Paul Barnard

I am sure we all have our Craigslist stories. You can certainly have some interesting Craigslist encounters. I have recently rearranged and downsized my bike inventory. In doing so I listed four bikes on Craigslist in NOLA. I listed them Monday. They were all in top condition and priced very well. Tomorrow I will deliver the last of the four to a college student whose bike was stolen. As a bonus I am throwing in a decent cable lock. I did get one text from a spammer, but it was painfully obvious and because I had accidentally let my phone number populate the phone number field. I normally kinda code my number out in the text of the ad, and I do not provide an email address. Outside of that one text, I didn't have to deal with a single idiot. I must say that I am impressed. My prices were very good. I only had one person try to talk me down. Despite the bad rap Craigslist often gets, it has served me very well as a buyer and seller.

My best Craigslist deal was a barely used Burley Duet Tandem without a scratch on it. I was in Colorado when the ad hit CL here in NOLA. I called the guy to talk to him about it. I asked if I could in some way give him a deposit. He volunteered to hold it for me until I got back. It was a 2K bike and I got it for 4 or 5 hundered, I can't remember. I didn't try to talk him down it was such a slamming good deal.

wingless

thumpism 

I've never listed one on CL but did buy my RB-T and was glad to find it was not the 59cm he had listed but a 62cm. I do read the listings religiously daily. I have sold a few other things and generally have dealt with nice folks just trying to buy something they want. That's the way it should be.

George

Paul Barnard

The strange thing about this is that I initially listed the bikes on my club's FB page. I figured I would offer the good deals to people who are generally known to me, and that I wouldn't have to deal with idiots. One guy messaged me asking if the bike was still available. I responeded by asking which one. He answered by saying "sorry, I was just piddling with my phone." That impressed me as odd. Another guy asked if I wanted to trade for a treadmill without a power cord.

subsage

Paul Barnard

I had no idea that could happen. I learned something today.

rumrunn6

yup, craigslist is great. I've made many ppl very happy & vice a versa. if you get the price right, the bikes fly out of your basement. was thinking I would sell 2 but now thinking I'll hand on to 1 of them a little bit longer

Skipjacks

The value of Craigslist depends a lot on where you are.

If you're in a place with a lot of cyclists, Craigslist is awesome. If you're in a place like me where I can commute to work fot a month without passing another biker, Craiglist isn't as productive.

No one in Baltimore understands the concept of depreciation. Bikes are often listed at 80%-90% of the original sale price from years ago.

I saw one listing recently for a 9 or 10 year old bike that is still made today. The listing price was I think $800. The manufacturer sells brand new ones with improved groupsets and carbon forks instead of alloy for like $950. The seller thinks that because the bike cost $1200 in 2009, that $800 is a deal today. People just don't understand that the comparison shopper isn't comparing today's price to your original sale price. We are comparing today's price to similar set ups on new bikes in the store today. And then we are discounting your bike for being used.

In some places people just can't grasp the concept that I don't care what you paid for it. I care what it's really worth today.

If I want a cell phone, Baltimore Craigslist is great! It's fantastic! I can get great deals all day long. Really great deals. But bikes? I see used Wal Mart kids bikes all the time for MORE than you see brand new kids bike in Wal Mart. If it's used and has training wheels...you're never selling it for $200. It's never going to happen.

I mean there are a few listing for old 1980's road bikes for $20 and that's great. That's someone who understand how the 'garage sale marketplace' works. But there are a TON of "I bought it for $1500 and didn't ride it as much as I thought I would so now I want to sell it for $1400 a decade later" types.

Wilmingtech

No! Thats Sacrilege!!!

big chainring 

Chicago craigslist is a nightmare. I would sell a couple dozen bikes a year...6-8 years ago. Then the idiots started using craigslist. Everyone and their brother was selling bikes. Old Fuji's were one of a kind, super rare, barn finds. Weighing 6 pounds. Mint condition, etc. The common thing now is you list a bike for $200 and the idiots offer $50. As far as selling bikes on Chicago CL...its over, done, kaput.

Theycallmegio

Darth Lefty 

I had a guy over today to shop my commuter. He took it for two test rides and decided it was a size too large. But in spite of the no sale it was a good experience. He was a Cannondale nerd and my bike is pretty rare and a unique build so we enjoyed talking about it.

But a guy was also supposed to come today to buy my home brewing system and he was a no show

joelcool

I've bought 4 bikes on CL - all have been good experiences.

Danhedonia

I used to work in entertainment and now live in what's politely called "a secondary market." Selling guitars and amps on CL has been feast or famine for me; for every knucklehead, there's a nice buyer who feels like a great 'next adoptive parent.'

CL seems somehow cleaned up in the past few years.

Voodoo76

I've had some decent experiences selling going back quite a few years. But my most recent was not so good. I advertised a quality Track bike, essentially new, priced it at half the component value (of actual cost not list). All I get are low low low ball offers. Had one guy agree to $50 less than I'm asking. Said he would have the money end of month. Time rolls around a he tries to low ball me as well. Meh, I really don't need to sell, just wasn't riding the bike.

Guest User 1923242

I purchased bikes on CL several times. Since I live in Phoenix, AZ and don`t have a car I asked the sellers ( both times living in Tucson ) if they traveled to Phoenix. They did and delivered the bikes to my front door. Friendly people in Tucson and no harm in asking...

J.Higgins 

CL deals are hit and miss. You have to be patient and remain vigilant. One of my better recent deals was a Catrike Villager - BRAND NEW - for $189. Was purchased for an autistic male adult, who rode it for 30 seconds and didn't like it. I forked over the $189 and never questioned it (the $189 price set by the parents was a mystery to me). I flipped it for $900. Score!

LadyLily

I am looking for a very particular bicycle (new it costs around $440). I found someone on CL selling it (and other bikes from this company) brand new for half price. The phone number the CL seller is texting me from is from another state.

Is there any way this could be legit? It just seems too good to be true.

mattleegee

Offerup works well sometimes
I have found the best bikes on their in my area as far as pricing being good
Seems in my area the craigslist people are in the know or want alot for their bikes

Guy had a bike on offerup i wanted to use as a donor bike, asked him the lowest price and got $300 off his asking if i picked it up that day, which i did

I sent out a couple responses to craigslist ads and one i did not even hear back from and the other actually raised his price when i told him how well he took care it it.....!!!.....

J.Higgins 

The only way to be sure if someone is legit, is to talk with them - either through texts, emails, or voice. If a deal is legit, the seller will be as enthusiastic and earnest as you are. Follow your gut. Using this method, I've met some pretty fantastic people through CL ads. Some of them are now regular contacts.

As far as the out of state phone number, there are many reasons. They may have just moved. They could be in college in your state. Best thing to do is to simply ask. I sold a bike yesterday to a kid would drove in with NY plates on a brand-new Acura SUV. He may have been 19-20, tops. Since NY is two states away, I asked him, and he's going to college here at Dartmouth. Makes sense now.

All you can do is to develop layers of protection. Never give your number or street address until you are comfortable. Many times I'll offer to meet someone (if I'm buying) somewhere, such as a Walmart parking lot. I love buying and selling on CL. Its like a game!

Juan Foote

Our area CL got to be such a "crap"show for a while that I completely quit using it. I have gone back recently and found that for my particular area the deals are few and far between. Loads of people listing items for what you can find them at new, sometimes even more. The bikes section is a mix of BBS junk and truly good bikes at prices that just don't make sense, as a poster above pointed out.

With that said, I had a small pile of computer parts here that needed to move. Ebay just didn't make sense for them, so I listed for very competitive pricing and specified the place I would meet with an email relay, no phone number until after we talked via email. None of the items stayed up long and the sales experience was very good.

jon c. 

Area codes these days only indicate where you were living when you got the phone. Which could have been 20 years ago. I don't think half the people I know have a local area code on their cell number. I wouldn't worry about that.

Brocephus

I'm a fan, and sporadically regular user of my local Craigslist and Armslist, but it seems like the last couple years have really brought the jerk-offs out of the woodwork. It' gotten where I pretty much assume everyone I have contact with is going to be a scammer, stroker, or just ghost on me in the middle of the discussion. That being said, I've largely had good experiences, buying, selling and trading, and met lots of solid local folks, many of which I've come into repeated contact with over the years.
Obviously, you have to be cautious, caveat emptor, and all that, but generally speaking, these internet sites have been a boon to the classified/used market. (you guys remember having to go post ads in the local newspaper back in the day ?? What a PITA that was !)

MinnMan

So for those of you who sell bikes and stuff on craigslist, what do you accept as payment? I've read that to avoid scams, people rely on local transactions and cash, but what if the thing that you are selling is expensive - say a high end bike, worth a couple of $k? Still cash?