Buying guides
Read one of these before you buy. They cover choosing a first vintage steel road bike, telling Reynolds 531 from 753 and plain steel in the listing photos, spotting cracked lugs and rust, what wheels and spacing an old frame takes, and the seller red flags we watch for. New to old bikes? Start with your first one.
How to Choose Your First Vintage Steel Road Bike
Your first used steel road bike should fit before it impresses. Sizing an old frame, entry versus race models, French standards and the tune-up.
Read the guide →Reynolds 531 vs 753: Reading the Tubing in Listing Photos
Tell Reynolds 531 from 753, plain-gauge 531 and hi-ten in listing photos. What each decal says, when they changed, and how repaint decals show.
Read the guide →Spotting Cracks and Rust in a Steel Frame's Listing Photos
Where vintage steel frames crack and rust, how to check each spot in listing photos and in hand, and how to check alignment with a string.
Read the guide →27 in or 700c? Wheels, Spacing and Swaps on a Vintage Frame
What fits a vintage road frame. 27 in vs 700c and brake reach, 120, 126 and 130 mm spacing, freewheels vs freehubs, tubulars vs clinchers.
Read the guide →Buying a Vintage Road Bike on eBay: Red Flags and Questions
Misnamed models, swapped parts, odd frame sizes and repaints sold as original. The questions to ask before you buy a used road bike on eBay.
Read the guide →