It's the most wonderful time of the year if you're in the market for a used bike in Toronto. That's because it's swap season. While bike shops across the city have already stocked up on new rides, spring is prime time to take advantage of an increased supply of used bikes on offer.
Sure, there's always a few hundred bikes to choose from on Craigslist at any given time—from beaters to road racing machines—but swaps take out some of the risk factor by having the bikes sold by local bike store staff rather than their owners.
This eliminates pressure sales and tends to help prevent the possibility of inadvertently buying a bike that has mechanical issues that'll haunt you later. It's also a nice way to sell a bike you don't need, though the store will get a cut.
Probably the most popular swap of the season takes place at Bateman's bike shop on April 22 and 23 at the 913 and 960 Bathurst St. locations. Note well, you need to register your bike before the swap if you're looking to sell it.
This year, there's also a chance to snag a bike from the now closed Toronto Island Bicycle Rental Company, which has been forced to liquidate its inventory by Easter. Many of the quirky two and four-seater bikes have be snatched up, but there's plenty of singles left.
If you happen to miss the April sales, another good swap takes place at Silent Sports on June 10. This is one features gear as well as bikes, and can be a good place to check out if you're an avid rider and looking to upgrade your wheels or other componentry.
by Derek Flack via blogTO
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