Buy Now - Making your used bicycle purchase - SoCalBicycles.com Riverside, CA.

How to Buy from Us / Layaway plan

SoCalBicycles offers three easy buying options for your bicycle purchase:

1.) We accept cash.

2.) Or use your VISA or MasterCard. Sorry, at this time we do not accept personal checks.

New Layaway plan!

3.) Have you found the bicycle you need but don't have the funds to make the immediate purchase? Not to worry, SoCalBicycles has a layaway plan! Make a cash or credit card deposit of at least $75 and we'll hold your new or used bicycle up to 60 days while you either save your money for the balance or make easy no-interest payments until the bicycle is paid in full. There are no interest or fees on our layaway purchase program. However we do have a few simple rules. After you have made a deposit on your bicycle purchase, there is no refund. Therefore if you later change your mind regarding your purchase, the deposit money can not be refunded. We will hold / store your bicycle at no cost for up to sixty days. But your purchase must be paid in full within the allotted sixty (60) day time period of your layaway. If not paid off within the sixty days, your bicycle will be returned to our inventory for someone else to purchase. At that time we will refund all prior payments except for the original $75 deposit.

Because we do not ship our bicycles, and do not sell on-line they require local pick up and purchase in Riverside, Ca. All of our bikes (both new and used) are fully assembled and ready to ride. Tires are already inflated to factory specifications. Seat and handlebar heights can be easily adjusted to best fit your riding. You are welcome to inspect and or do a personal test ride prior to your purchase. Please note, bicycles marked Sold are no longer in stock.

Please feel free to call and arrange your next bicycle purchase.

SoCalBicycles: Riverside, California 92508. Because we are not burdened with an expensive high-visibility retail store, our address does not appear on our website. We do not offer on line purchases. Bicycle sales and test rides are by appointment only. Please feel free to call us and we'll arrange a time that best fits your schedule.

Phone: (951) 300-8035

Email: info@SoCalBikes.com

Watch out for these issues in a used bicycle purchase

Photos below came from actual private party bicycle ads. These are not rare examples, you can find many similar listed on the Internet every single day.

Above: This used beach cruiser seems nice... but lets look closer. The front fender has been mounted backwards. The seller snaps his bike photo not showing the "drive" side of the bicycle. However its still easy to not the absence of the chain guard. Finding a replacement chain guard is not easy.

Above: This used bike looks pretty good. Upon closer inspection you'll note the missing chain guard. Don't be fooled, finding a replacement chain guard can be very difficult and sometimes costly. Have you ever experienced your pant leg or shoe string getting snagged in an exposed sprocket? Chain guards are more than ornamental, they have a purpose, to protect the rider from the moving chain.

Above: Look closely, this nice looking beach cruiser has the forks mounted backwards! Care to fix this issue? Start by removing the front wheel and fender. If you don't know how, open your pocket book and take this one to your local bike shop for the correction.

Above: Surely not difficult to recognize this beach cruiser has severely bent forks. The owner freely states: "slight bend in front of frame [actually the forks, not the frame] due to curb collision." No question the forks will need replacement. But one has to wonder what else was damaged in that "curb collision"? If it bent the forks that bad, what about the front wheel and spokes?

Above: Very sad, this photo was posted by a bicycle dealer. Sad because not only have they mounted the forks backwards, but they snapped this photo and posted it on the Internet. I guess this proves some dealers only know now to take your money—obviously clueless when it comes to basic bicycle assembly!

Above: Always amazing to see what people try to sell. Have you noticed anything wrong with the red bike in the above photo? Seems the seller has not realized the front fender is mounted backwards! What else is incorrect? It appears the kickstand is missing, hence the bicycle leaned against the wall. No kickstand is visual in this photo either.

Ask pointed and important questions to most folks selling their bicycle and is many cases, they simply have no answers. Wheel size? Frame size? Tire size? How many gears? Unfortunately most just don't know. Do you want to drive across town, waste your gas money and time only to find out the bike you wanted to buy was in a state of disrepair? Or, how about making the purchase, then discovering the problems, that cost you still more money.

How to Buy a Bicycle

Many people run to their local discount or department store and purchase whatever the salesman says is a good bike. More often than not, the bicycle is not ideal for the owner. Here are some steps and tips on choosing the right bike for you.

Decide what type of riding you are going to do. Are you riding around town, or just cruising the beach and local neighborhood? Do you want to ride fast, or do you want smoothness and comfort? Are you riding off-road in the dirt? If the majority of your riding is on paved surfaces, do not purchase a mountain bike! Likewise, a road or street bicycle would be a poor choice for off-road use.

Fit is everything. If the bike is not properly fitted you'll be uncomfortable and you won't want to ride. Test ride several sizes and models for comfort. Are you too stretched out? Can you clear the top tube on the frame when off the seat and standing on the ground? Are the controls easy to use and reach? Keep in mind there are many adjustments that can be made to accommodate a rider (seat, seat-post, handlebars etc.) but the frame size is fixed. Nowadays very few bicycle manufactures build frames in more than one size. In the past, companies such as Schwinn and Ross, built each model of their bicycles in two or more frame sizes. Today, that is not the case.

Sit on and if possible test ride several models. SoCalBicycles offers free test rides. Try to avoid a bicycle sold at discount or department stores such as Target, Walmart or K-Mart. While they carry such brands as Schwinn and Mongoose, these bikes are low-end models, designed to attract customers by low prices. Schwinn and Mongoose bikes in department stores are not the same bicycles you'll find in a professional bike shop. They are just stickered to look that way—steer clear of these bikes if at all possible. Keep in mind, discount store bicycles are frequently assembled by non-professionals and often suffer damage from poor adjustments, incorrect tools and many varied assembly errors. In the long-run this could prove dangerous to you as a rider. Lastly, these retail stores do not offer a test ride, nor will their inexperienced sales staff be able to help or advise you to fit or adjust your new bicycle.

Determine the correct frame size by sitting on or riding many bicycles and finding what "feels" comfortable for you. This includes the distance from the seat to the ground and the angle at which you have to lean to hold the handlebars.

Determine the amount of money that you want to spend. There's no use looking at $1,000 bikes when you only want or need to spend $200. Also try to factor in accessories and components—getting racks, locks, baskets, etc. when you make your purchase.

Compare the components of one bicycle to those of another. This step may take a little time, but it is well worth the effort. Components usually make up most of the bike's value, so don't compromise the importance of this step. Keep track of all the benefits and downsides to each model and its features.

Decide what aspects are most important to you and go for the one that fits you best yet offers the best value.

Remember, you get what you pay for! Inexpensive bicycles tend towards frequent maintenance, and may not be properly sized for your body structure. This may result in general discomfort when riding the bike for prolonged periods, or it may be as severe as aches in the knees or lower back. If you purchase a cheap bike, and you do not enjoy riding it, you'll soon stop. You will almost certainly find riding the newer bicycle vastly more pleasant than the cheaper bike. The more expensive and better quality bikes tend to be lighter weight than the cheaper models, allowing you to travel faster and further, cutting travel times and physical effort spent. It's doubtful a new $79 bicycle will last even 2 years. Considering the longevity of the newer and better quality bikes, you'll find that amortized expenditure is significantly less than a year's worth of fuel for a car!

Please Note: If you need warrantee, manufacture, recall information or bicycle serial number data, please contact your local bicycle dealer. Murray, Ross and most other American bicycle manufactures are no longer in business. The original Schwinn bicycle's built in the United States are no longer in production. Dorel Industries now manufactures Schwinn bicycles in China. SoCalBicycles is not a dealer for Murray, Ross, Huffy, Nirve or Schwinn. For Huffy or Schwinn bicycle data please contact the manufacture or your local dealer. If you have any questions regarding these manufactures, please check with your local bicycle shop. If you have questions, service, parts or warrantee needs regarding a bicycle you purchased from another retailer, you need to contact that dealer. If you live outside the state of California, please contact a bicycle dealer near you.

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Disclaimer: SoCalBicycles.com and their owner makes no representations about the suitability of the content found here for any purpose. All of our bicycles are sold "as is" without any warranty of any kind. Meaning no refunds of any kind in cash, check or credit. We do not warrantee bicycles damaged by abused, misused, altered by component parts substitutions, or used for rental or other commercial uses. This includes bicycles used for stunt riding, bicycle motocross, dirt biking, racing, or similar activities. No warranty on frames, forks or parts damaged from use, misuse, crashing, accidents, racing, jumping, stunt riding, improper maintenance, or neglect etc. Any scratches or dents to frame wheels, fenders, forks, or any other parts are not covered. Any damage to the threads of pedals, cranks, stem, seat, seat post clamp, and front or rear wheel axles are not covered. We do not cover rips in seat materials, damage to grips, nor flat tires or damaged tubes. SoCalBicycles does not cover gear, derailleur or brake adjustments, nor any alteration made or aftermarket part installed on a bicycle by the customer. We do not warranty wear and tear to bicycles, tires or any components. SoCalBicycles does not warranty any damage as a result of any kind of bike accident or from dropping the bicycle. SoCalBicycles shall not be liable for incidental or consequential damages. SoCalBicycles.com hereby disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to the content of this site. In no event shall SoCalBicycles.com and or their owners be liable for any special, indirect, exemplary, or consequential damages or any damages / injuries whatsoever arising out of or in connection with the use of our new or used bicycles or parts purchased herein. We are therefore not responsible or liable for loss of use, damages or injuries with regards to any of our products found on this website. SoCalBicycles.com and their owner are not responsible for negligence or other tortuous actions. The content of this website may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. It is your responsibility to verify any information before relying on it. We reserve the right to refuse service or sales to anyone.

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