roccobike

I purchased a yard sale Raleigh Record about a week ago for $10. It needed a little work, but its good enough that with another chain to replace the rusted one, I had it up and peddling within two days.
Anyway, I wanted to get an idea how much it was worth. So I went to the national on-line bike price guide, ebay. Incredible, the identical bike is on ebay! I mean identical! It is the same color scheme, the same rear deraileur, stem shifters, foam padded bars, alloy rims, 502 Raleigh tubing, front only QR etc. AND the bidding is up to $100. WOW, I hit the jackpot! Wait a minute, this is a Raleigh Record, not a Professional. How could the bidding be that high?
Then I noticed, the ebay Raleigh is magic . The ebay Raleigh doesn't appear to say 'Record' on the top tube, but all the other markings are identical. And magically, it was made in the USA, not Tawian like mine. (Amazing since, to the best of my knowledge, Raleigh only made Technium bikes in the USA.) But best of all, the magic bike, made of the same 502 steel as mine, is 'super light' and weighs only 20lbs! Funny thing, my bike weighs about 28-29lbs. The ebay bike was 'like new'. Yeah, I almost believe that after the other claims.
The ebay bike sold for over $140 plus shipping. Somebody paid over $190 for a late 80s Raleigh (Record). Nice bike, but not worth $190. So why did I say all this? What is the expression? Buyer Beware! I think most, if not all members of this forum would have been a little leary of the add, especially with the weight claim that was way out of line. But I feel for someone who is trying to get into cycling and just over-paid for an old entry level bike. (Sorry for the rant)
On the other hand if someone thinks I'm wrong, have I got a bike for you.

fthomas

Roccobike

I agree. I have tried looking at bikes on ebay and am suprised that many seem to sell for far more than I personally feel that they are worth. You picked up one from a yard sale and you could see what you were getting. I've also given a go a Craig's List and am surprised at how much people think that their mid 80's or 90's bikes are worth.

Some of the Scattante bikes (Supergo brand) are selling for as much as I can get a brand new full carbon bike on sale from, now, Performance and these have carbon forks and seat stays.

I wish I knew the secret to all of the racer wannabe's around S. Orange County Ca do with these high end bikes they buy and never ride. They sit in the garage collecting dust and appear to be an extension of the buyers ego and nothing more. Kind of like all of the very high end cars and SUV 4x4's that will never see dirt.

Anyone with a solution, let us know.

mtnroads

I see bike scams constantly on Ebay, at least in the type of bike I know the best - touring bikes. I often see ancient Trek 520's listed as much newer. And newer ones with the wrong wheels - Bontrager Select 20/24 spoke off low end sport bikes instead of the proper Mavericks (how far you gonna' get with those under a loaded touring bike?), etc. Unbelievable mix and match. I generally try to steer people to craigslist or other local sources and recommend avoiding Ebay like the plague, at least for bikes.

mgkaplan

The best thing to do is check the ratings of the seller. That will tell much of the story. I have never gotten burned purchasing from a seller with a high score and a 97 - 100% positive rating.

FarHorizon

My solution is to wait till those egotistical folks have a garage sale. Then I buy their nice bikes for pennies on the dollar.

Nothing, but nothing depreciates faster than used exercise equipment (which is what a bicycle is, to most folks). Not only does the owner not use the equipment, but also the visual presence of the equipment in their house/garage is a constant reminder that they've NOT done the exercise they intended to do! Such folks will practically give away a nice bike just to get it out of their sight and off their conscience. Their loss, my gain.

al-wagner

EBAY= Buyer beware

Little Darwin

eBay prices on nice vintage bikes seems reasonable... eBay prices on vintage low end used to be nice, but for some reason (maybe gas prices, maybe nostalgia, maybe people that think a Raleigh is a Raleigh) the prices on lower end bikes has gone up quite a bit lately.

I think the fact that people publish "fibs" about weight etc makes some people think they might get a deal on a bike that is mislabeled... But, I have no issue if this is the case, being greeedy will lead to getting ripped off sometimes...

One example I have noticed specifically. I wanted a LeTour IV recently because it was the same exact type and color of my first bike as an adult... I bid at a price that would have been just below the price I paid for mine in 1979 in the bike shop (once shipping was added)... I was outbid. For me, it is NOT worth what it sold for other than sentimental value... Someone either was doing the same, or paid too much for a 30+ pound 10 speed. I just hope someone didn't buy it to do the fixie thing...

stonecrd

E-bay is really only good if you know what you are looking for and you are willing to sacrifice a warranty for cheaper prices. You can get a good used bike there but like everywhere if some this is too good to be true then its not true. As also mentioned don't buy from sellers without a good selling record.

DMF 

I have to take some exception with your rant, here. Misrepresentation aside, a thing is worth what someone is willing to pay for it! How can you say in one breath that you don't know what your bike is worth, then in the next say that what someone wanted to pay for "it" was too much? It does not compute.

As to dealing on eBay, I have two words of advice: caveat emptor.

As was well said above, know what you're looking at! Research it and ask questions.

Most important, on any purchase that isn't covered by eBay's buyer's protection program (over $200), use an escrow service. Best to arrange it up front; if the seller refuses, don't deal. It's not free, but it will prevent you getting burned.

Monoborracho

Yes, you need to be careful on Ebay, for sure.

On the other hand, we recently purchased a 22" Trek 830 MTB, Chro-Moly frame, Shimano STX and Alivio group, with almost new tires, for $175. There is a little rust on the cables, but that is the only thing I could find other than one dent on the top tube. We may change out the tires to more of a road tire, but I consider it a great buy. But, just trying to find a used mountain bike for someone who has a 34" inseam is a task.

This bike is headed off to school in the fall with my long-legged architect-to-be. Suddenly, he thinks riding bikes is cool again.

dagna

I've done a lot of selling and buying on eBay (not bike stuff other than jerseys), and my personal rule is, if a seller's feedback is less than 99.0, there'd better be a damn good explanation or I'm not bidding on their auction.

For instance, if they got one or two negative feedbacks when they first started, but have had only positives since, that would be a good explanation. If I read their feedback and they've put a nasty, rude, snarky comeback next to any negatives they've gotten, that would be a danger sign that this person is going to be an a$$ if you have a problem. I don't bid on those auctions.

eBay is getting more and more 'buyer beware' as the years go by, not less.

Dagna

John E

I have never bought a bicycle on eBay, partly because of shipping costs and partly because I would want to inspect the merchandise, particularly the frame, before purchase, but I have bought over 70 bicycle components and have been satisfied with nearly all of them.

My only disappointment was my Campag. Veloce left crank, which cracked at the spindle eye shoulder after less than 500 miles of riding. I do not necessarily blame the seller; the teeth on the right crank's chainrings showed VERY little wear, and another eBay recently offered a Veloce right crank, noting that the left was cracked and therefore unusable. A quick email to this seller confirmed that it cracked at the pedal eye, so this may be the nature of the beast.

The eBay buyer and seller rating system does appear to work well. My other advice is to decide upfront how much you are willing to spend on a given item, to avoid getting caught up in an emotional bidding war.

howsteepisit

I pretty much notice that a lot of bikes from the 70's that were considered low end bikes seem to have obtained almost mytical staus in todays markets. Bikes that we used to joke were make with water pipe are now being touted as "vintage steel frames". Well folks they were not too great back then and they are not too great now. On the other hand, a vintage 531 (or Columbus or Super Vitus) frameset, sets my heart a beatin'.

linux_author

down here in Pineapple Park, all the best used bikes go to the folks in rehab working with the Salvation Army - while the local thrift stores will occaisionally throw up a gem or two at a reasonable price, local 'Adult Rehab' centers have bike lots filled with HUNDREDS of prime reworked rides scavenged from donations... (which is fine, as it is economic transport for the folks)...

my suggestions:

1. never use eBay except for entertainment purposes

2. wait until unemployment is greater than 6 percent - there will be lots of used, low-mileage high-end bikes available...

:-)

p.s. no, i don't wish for a dark economic future for us... but as far as used bling bikes go, here are a few possible links?:

St. Louis
Austin
Nationwide

i'm sure you can find more for your area?

(disclaimer: i don't work for any of these sites)

Little Darwin

I see this is not just a local thing for me.

I have looked at my local Salvation Army stores and found nothing worth more than a few parts, and I bought them. One bike would have actually been a keeper (an almost NOS Nishiki) but it was too big.

However, when I needed some room, and found no takers here on the forum, I donated a nice looking 1981/1982 Univega that I got NOS and wondered if I would see it in one of the local stores. Well, I did see it, and have seen it a few times since... At the SA Adult Rehabilitation Center... The first time I saw it was two days or so after I donated it. I saw a guy riding it just last week.

Like you, I hold no ill feelings, as at least the bikes are being used productively... But, I often wonder if there is some recovering addict riding one of the bikes I've been looking for.

I would be more than happy to trade him for a bike of equal ridability, I just wonder if it is floating around somewhere...

I have actually been toying with the idea of asking the manager of the local stores (I have seen the same SUV at both stores pretty regularly) and see if he will let me rehabilitate any adult bikes that come in... in exchange for first crack at buying the bikes for the standard $20 they charge in the stores. Maybe do a general regrease and tune-up and let him start charging $25 for them.

Anyway... I am probably too busy to do that, but it is a thought I have fleetingly thought.

DMF 

Last bike I bought, the seller got packing (a used box) from his LBS and did the packing himself. (Very well, I might add.) Then shipped via FedEx for $28 and change - my cost. UPS wanted over $120 because of the big box.

Many bike shops will pack and ship for about $75 or less.

That's what escrow is for. The transaction is not complete - and the seller doesn't get paid - until you have inspected and accepted the merchandise.

'Course, it wouldn't make much sense to use it for a $100 bike...

dminor 

My one ebay bike-buying experience was very positive. It was a 2000 Specialized BigHit frame. It was a genuine NIB warranty-replacement for the guy's earlier frame that broke. He'd gotten another DH bike in the interminable wait for Specialized to fulfill the warranty, so it was surplus.

As it turned out, he was a racer from my state who raced in the same series I did. When we finalized the sale, I was able to meet him at the next race and exchange money for frame in person. Can't get much more personal than that.

A couple years ago, I sold the same frame (retired by my Yeti) on ebay. I packed it extra-well in my Yeti's box - extra parts all zip-tied and cushioned - via Fed-Ex Ground. A note: As DMF states, FE Ground is SOOO much cheaper than UPS, USPS . . . anyone! I highly recommend it.

Admittedly this was a very unusual and coincidental thing. There are tons of questionable items out there and it is most definitely a buyer-beware environment.

FarHorizon

I contend that e-Bay just isn't that scary IF (and only IF) you buy from those with 98% or higher positive feedback from their buyers. Note that the e-Bay feedback score is computed on feedback from both buyers and sellers. A high score may be because the person buys frequently and pays promptly. I always look at the feedback detail of the seller whose item I'm interested in. If the seller has lots of positive feedback from her/his buyers (as opposed to sellers), then I'm comfortable bidding.

Using my "trust the feedback" strategy, I've never been ripped off on e-Bay other than one damaged stem (from "swampsports"). I've bought and sold multiple bicycles (and many more as parts) over the past two years with excellent results.

DnvrFox

When Windsor bikes was almost out of busines, they put a bunch of their brand new bikes on EBay to test the possibility of using the internet to sell some bikes.

I bid on a brand new roadie with Sora, etc. which I won for $275. It came untouched in the original box, and I assembled it from their very good directions. It is a beautiful bike, great for its purpose as a winter trainer and summer utility bike.

It has been great, except I did upgrade the wheels this year.

You can get some good deals..

I also bought a portable brand new hot tub from a distirbutor trying to move some surplus It was great and had a full manufacturer's warranty, which they honored when I had some problems with the liner.

roccobike

There were many good points made in this thread. I was upset about an add that did not faithfully represent the bike being sold. But, as was stated in the above posts, it's the buyer's responsibility to learn as much as possible about the item they are purchasing and to set a bid limit above which they can walk away. In the example I provided, there was more than one bidder who just did not know the true value of the bike in question and they were assisted by an add that was not correct. But I guess I just need to let it go. So it's gone.

roccobike

+1, It's amazing what gets sold at garage/yard sales. I find this is especially true when looking for road bikes. There are quite a few mid to high quality, 1980's road bikes showing up for $20 or less. I would estimate almost half of these bikes were purchased, went on a few rides, then hung in a garage or basement only to come out years later at a garage sale, just like FarHorizon states. Hey, I've got a pristine, 1982 Fuji with the original chain with links that have the original bluing that I paid $10 for and just had to add two new tires and rim tape.
Ebay has been good for finding that hard to find part, but ebay does not have the bargains yard sales have.

Louis

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Here's a good example of misrepresentation:

A seller knows nothing about the bicycle he/she wants to sell. To complicate matters, a third party who also knows nothing about bikes is employed to handle things. This bike is listed as 53cm aluminum. To the trained eye it is quite obviously a steel frame, much larger than 53cm.

An unaware potential buyer who wants his/her first bike purchase to be a pleasant experience will be sadly disappointed upon opening that box on bike arrival day.

Likley, neither the seller or the agent is purposely trying to deceive anyone. It's an ignorant sandwich with the buyer in the middle.

dminor 

Alas, like big-box X-mart stores and many other purveyors of bicycles (or any other consumer good), knowledge of the product is not a prerequisite for being a seller.