Second hand bicycles are very handy because there not as expensive as new bicycles. second hand bicycles mean used bicycles which means somebody else had it before you. If you see a sign: used bicycles for sale and you are thinking of ringing or emailing them you should see the bike before you buy it. You can buy very good bicycles in Ireland and if your having trouble choosin a bike theres always the great staff that can help you. It always depends if you would like a mountain bike , racer bike ,bike for triks etc. There are lots of bicycle shops around Ireland and you can always buy a bike on the internet. If you want to become a proffessional you have to have the geer like bicycle shoes and bicycle helmet etc. Bicycle repairs there is absolutly no need to stress about that because bike are repaired very easily. When your buying a bicycle you should pay attention if your buying a mens or ladies bicycle. Before buying a cheap bicycle you should always check it to see if all the parts of the bike are there and if it is good enough to ride. How to buy the best bicycles well you should always talk to a person who knows about bicycle so they can recommend the best bicycles. Electric bicycles are very handy because well they are electric but some people prefer the none electric bike because you get excersise but with electrid bike you do not get excersise. I am sure that there are bicycle tours you can go to they can help you to get the best bicycle or the type you would like.