FAQ for Purchasing a Used Seven

Why does this webpage exist?

Riders looking to purchase used Sevens contact us daily, asking for frame geometry details, specifications, or 'specs.' Understandably, there is confusion about how to get the specs for a Seven in the pre-owned marketplace. Fortunately, getting detailed geometry information is really easy: the current owner has the design details and should readily provide them to you. Unfortunately, this seems to raise a lot of questions. We've designed this FAQ to answer all relevant and common questions for potential buyers.

I can't find the frame specs online. Where can I get them?

Unfortunately, you can't find information about a "medium Seven Axiom" online because there's no such thing. If you're thinking about buying a used Seven, the only place to get the specs are from the current owner. Fortunately, it's easy to do because you're already in contact with the seller, and a smart seller would have already posted all the specs online for you to see.

The seller claims not to be able to get the specs from Seven. Now what?

If the seller cannot provide you the specs, do not buy the bike. Seller obfuscation means the person has a stolen or counterfeit Seven and is probably aware of that. There is no other explanation for someone selling a Seven not also to provide the detailed geometry for that Seven. We always provide true owners with their bike specs at any time during their ownership.

If you see a Seven for sale without the details necessary for making an informed purchasing decision, we suggest you move on to a different seller that fully discloses the bike's geometry and details.

Why won't Seven give me the frame specs for a bike?

We don't share that information with anyone other than the proper owner. Along with the physical bike, the Seven owner also owns all the design information about the frameset. We consider this information private, and so do many of our customers. It would be a breach of confidence for us to share that information. Therefore, any details you want about the frameset, components, or the bike's appropriateness for your riding, must be provided by the proper owner.

Many years ago, we ran into this confidentiality concern a few times when Seven owners felt their privacy was invaded by Seven providing details of their bikes to prospective buyers. We think that's reasonable, so we don't do it anymore. We believe the bike owner has the right to share or not share whatever information they want about their bike. It is not Seven's place to get involved as an arbiter.

Also important to Seven is that by ensuring you get the specs from the current owner, we also help safeguard that the bike is not stolen or counterfeit. You don't want to buy a stolen bike and we don't want to be a party to transferring stolen goods.

I don't really need the specs, so why should I care if I get them at the time of the bike purchase?

Even if you don't care about the specs, the next buyer probably will. If you don't have the specifications from the previous owner, you just made it a lot more difficult to resell the bike later for all the reasons indicated in this FAQ.

Also, by buying a spec-free Seven, you are quite possibly supporting theft or counterfeiting. Don't do this. If you had your Seven stolen, wouldn't you want Seven to be looking out for you and your bike?

Stolen Sevens? Counterfeit Sevens? Is Seven joking?

We hear about and help recover multiple stolen Sevens each year, mainly through this process of specification transfer from proper owner to proper owner. Not only are we working to get stolen Sevens back to their true owners, but we also help prevent unsuspecting people from buying counterfeit Sevens. Believe it or not, there are counterfeit Sevens in the world. We were shocked when we saw the first one. Do not purchase a counterfeit Seven. They are garbage and will fail.

The only way to ensure you don't buy a counterfeit or stolen Seven is to get the complete frame specs from the bike's owner. If that person won't provide you frame specifications, the bike must be stolen or counterfeit. Do not buy that Seven.

How do I determine if a used Seven will be the right size and fit me properly?

We suggest working with a professional bike fitter to determine your optimal size. Your pre-owned Seven will cost thousands of dollars, so investing in a proper fit recommendation will be well worth it.

Can Seven help me determine if a used Seven is appropriate for me?

This sounds like a simple request, but it isn't. Unfortunately, Seven cannot help determine your proper size, spec, or style for a pre-owned Seven. That's why we recommend working with a professional fitter. There are several reasons for this.

First, we cannot get involved in the selling process. Making decisions about whether to buy a used Seven is between you and the seller. But, if you're not sure the bike is the right fit, spec, or style for your riding, don't buy it.

Second, the way a bike fits and performs is about the entire bike. Seven can only speak about the frame. Frame specs are not the same thing as bike fit or performance. Making fit recommendations based on frame geometry alone would be irresponsible of Seven.

Third, it takes hours of conversation, questions with in-depth answers, and time-consuming calculations to determine the right fit of a bike. Seven won't be a party to making quick off the cuff recommendations for a serious purchase. Half baked poorly informed estimations serve no one. At worst, we'll get blamed for the lack of perfection. Just as we won't do "quick estimates" of fit for original Seven owners, we won't do this for secondary owners either.

Work with a professional bike fitter, so you get the best secondhand Seven possible.

Why does Seven make it so difficult to get the specs for a frame?

Getting the frame specs is super easy. Is it difficult to ask the seller for the specs? Could it be any easier than asking the owner for information they already possess? isn't that a lot simpler than communicating with both the seller and Seven? The only time it's not super simple is when Seven discovers the bike is stolen or counterfeit.

Really, the seller should show the detailed frame specs on the for sale posting, so you know exactly what you're getting. If they haven't already done that, we don't think that Seven is making the process difficult. The question is, why is the seller not providing you the information to make an informed buying decision?

The owner can't find the frame's serial number. Where is it?

If the current owner does not have the specs, they can get them from Seven. They simply need to provide Seven the serial number. If the owner doesn't know where the number is, you can help them out. Depending on the model, the serial number is most likely on the right dropout on the inside portion of the derailleur hanger.

I already purchased the bike and want the specs after the sale. Can you please give them to me?

Ask the previous owner for the specs. Unfortunately, if you won't do that, it makes us suspicious of the bike's origins. If the previous owner won't provide you the specs, you should be suspicious, too.

Does the warranty transfer to the new owner?

As with every company we know, Seven does not transfer warranties from owner to owner. We can only provide the warranty to the original owner. The reason for this is that each Seven is custom built specifically for the original rider. That process is very different from a typical stock bike that is designed for every type of rider. One of the elements that make Sevens ride so well is that the tubeset and design are extremely specific to the person we designed the bike for. We're not saying you won't love the ride, but we cannot warranty for something we did not intend.

Can I purchase a transferrable warranty?

No. Seven does not offer a service like this.

Can Seven retrofit a used frame to fit disc brakes, Di2 electronic componentry, or accommodate other modifications?

Because every bike Seven builds is custom, it's difficult to make 100% certain sweeping statements about every single bike we've built. However, 99%+ of the time, here is what's true:

Disc brakes

No. Unfortunately, Sevens can't reasonably be retrofitted for disc brakes. The frame tubing and dropouts need to be designed specifically for the loads that disc brakes undergo. The cost of this would be prohibitive. Equally important, contemporary disc forks won't typically fit to a non-disc frame. Ultimately, a retrofit with a matching fork would cost more than a new frame.

Di2

Yes. But the cost is usually prohibitive. And it depends on the age of the frame. And the outcome is often not what you may hope for – we will not remove the external cable stops. Depending on the model and age of the frame, the service work is over $1,000. Unfortunately, once you add the cost of stripping the bike down to its frame, shipping costs to Seven and back to you, and reassembly of the modified bike, the total cost of the retrofit plus whatever you paid for the secondhand Seven initially, are often similar in cost to a new frame. For those reasons, we recommend not doing retrofitting for Di2.

Other Modifications

Probably not. As noted above, modifications often require reworking the frame, and that quickly gets expensive. Combine that with the other cost associated with the work, and it is almost always cost-prohibitive. Don't buy a used Seven with the idea of improving or modernizing it through modifications. You will very likely be disappointed with the answer or cost.