A Case Against Buying from Craigslist
07-27-18, 06:16 PM
#51
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[QUOTE=toast3d;20473130
If you do use the site, then I hope you at least take the time to be cautious about it. Checking serial numbers on bike frames is probably the least amount of effort you could put forward. There are posters in this topic who seem to fancy their selves to be amateur detectives, able to spot a suspicious seller. I don't know how much stock I'd put in that. But being more wary of the people selling stuff on there is not something I'd object to.
Have a nice day.[/QUOTE]
I have bought 2 bikes on Craigslist, a cheap 10 speed Peugeot that was 34 years old, and I paid $25 for it, and a 25 year old Specialized hybrid I paid $120 for. Excuse me if I don't bother to check serial numbers on such things, even thieves wouldn't take such risks for such low margins.
If you'd actually wanted to post something useful instead of half baked nonsense, you could maybe post something about how to look up serial numbers.
If you do use the site, then I hope you at least take the time to be cautious about it. Checking serial numbers on bike frames is probably the least amount of effort you could put forward. There are posters in this topic who seem to fancy their selves to be amateur detectives, able to spot a suspicious seller. I don't know how much stock I'd put in that. But being more wary of the people selling stuff on there is not something I'd object to.
Have a nice day.[/QUOTE]
I have bought 2 bikes on Craigslist, a cheap 10 speed Peugeot that was 34 years old, and I paid $25 for it, and a 25 year old Specialized hybrid I paid $120 for. Excuse me if I don't bother to check serial numbers on such things, even thieves wouldn't take such risks for such low margins.
If you'd actually wanted to post something useful instead of half baked nonsense, you could maybe post something about how to look up serial numbers.
07-27-18, 06:17 PM
#52
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I bought my Burley Tandem off Craigslist. $2000 bike with the rubber nubs and center rubber ridge still on the tires. I paid $500 for it. I doubt it was hot.
07-27-18, 06:54 PM
#53
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https://duckduckgo.com/html?q=stolen%20bike%20database
You could probably use a smartphone to access this information in the event that you forgot to ask the seller before meeting.
A 2k bike for 0.5k? In new condition? I would certainly suspect that it was stolen.
07-27-18, 08:21 PM
#54
C*pt*i* Obvious
What a stupid thread.
Seriously, stolen goods are a fact of life in the second hand market.
Singling out craigslist as the "only" method of fencing stolen goods is sheer lunacy.
I've had experience with thieves and honest sellers, thieves are usually easy to spot, or they are so slick you'd never know that what you are purchasing is in fact stolen property.
Seriously, stolen goods are a fact of life in the second hand market.
Singling out craigslist as the "only" method of fencing stolen goods is sheer lunacy.
I've had experience with thieves and honest sellers, thieves are usually easy to spot, or they are so slick you'd never know that what you are purchasing is in fact stolen property.
07-27-18, 08:27 PM
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07-27-18, 08:54 PM
#56
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Craigslist doesn't exactly have a good reputation for a large number of reasons, many of which have nothing at all to do with the bicycle listings specifically. Feel free to correct me on that, but I don't think it's controversial. I realize this might be a bit of a sore spot for some of you, because you've bought used bikes and parts from craigslist in the past, and will probably continue to do so in the future. I'm posting this topic to plead with you to stop doing that.
The reason for this is simple: you're much more likely to end up with something that's been stolen. Bike theft is a huge problem, especially in areas with a high population and a high percentage of cyclists. A lot of people quit riding bikes altogether because of theft. It's a major factor in slowing the long term growth of cycling.
By purchasing used bikes and parts from cragslist, you run the risk of supporting bicycle theft.
Please, if you do want to keep using craigslist, don't buy anything unless the seller has the original receipt. I know some of you love getting vintage bikes from CL, but please stop. You could be supporting thieves and fencers. The next time you're tempted to go digging on CL for a great deal, try to think about how it feels to have your bike stolen.
The reason for this is simple: you're much more likely to end up with something that's been stolen. Bike theft is a huge problem, especially in areas with a high population and a high percentage of cyclists. A lot of people quit riding bikes altogether because of theft. It's a major factor in slowing the long term growth of cycling.
By purchasing used bikes and parts from cragslist, you run the risk of supporting bicycle theft.
Please, if you do want to keep using craigslist, don't buy anything unless the seller has the original receipt. I know some of you love getting vintage bikes from CL, but please stop. You could be supporting thieves and fencers. The next time you're tempted to go digging on CL for a great deal, try to think about how it feels to have your bike stolen.
Think about it. If you buy a bike on CL, you meet the seller, have their traceable phone number, sometimes meet them at their house, if not, you at least see their vehicle with a traceable license plate. A thief selling on CL would have to be a moron. A much better alternative is ebay where information can be limited and tracing a stolen item is almost impossible. Actually, the better way to unload a stolen bike is a pawn shop. But list on Craigslist? The theif must be desperate.
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07-27-18, 08:56 PM
#57
C*pt*i* Obvious
07-27-18, 09:06 PM
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Never buy a bike from a guy who sweats in the winter.
Never buy a bike from a guy who begins the transaction with, "Are you a cop?"
Never buy a bike if, when you ask the history of the bike, the guy says, "It fell off the back of a truck."
07-28-18, 02:25 AM
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Maybe there could be a weekly TV show, modeled after "To Catch A Predator", where someone poses as a CL bike seller, with hidden cameras in place, and once the transaction is made, cops rush in, handcuff and arrest the buyer.
Then Chris Hanson casually strolls in:
Chris Hanson: "So you really like bikes a lot? Especially STOLEN BIKES. Aren't bikes essentially kid's toys? What about kids? I bet you like kids too?"
I would probably watch it once or twice.
Then Chris Hanson casually strolls in:
Chris Hanson: "So you really like bikes a lot? Especially STOLEN BIKES. Aren't bikes essentially kid's toys? What about kids? I bet you like kids too?"
I would probably watch it once or twice.
07-28-18, 09:24 AM
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And that 99 cent burger you're eating ? The cow was stolen by rustlers in Venezuela 3 months ago, then sold to the fast food restaurant where you ate it. You could be charged with Eating Stolen Property!
You should have known that burger was hot.
You should have known that burger was hot.
07-28-18, 12:41 PM
#63
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That's actually about the worst way to do it (for a thief trying to avoid getting caught). You have to provide valid ID to sell that bike, and bikes have serial numbers, and pawn shops are required to run all their new inventory by the local cops (daily,IIRC).
So if the owner reported the bike stolen, and included the serial number in the police report, then the thief is practically busted the minute the pawn shop took possession. Now, selling in another state would probably work, but if selling locally, this is worse than taking your chances on CL.
So if the owner reported the bike stolen, and included the serial number in the police report, then the thief is practically busted the minute the pawn shop took possession. Now, selling in another state would probably work, but if selling locally, this is worse than taking your chances on CL.
07-28-18, 02:25 PM
#64
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If no one buys bikes on craigslist, where would a person go to sell one and how would you prevent someone from selling stolen bikes via that channel?
There are lots of bikes on craigslist because it's a convenient and free way to sell and that applies to both honest and dishonest sellers. If not craigslist, it would be something else. There was plenty of bike theft before craigslist and there would be plenty if they didn't exist.
There are lots of bikes on craigslist because it's a convenient and free way to sell and that applies to both honest and dishonest sellers. If not craigslist, it would be something else. There was plenty of bike theft before craigslist and there would be plenty if they didn't exist.
07-28-18, 07:21 PM
#65
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demanding an original sales rcpt is completely unreasonable- especially for vintage bikes. Many have been sold multiple times thru the decades.
such a suggestion is full of dumb. Besides a house and a motorized vehicle of some sort, there is no expectation of having a sales rcpt.
and im not even getting into the point made a few times now that there are all sorts of alternative sales sites.
07-28-18, 08:33 PM
#67
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I have bought 2 bikes on Craigslist, a cheap 10 speed Peugeot that was 34 years old, and I paid $25 for it, and a 25 year old Specialized hybrid I paid $120 for. Excuse me if I don't bother to check serial numbers on such things, even thieves wouldn't take such risks for such low margins.
to the thief/seller that $5 or $25 or $120 is 100% PURE PROFIT!!! 
But you're right, I'd rather pay $25 than to wander around the streets with boltcutters
The real risk is when you're riding around the same neighbourhood & somebody yells out "hey that's my bike!"
gee, it's good that the pushbike world is still "innocent" ... is Fencing hot items on CL is the worst crime you come across.
In other hobbies where items are much higher value & even more portable... there's been spate of other more-violent crimes committed by buyers off CL. Sellers need to become wary of who you are inviting to your place. Burglars don't need to peek into windows anymore when your valuables are openly advertised on da web.
07-29-18, 05:38 AM
#68
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I buy bikes from C-list all the time (well, maybe not ALL the time), and never give it a thought.
Then again, the bikes I buy are mostly pretty old, and often not even fully functional - Hardly prime theft appeal.
Then again, the bikes I buy are mostly pretty old, and often not even fully functional - Hardly prime theft appeal.
07-29-18, 08:29 AM
#69
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I guess you could live by and assume that C/L is the dark web of stolen property. I think otherwise.
07-29-18, 11:42 AM
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By purchasing used bikes and parts from cragslist, you run the risk of supporting bicycle theft.
Please, if you do want to keep using craigslist, don't buy anything unless the seller has the original receipt. I know some of you love getting vintage bikes from CL, but please stop. You could be supporting thieves and fencers. The next time you're tempted to go digging on CL for a great deal, try to think about how it feels to have your bike stolen.
If people stop buying used bikes on CL, theft should in theory go down because it won't be worth the thief's time to steal a bike in a lot of cases. High end bikes will probably still get stolen, but it may significantly reduce mid-to low end thefts if less people are willing to use CL. I believe CL is probably one of the largest places where stolen bikes end up.
Just consider it, please.
Please, if you do want to keep using craigslist, don't buy anything unless the seller has the original receipt. I know some of you love getting vintage bikes from CL, but please stop. You could be supporting thieves and fencers. The next time you're tempted to go digging on CL for a great deal, try to think about how it feels to have your bike stolen.
If people stop buying used bikes on CL, theft should in theory go down because it won't be worth the thief's time to steal a bike in a lot of cases. High end bikes will probably still get stolen, but it may significantly reduce mid-to low end thefts if less people are willing to use CL. I believe CL is probably one of the largest places where stolen bikes end up.
Just consider it, please.
07-31-18, 11:56 AM
#71
Senior Member
I have bought a lot of stuff off of Craiglist. Met a lot of nice folks, some of whom became riding buddies.
To avoid the risk of buying a stolen bike off of CL, you pick your sellers. When it comes to buying a mid to high-end bike, you just know who are the authentic sellers. It is easy to screen out the flippers and low-lifes - where the risk lies.
90% of the screening comes with the neighborhood where the seller lives. It is a pretty reliable law of the universe that the folks that own crap, is that everything they own is crap. So if you are rolling by a yard sale, and you see a Huffy on the front lawn, there is a 90% chance that everything they own is manufactured and maintained to the same dismal standard. This law applies to their house, car, tools, electronics, furniture etc. etc. Everything is crap. Don’t bother to slow down; just keep rolling.
However, in the one in 1,000 chance you spot a Pinarello (and I have), you’ve hit the jackpot, and be prepared to race to your closest ATM to take out a wad of cash.
Same applies to CL postings. If the seller is illiterate (uses words like breaks, peddles, helmut), or lives in an apartment in a run-down part of town: then skip.
Avoid: bike flippers and handymen. A weird paradox is that often the folks (invariably older men) who spend the most time tinkering on bikes, are the ones who are selling the most dysfunctional, dangerous and overpriced crap. And they post these Franken-contraptions on CL daily - for months.
Your ideal sellers:
· Elite-level racers who have changed teams and have to shed their one-year old race bikes due to sponsorship commitments
· Dual-income No kids professionals whose response to every purchasing and maintenance situation is to pull out a platinum Master Card. These folks shed $5,000 bikes (and other toys) annually for upgrades
· Profiling: Folks who live in large single-family homes in upper-class neighborhoods, usually in the ‘burbs. Don’t waste your time dealing with apartment dwellers, or back-woods hillbillies who have a horde of ancient Huffy’s Murrays, Schwinn’s, etc.
To avoid the risk of buying a stolen bike off of CL, you pick your sellers. When it comes to buying a mid to high-end bike, you just know who are the authentic sellers. It is easy to screen out the flippers and low-lifes - where the risk lies.
90% of the screening comes with the neighborhood where the seller lives. It is a pretty reliable law of the universe that the folks that own crap, is that everything they own is crap. So if you are rolling by a yard sale, and you see a Huffy on the front lawn, there is a 90% chance that everything they own is manufactured and maintained to the same dismal standard. This law applies to their house, car, tools, electronics, furniture etc. etc. Everything is crap. Don’t bother to slow down; just keep rolling.
However, in the one in 1,000 chance you spot a Pinarello (and I have), you’ve hit the jackpot, and be prepared to race to your closest ATM to take out a wad of cash.
Same applies to CL postings. If the seller is illiterate (uses words like breaks, peddles, helmut), or lives in an apartment in a run-down part of town: then skip.
Avoid: bike flippers and handymen. A weird paradox is that often the folks (invariably older men) who spend the most time tinkering on bikes, are the ones who are selling the most dysfunctional, dangerous and overpriced crap. And they post these Franken-contraptions on CL daily - for months.
Your ideal sellers:
· Elite-level racers who have changed teams and have to shed their one-year old race bikes due to sponsorship commitments
· Dual-income No kids professionals whose response to every purchasing and maintenance situation is to pull out a platinum Master Card. These folks shed $5,000 bikes (and other toys) annually for upgrades
· Profiling: Folks who live in large single-family homes in upper-class neighborhoods, usually in the ‘burbs. Don’t waste your time dealing with apartment dwellers, or back-woods hillbillies who have a horde of ancient Huffy’s Murrays, Schwinn’s, etc.
07-31-18, 12:11 PM
#72
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CL could stop the multi listing by just moving to a single $1 posting fee for bikes and cars.
IMHO, the argument doesn't fly because you always have the risk of stolen goods with used items. Cars, bikes, TV's, jewelry, anything......
07-31-18, 03:16 PM
#73
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That's actually about the worst way to do it (for a thief trying to avoid getting caught). You have to provide valid ID to sell that bike, and bikes have serial numbers, and pawn shops are required to run all their new inventory by the local cops (daily,IIRC).
So if the owner reported the bike stolen, and included the serial number in the police report, then the thief is practically busted the minute the pawn shop took possession. Now, selling in another state would probably work, but if selling locally, this is worse than taking your chances on CL.
So if the owner reported the bike stolen, and included the serial number in the police report, then the thief is practically busted the minute the pawn shop took possession. Now, selling in another state would probably work, but if selling locally, this is worse than taking your chances on CL.
07-31-18, 03:32 PM
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I'm pretty sure all the stolen bikes in my area end up in homeless camps. I see an awful lot of those guys riding nice bikes that have just been spraypainted and stickerbombed.