Get Into Cycling Without Exhausting Your Savings

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Cycling has always been my thing. Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed exploring new streets on my bike. Moving to Beijing hasn’t changed that. I try to avoid public transportation, and even DiDi, whenever possible. These past few months, with subway closures and taxis in some parts of the city being available on and off, bikes (whether road, city, folding, cargo, e-bikes, or any other types of bicycles available these days) have become essential. Not only can they get you places, they’re also a great way to burn off extra calories or even have a fun, active afternoon with your kids.

With so many different types of bikes out there, it can get pretty confusing knowing which one best fits your needs. But once you figure that part out, there’s another challenge to face: getting your choice to fit your budget. Now, new bicycles can come with a hefty price tag, so unless you’re an avid cyclist making a living from it, getting a good bike in a working condition for a fraction of the original price is what I’d call a great buy.

Thankfully, there are places in Beijing where you can snatch a great deal that will get you on your wheels by the next day!

Roundabout retail store

I bet you’d never thought of getting yourself a bike at Roundabout. I’ve always thought of Roundabout as a place where one can find used books, toys, clothes, accessories, and even furniture, but never bicycles. But oh, how wrong I’ve been! There’s no better way to get rid of the stuff you don’t need anymore than to donate it for a good cause, and every now and then someone stops needing their bike and decides to give it away. What’s great about Roundabout is that they always make sure the donated stuff is in working, usable condition, so you can rest assured that it won’t fall apart as soon as you take it home. Also, by getting a bicycle from Roundabout you’ll be helping those in need.

Find It:
Roundabout Charity Store
2A Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区香江北路甲2号
Tel: [phone]

Xianyu 闲鱼

Xianyu is a secondhand goods app I discovered last year when I was trying to purchase a charger for a phone that hadn’t been manufactured for years. My friend introduced me to it and although it was a hassle figuring out all the options in the beginning due to the interface being entirely in Chinese with no option of switching to English, I mastered it pretty quickly (thank God for screenshots and online translators). With Xianyu you can find absolutely and literally everything, including used bikes! Whatever your need is, whatever you’re looking for, someone on Xianyu has it. For RMB 200, RMB 2,000 or RMB 20,000, you name it. You just need to set your budget and start scrolling through hundreds of options.

Now, what I’ve been told is to make sure the seller has been verified by other users and has a good score. If you want to avoid shipping costs, set your search parameters to within your district and the app will only display the bikes available in your area. This way, you can walk to the seller, check out the bike yourself and ride it back home. If you like what you see, you can make the purchase on the spot by clicking the red 立即购买 button and paying by Alipay. I’ve made quite a few purchases since and couldn’t be happier with them.

Buy/Sell Groups

If you’ve been in China long enough, then you know how WeChat groups can come in handy for acquiring the things you need. Be it a piece of news or advice, or a service or a product, WeChat groups exist to make our expat lives easier. So no better place to look for a used bike than in one of the many buy/sell groups.

The great thing about these groups is that even though people post photos of the item they’re selling, once you find something you like, you can contact the seller to ask for more info on the bike, and even ask for additional pictures and videos to help you make an informed decision. And since most group members are expats, you can do all this in English, without having to use a translator. Yay!

Secondhand Bike Parts

This is a WeChat group where one can find secondhand high-end bikes and cycling equipment. The group is run by Serk Cycling, a pretty special bike shop here in Beijing that, apart from selling high-end and custom-built bikes, also organizes cycling adventures in Beijing and Greater China (but that’s another story for another time). If you’re after a high-quality bicycle, this is the right group for you.

All bikes and cycling equipment sold in this group are secondhand. If you already know what you’re looking for, you can ask in the group by filling out a short template with the name of the item, size/model, the price range, and the location. You can also just browse through the posts and see if you like anything. When selling an item, apart from the price, sellers have to include additional details, such as condition and reason for selling. If you sell a bike through the group, there is a voluntary commission which is collected by Serk and will be put towards a charity or a good cause. The collected funds are currently going to the Masaka Cycling Club in Uganda. The group has exceeded 200 members, so if you want to be added, add the admin: @serkcycling

Images: Pexels

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