bike before you visit⁴. It also offers a four-day turnaround for tune-ups by appointment⁴. For more shops, see the Chicago bike shop directory and community bike shops.

Check the bike first

Inspect the bike before you talk price. Secondhand bikes often carry older components that have not been serviced in a while⁶.

Part	What to check
Frame and fork	Look for bent tubes on metal frames; on carbon, feel for small cracks covered by paint6
Brakes and shifters	Test the calipers and shifters6
Chain and rings	Use a chain-wear indicator to see whether they need replacing6
Wheels	Spin each wheel and watch whether it looks off-axis6
Tires	Look for cuts or fraying that can make the ride dangerous6

Ask to see the maintenance history on paper⁶.

Take a test ride

You should test ride a used bike before you buy it⁶. Problems in the drivetrain show up on the road before they show up by eye⁶. The seller might ask to hold your phone or ride along with you⁶. Agree to it.

Prove it is not stolen

Ask for proof of purchase or ownership. A seller usually has a receipt, a confirmation email or a payment record⁶. If the seller gets defensive, it is better to walk away⁶.

Then check the serial number. Look around the bottom bracket for it⁶. Project 529 tells buyers to run the serial number first, to make sure the bike is not listed as missing⁵. If the number has been covered or filed off, walk away from the sale⁶.

Once the bike is yours, register it. Project 529 registration takes a couple of minutes and is free: add the serial number and a few photos⁵. Shops register bikes at the point of sale⁵. A 529 Shield on the frame tells thieves the bike is registered and traceable⁵. For what to do if a bike is taken, read the stolen bike guide.

Selling a used bike

Working Bikes takes donated bikes and fixes them up for sale or donation². The Pro’s Closet buys bikes you ship to it, and gives an offer within 48 hours⁷.