Trek Bicycle’s Crimson Barn Refresh Program Offers A Second Life To Pre-Owned Bikes

With all the hoopla surrounding e-bikes lately, it’s straightforward to neglect that an excellent decrease carbon transportation choice exists, particularly good quaint bicycles which might be powered by nothing greater than than muscle tissues. And whereas the model new bicycles at your native bike retailer are very tempting, being contemporary off the manufacturing facility flooring and unblemished, there’s an excellent greener different, which is a used bike. Nonetheless, shopping for a used bike ‘within the wild’ (from Craigslist or paper flyer) isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, as many individuals wish to have a larger feeling of confidence of their new journey’s efficiency, and that’s the place refurbished bikes are available in.

For bike producers, promoting new bikes is the secret, so there isn’t plenty of incentive to refurbish and resell beforehand owned (used) bikes, however Trek Bicycle is main the cost towards a extra round financial system, not less than with regards to two-wheelers. Trek lately launched its Crimson Barn Refresh program, which it says is “the biking business’s first-ever manufacturer-led bike trade-in and refurbishment program,” and this initiative guarantees to lengthen the helpful lifetime of the corporate’s bikes.

In accordance with Trek, taking part Trek retailers will settle for the return of “pre-loved bikes,” which is what the corporate calls beforehand owned bicycles. The bikes which have been traded in by this system might be despatched to Waterloo, Wisconsin, to the unique crimson barn the place Trek started constructing bikes again in 1976. Contained in the crimson barn, “skilled technicians will restore and change what’s wanted earlier than it’s ‘licensed superior’ and resold on-line to folks seeking to rating an awesome bike with a decrease carbon footprint.”

“Crimson Barn Refresh introduced us again to the crimson barn that began all of it as we embark on the journey of lowering consumption and lengthening the life of those bikes, which is best for our folks and the planet. We’ve received plenty of plans to turn into a way more sustainable firm, and that is Trek’s effort to offer actually nice used bikes a second probability and lengthen their usable life — leading to much less waste and getting extra folks on bikes.” —  Eric Bjorling, director of brand name at Trek Bicycle

Screenshot from Trek Bicycle’s Sustainability Report

Trek’s bike technicians put every used bike by “a radical 151-point inspection,” and are washed, overhauled, and serviced, after which the bikes might be bought with a restricted lifetime guarantee and the identical help as a model new Trek bike. The Crimson Barn Refresh program contains street bikes, mountain bikes, metropolis bikes, e-bikes, and youngsters bikes, all at a greater value than new fashions.

“Crimson Barn Refresh is the one place on the earth the place you will get a Trek Licensed pre-owned bike. These bikes convey the very best degree of high quality and assurance to your pre-owned buy. Trek licensed pre-owned bikes bear a complete 151-point inspection course of. This contains serial quantity verification for authenticity, checking all service bulletins, service data, and remembers to probably deal with. Subsequent, the bike is comprehensively cleaned and serviced — changing all worn components that don’t meet our high quality and efficiency requirements. From there, the bike is expertly tuned, then test-ridden to make sure it’s in excellent working situation. Lastly, the bike is polished and packaged only for you. All of that is performed by an expert Trek technician. Trek Licensed pre-owned bikes carry all the identical nice advantages as new Trek bikes: A restricted lifetime body guarantee to the brand new proprietor, a complimentary 1-year service, and a 30-day find it irresistible or return it assure. These are the very best high quality used bikes in the marketplace, with the most effective guarantee, and the most effective expertise out of the field.”

Trek can be taking steps to make it simpler to maintain children on bikes that match them with its children’ bike trade-in (or commerce up, because it had been) program:

“Development spurts occur — however they shouldn’t cease you from investing in a top quality children’ bike that may encourage a wholesome pastime for all times. While you purchase a children’ bike at a taking part location, you possibly can convey it again and rise up to 50% of the bike’s authentic buy value in credit score towards the acquisition of a brand new one.

“No good bike ought to sit round accumulating mud, so we resell qualifying children’ bikes by our Crimson Barn Refresh pre-owned bike store or donate them to an area charity. That method your infant has a enjoyable, comfy, secure journey that matches, and so does another person.”

I’ve to confess that I received so caught up with e-bike fever lately that I’ve been neglecting my non-electric bikes for a protracted minute, however I took my (analog/acoustic) mountain bike for a spin the opposite day and caught the bug once more. Whereas there are many nice use circumstances for e-bikes, a very good quaint human-powered bike remains to be as related as ever, and with applications like Trek’s Crimson Barn Refresh, it’s straightforward to get an awesome bike at a very good value, whereas additionally avoiding the environmental prices of producing a bicycle out of virgin supplies.