New: unused with all original packaging. Excellent: used but shows no meaningful wear. Very good: light cosmetic marks, everything works perfectly. Good: normal wear for age, fully working. Fair: visible wear, may need service. Project: not currently working or needs significant restoration.
Understanding Condition Ratings
Cyclesite uses six condition ratings, matching how UK cyclists actually talk about used bikes. The rating is the shorthand, the photos and description are the evidence. Sellers pick a rating when they list and our team adjusts any that do not match the photos before the listing goes live.
The Six Ratings
Excellent
- Light use, carefully maintained.
- Only minor cosmetic marks, if any, nothing that draws the eye.
- Every component working correctly and within normal wear.
- Either recently serviced or not due for one.
Very Good
- Regular use, visible cosmetic wear but not damaged.
- Some surface scratches, scuffed paint, mild bar-tape wear.
- Everything functional with no immediate service needed.
- A clear step below Excellent on appearance, equivalent on function.
Good
- Used and ridden, with obvious cosmetic wear.
- Scratches, chips, possibly a dent or minor frame mark.
- All core components functional, some due for replacement soon (chain, brake pads, tyres, bar tape).
- Budget a basic service after purchase.
Fair
- Heavy use or an older bike.
- Noticeable wear across the bike, cosmetic and functional.
- Some components may need replacing to ride safely, tyres, brake pads, cables.
- Functional but showing its age. Priced accordingly.
Poor
- Significant wear or cosmetic damage.
- Components that need replacing before riding, worn drivetrain, damaged wheels, seized parts.
- Frame structurally sound, but the bike needs work before it is ride-ready.
- Buyers are usually confident mechanics looking for a project.
For Parts
- Not sold as a functional bike.
- Frame may be damaged (cracked, bent, previously crashed).
- Listed for the value of the components.
- The listing makes clear what is usable and what is not.
How Sellers Pick a Rating
Sellers choose a rating during the listing flow, then attach photos to support it. Our team reviews every listing manually and flags any obvious mismatches, a bike rated Excellent with a chunk missing from the paint is reviewed before it goes live. The seller is asked to either provide better photos or adjust the rating.
How Buyers Should Read One
The rating is a shortcut. Always check the photos. A Very Good rating supported by twelve clear, well-lit photos from every angle is worth more than an Excellent rating with three blurry phone shots. If the rating and photos disagree, trust the photos, and ask for more if you need them before committing.
What to Check
- Frame condition, matches the rating's expectations on marks, scratches, dents.
- Drivetrain wear, chain stretched, cassette sharkfinning, chainring teeth worn. See [Inspecting a used bike](/help/buying/inspecting-used-bike).
- Contact points, bar tape, saddle, brake pads, tyres. These wear fastest and the rating should reflect them.
- Service history, documented service history is a big positive signal and often lifts a rating by one notch in buyer perception.
If the Bike Does Not Match the Rating on Arrival
You have 48 hours from delivery to inspect and raise a dispute. Photograph the bike as it arrived, compare against the listing photos, and use Report an issue on your order page. Our disputes team reviews within one working day, see [How Buyer Protection works](/help/buying/buyer-protection) for the full process.
Frequently asked questions
Who decides the condition rating?
The seller picks it when they list, with photos to back it up. Our team reviews listings and adjusts ratings when the photos do not match the claim, optimistic sellers get corrected before going live. If the bike arrives and clearly does not match the rating, you raise a Buyer Protection dispute.
What is the difference between Excellent and Very Good?
Excellent means light use, well maintained, only minor cosmetic marks if any, and no functional issues. Very Good means regular use with some visible cosmetic wear but everything still works properly and no service is due immediately. The line sits at visible wear versus essentially unmarked.
Can I buy a For Parts bike?
Yes. For Parts listings exist because sometimes a bike is worth more for its components than as a whole, a snapped carbon frame with a clean groupset, or a vintage frame with a desirable groupset. The listing is clear about what works and what does not. Buyer Protection still applies, but the bar for a dispute is much higher, the listing has already told you what is broken.
What if the bike arrives worse than the rating?
Raise a Buyer Protection dispute through your order page within the 48-hour inspection window. Our disputes team weighs the listing photos, the rating, and the arrival-condition photos. If the rating is demonstrably wrong, you get a full refund and free return. See [How Buyer Protection works](/help/buying/buyer-protection).
How much does condition affect price?
It is the single biggest factor in used-bike pricing. An Excellent-rated bike typically commands 20 to 40 percent more than the same model rated Good. Fair and Poor drop further, and For Parts pricing is usually based on the component value alone. See [Cyclesite sold prices](/sold-bike-prices) for real UK completed-sale data broken down by condition.