It’s pretty rare to be able to buy a bike raced by a professional cyclist, but German manufacturer Canyon are currently flogging off a load of Katusha team bikes through their website.

What happens to team bikes after they’ve fulfilled their usefulness? Well, special race winning bikes can look forward to a life in a glass case or hanging off a wall back at the company’s headquarters. Many will be sold off by teams or riders themselves, occasionally popping up on ebay, and some might be auctioned off for charity. And others might just sit in a pro's garage somewhere gathering dust.

It’s unusual that a manufacturer will offer ex-team bikes for sale, but that’s exactly what Canyon are currently doing. We can’t think of any other manufacturer offering old team bikes for sale on this scale. This is the first time Canyon have done this, and the plan is that it’s a permanent feature of the site, providing they receive the equipment back from the team in a saleable condition. You can expect some wear and tear on these bikes; they’ve had a bit more than delivery miles.

Canyon currently have 56 Katusha bikes ready to be sold (they’re not all online at the time of writing) and they will be selling Movistar bikes. Those likely won’t be available until the end of the season however. They’re also selling off 38 bikes dating back to 2009 from the old Silence/Omega Pharma-Lotto days.

Don't fret, Canyon recognise that pros do batter their kit more than most people, so all bikes have to pass a thorough safety check before they’re sold, even including a whizz through their CT scanner. That will reveal any damage that might not be visible externally. Each bikes comes with a six-year guarantee and they offer a 30 day return policy too.

“Obviously pros use the kit a lot more heavily than the average rider but the idea is that the bikes should be ridden and are in perfect working order, apart from the scratches, but that’s what gives them character,” says Canyon.

And it’s not just the regular team bikes they’re selling either, they’re even planning to sell some of the custom painted bikes such as Andre Greipel’s ‘Gorilla’ special. So if you ever wanted to own a bike that has been actually raced in a professional event, and maybe even crossed the line first, get yourself over to https://www.canyon.com/_en/outlet/original-pro-bikes/ and have a gander.

Here are a few examples:

Daniel Moreno’s Aeroad CF Di2, £3,899.

Joaquim Rodríguez’s Speedmax CF Di2 used in the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta. That’s £5,149.

Alexander Porsev’s Ultimate CF SLX Di2, £3,799.

Xavier Florencio’s Ultimate CF SLX Di2, £2,999.