The Second-Hand Bike

Carla needed a bike for work because the bus was slow and tickets were getting more expensive every month. In a shop near the station, a new bike cost 400 euros. That was much more than she could spend.

That evening, she noticed an advert in the entrance of her building. “Bike for sale, 120 euros. Ask for Mr Dunn.” He lived on the second floor, and she knew him only from the lift. The price was cheaper than any bike in the shop.

The next day, Mr Dunn showed her a green bike in the garage. It was older and heavier than the bikes in the shop, and one pedal was loose. Carla tested the brakes, pumped the tyres and rode once around the car park.

“The bike works well, but the pedal needs repairing,” she said. “Could you lower the price to 100 euros?” Mr Dunn thought about it and offered 110 euros if she repaired the pedal herself. That was better than 120, so Carla agreed.

On Monday morning, she cycled to work in fifteen minutes. That was faster than the bus. She still had to buy a lock and fix the pedal on Saturday, but the total cost was far lower than the new bike. Carla was pleased with her decision.