Can you buy used carbon Cycling Wheels?

You just decided to upgrade your 1980’s alloy frame Schwinn and one of the first decisions that you are trying to make is can you buy used carbon cycling wheels for the bicycle.

First, that would be a strange combination, though we are not going to stop you. But a more realistic possibility is that you came to read this publication because you have a higher end road bicycle with either an aluminum wheelset or a carbon aero inner with aluminum rims around the outside of the wheels.

When looking for carbon wheels, it is generally known that it is totally fine to do so. If you want to make sure you do it correct, then take a moment to read this posting.

The good thing about buying used carbon cycling wheels is that you typically can find the wheels that you are looking for at a relatively reasonable price in comparison to brand new.

In this publication you will learn about buying used carbon cycling wheels. You will learn in general if cycling wheels make a large difference in your riding speed. You will learn about what to look for when buying second-hand wheels.

You will learn about the life expectancy of used carbon wheels and how old you should try to get. By the end of this publication, you should have all the information that you need to know about buying used carbon cycling wheels.

Can you buy used Carbon Cycling Wheels?

It’s common practice by many to buy used carbon Cycling wheels. Yes, you can buy used carbon cycling wheels.

Keep in mind that you may want to replace your tires if you a riding a high end bicycle. They will last for a long time, though their performance will begin to suffer.

The reason being is that for the most part, unless the carbon makeup of the wheel is damaged, and the wheel still spins freely (the bearings do not have wear) then the wheelset is a good wheelset to use.

There are some signs that would make you want to steer clear, and we will list them below, though to be frank, a bad set of wheels do come few and far between.

Buying Carbon Wheels from Beach Towns

Be aware that when you purchase a bicycle that is mainly used to ride along a beach path or trail, the salt in the air can tend to cause corrosion on the wheels. This will limit the life of the wheel to 2-3 years if you do not routinely go through and replace the spoke nipples as they develop corrosion.

I personally choose if I am buying a set of second-hand wheels online to not purchase them from any coastal cities. I have had a couple of experiences of the spoke nipples corroding on me and shortening the life of my wheelsets that it simply is not worth the hassle.

This is really the only word of caution, the rest are further considerations.

What to look for when buying second hand carbon wheels?

Buying second hand carbon wheels is fairly simple. There are not many things that can go wrong in buying used carbon wheels. There is one point of caution that I would make, though outside of this, many wheels are available to the informed buyer.

Bearings

Do the bearings spin freely? When holding the wheels and spinning them by hand, are you feeling any grinding while the wheels are spinning or is the spin feeling completely smooth?

This is rare, though if the wheel is grinding at all, there may be an issue with the hubs, or the last owner did not service the wheels when needed after riding in a heavy downpour or rode through mud.

Typically, owners of carbon cycling wheels will service their wheels correctly and take care of them, so this is not much of an issue. However, this brings to the next priority.

Is this the true past owner of the carbon wheelset?

Take a moment and ask yourself, am I purchasing a wheelset from someone that took this off of another bicycle for profit?

The simplest way to understand this is to ask 2-3 questions about the wheelset and their experience with the wheelset. The answers will seem vague from the seller when speaking with them. This is because they do not know the answers because they were not the original owners.

Typically, the pricing will be far lower than the true value of the used wheel. For example, do you see $600 Carbon 2021 Zipp 808’s for sale for the full set? There may be a reason why the pricing is at that rate.

It is your decision on how to move forward knowing this information. We personally do not advocate for it.

Aero Body of the Carbon wheelset

Take a look at the body. Are there deformations in the carbon Fiber? If there is a small tear, the fiber will slowly unravel over time as the pressure continues to work it open. Do not purchase.

You can repair carbon wheels if the damage is not connected to the braking surface, however, those repairs are costly and it will eat up most of the value saved from buying a used carbon wheelset.

Spokes, Trueness and Nipples

Spin your wheel to make sure the bicycle wheel is true. This will help you know if any spokes have been broken in the past. It is impossible to know for sure, though you typically would like to know if a spoke is broken before.

It is not a transaction ending piece of knowledge, though it is nice to know why it happened and what conditions. After a bike wheel spoke looses multiple spokes over time, the makeup of the wheel itself starts to lose its composure.

You may want to replace or upgrade your cycling tires as well if you see wear on them. A worn out tire on the wheel is not a transaction stopping acknowledgement, though the buyer ought to be aware.

Are there any red flags to buying used cycling wheels?

The only red flag that is possible to think of are three part. The first is if the bicycle wheel is stolen. We personally do not advocate for purchasing a bicycle wheel that is stolen. Try speaking with the seller about the wheel and its history.

If the seller is not knowledgeable about the wheel itself, why it has value, or its history, then it may not be theirs to sell.

The second is if the wheel has trouble spinning. If the hub has not been serviced, then your wheel will not spin correctly, and you will need to generate more force to keep it moving.

The last is the state of the carbon. If the carbon has any rips or tears, then the wheel will slowly fall apart. Other than that, a set of used carbon wheels is good to go typically.

Are carbon bike wheels worth it?

Buying a newer lighter set of wheels on any bicycle may be the most advantageous thing you can do on your cycling set up. Second, buying a new set of carbon cycling wheels may be the best thing you can do for your cycling setup.

The advantage in aerodynamics, stiffness, ability to cut through wind (if aero) and the savings in weight are unparalleled to any other change of accessory (save for switching from tennis shoes to cycling shoes).

Do Carbon Fiber wheels expire?

Carbon fiber wheels do not expire and can easily outlast even a pair of cycling shoes. They are just as tough, if not tougher than their metal counterparts and do not bend and are stiffer than their metal counterparts.

They do not have an expiration date, and as long as the makeup of the wheel is sound (the spokes, the nipples and the corrosion is kept out of the wheel), then the wheels remain intact for a long time.

Your tires will wear far quicker than your wheelset and the only thing that may make you look to get a new set of wheels are the improvements in wheel technology – not because they themselves are worn out.

Conclusion: Can you buy used carbon cycling wheels

Yes, you can buy used carbon cycling wheels. They are great to work with and you can find great savings. Make sure that the wheels are not stolen, the hubs work correct, and the wheel is true.

One final tip that may be of use – make sure to match the cassette size correct, and rim brakes versus disc brakes. This is important to understand so that you purchase the correct used carbon bicycle wheelset.