Digital Gee

Just wondering how much luck you've had selling off bikes on Craigslist. I want to move my cherry 2012 Masi Evoluzione, with less than 1,000 miles on it, this spring. Here in Reno, CL isn't as big as it was in San Diego. Thinking about alternatives, but not coming up with much. Tips?

GadgetGirlIL

I recently sold my 2004 Specialized S-Works M4 tri-bike that I had only ridden a little in 2004/2005. I put a post up on Facebook and was just ready to try eBay after 2 weeks of no interest. Then a former work colleague emailed me and ended up buying it.

There are some other threads in these forums about various ideas of how to sell bikes. I didn't get the warm fuzzies reading about some people's Craigslist experiences.

Good luck!

Hatchet

I have sold a number of bikes on CL with success. Here are some tips:
- Post high quality pictures of the bike from all relevant angles/positions. If there is any damage to the bike, show that in the ad as well.
- Give any relevant details about the bike in the ad, but be prepared for questions.
- Be prepared for scammers - there is no getting around this with CL. To mediate the risk to yourself, read CL's tips on the issue: https://www.craigslist.org/about/scams
- If you are firm on your price, say that in the ad, but even then prepare to haggle.
- Depending on your location, you may have to be patient to get the price you want. If you want to make a quick sale, offer a lower price.

There is a forum thread for flipping bikes that might be of interest:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ing-101-a.html

TimothyH

I sell things on craigslist but try to remember that it is not going to make me rich. Items are priced such that the buyer is getting a good or even great deal and the result is usually a very quick sale.

I don't negotiate, don't travel long distances to deliver parts and have no tolerance for endless conversations via text message. That much is made clear in my posts. If I advertise a $100 item in like new condition for half off then please don't ask me to reduce my price and drive half way across the city to deliver it. It simply isn't worth it for me.

Buyers are instantly dismissed if I sense a scam, ridiculous questions are asked or unrealistic demands are made. Most things sell. Some don't. That's part of the game.


-Tim-

Digital Gee

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I'll give it a shot.

Nooner

I've had good success selling bikes and bike parts on CL for OC SG & IE areas.
Offer plenty of photos and good detailed copy.
You will still have to answer lots of questions and deal with some rift raft, but it is an effective tool to flip stock.

WNCGoater

I've bought 3 bikes off CL. As the buyer I agree what others have posted I looked for. Plenty of good high quality photos and closeups, particularly closeups of any supposed "damage". I want measurements and pertinent information. If the tires are flat, the chain is off or rusty, or the whole bike is partially disassembled, I'm probably going to scroll on past.
And yes I'm looking for a good price. In fact, with a budget I'm just scrolling along looking at prices first. I'm willing to pay a fair price, but used bikes simply aren't worth almost full retail.

Last year I bought a Specialized carbon Tarmac off CL. Rode it a couple weeks and couldn't bond with it. I put it back on CL with 14 good quality photos. First question I got was "Can you text me some photos?" I ignored that. And of course immediately got the scammers, saying "I'll take it and I'll add $50 to your price. I will send a check and have it picked up after the check clears. As suggested above, read the CL warnings about scams. I ended up contacting a local riding club president, who put me in touch with someone in the market, and I sold it to him. The CL ad didn't pan out.

Bob Ross

I have never had good luck selling anything on Craig's List.
CL is a magnet for idiots. Even if I discard all the scammers & spammers who reply to my ads, 99% of the remaining replies come from people with zero reading comprehension ability and/or a complete misunderstanding about what a sales transaction actually means at the most fundamental level.

My favorite [sic] idiot was the guy who responded to my ad selling a "Queen-sized futon mattress"
Note, every email in our exchange included as the subject line "For sale: Queen-sized futon mattress"
His first question was "Is the Queen-sized futon mattress still available?" I said "yes"
He wrote "Can I come see this Queen-sized futon mattress on Monday?" I said "yes, after 6:00PM."

First of all, he shows up at 5:30PM
Then, he takes one look at my Queen-sized futon mattress and says "Oh, this is much too big. I don't have a Queen-sized bed!"

:::facepalm:::

Dave Mayer

Say your used bike is reasonably worth $1,000. Here is what you do on Craigslist to lower your final bike sale price and by how much:

• Only pictures of the non-drive side of the bike: subtract $400
• Limited number of blurry pictures: subtract $400
• Vague description that does not include list of major components: subtract $300
• No listing of size: subtract $300
• Use of all CAPS or all lower case run-on text. This indicates that posting was made by a 14 year old on a smart phone: Subtract $200
• Seller indicates illiteracy through the inclusion of words such as: 'breaks', 'peddles' or 'helmut': Subtract $50 per use.
• Highlighting how the bike comes with an irrelevant and likely worthless accessory such as a lock or helmut. This indicates that the seller is unclear as to what constitutes relative value. Plus we don't want your head lice, or have to spend an hour hacksawing off of your old lock: Subtract $50.
• Indicating that the bike was made by Shimano: Subtract $500.
• Use of exclamation marks or irrelevant juvenile expletives such as: "Awesome!!!": Subtract $50 per use.

Digital Gee

Awesome post!

prathmann

I've only used Craigslist as a buyer, but my experience was positive. Wanted to have a bike to keep at our daughter's place (MI) to use while visiting. Initially saw a nice Cannondale (CAAD 8?) for sale and went over hoping it would have some clear flaw to justify a lower price. Unfortunately it was in almost perfect shape but a little too expensive to justify as an occasional bike to use on visits. Let the seller know how high I'd be willing to go and we parted on good terms. Then saw a Jamis for sale that was also in excellent condition but at a lower quality level and price. Bought it and have now used it for a few years when on visits.

Of course there's always the concern on used bikes about the possibility of it being stolen. The seller didn't have the original bill of sale but was knowledgeable about the bike and what components he had replaced/added and his estimate of miles ridden was consistent with the condition of the original eqpt. tires.

2cam16

Given that you're up there in the biggest little city in the world, have you thought of widening your area and include the Sac/El Dorado Hills,etc....areas? That may help although delivery and pick-up are a drive.

dannwilliams

I’ve had great luck using Facebook. I joined a couple buy/sell groups in my area and sold one bike and a bunch of parts and accessories. Either cash or PayPal and had zero problems. When I used CL my inbox alway got buried with spam and phishing crap, will not used that again.

Craptacular8

I've had good luck selling on my local CL. I post a detailed description that includes size, and lists all components. I detail any scuffs/paint chips/damage, and make sure that pictures show that paint chip. I include pictures from each side, and detailed pictures of the drive train. So far, the bikes have sold in less 2 weeks time, most have sold in a day. I shop for bikes on a bikes for sale FB page, most of which are located 3 hours away from me....I'm willing to drive, maybe others are not.

HardyWeinberg

I have had great results w/ CL; the secret to getting my stuff to move there seems to have been pricing it to move.

rydabent

When I sold my RANS Tailwind on Craigs list, I priced it $100 over what I expected to get. A guy and his wife came by, and he took it for a ride. As he came back down the hill with a smile on his face his wife said looks like you have sold your bike. We went in the house, and his wife opened up her purse and counted out full price in $50 bill. They didnt hagle at all.

jppe

I have two other suggestions for selling. There is a very helpful group on Facebook called “Online Swapmeet for Cycling and Triathlon”. It’s a national audience and there are lots of creditable people buying and selling. You just need to ask to join which doesn’t take long for a response. That’s were I spotted a tandem I purchased last August.

The second is the NextDoor app which targets an audience near where you live. There is a sellers page on there. I’ve sold two cars via NextDoor. I felt safer dealing with that audience. My cars sold very quickly too. I liked that it was local and felt like folks looking and selling were creditable.

stevoo

Yes, sold two road bikes and two mountain bikes.
Priced them to sell and they sold quickly.

Digital Gee

I'm going to put my Masi up for sale on CL soon, once I've got her spit shined and rockin' and rollin' again. Thanks for all the tips and suggestions, folks! I'll update with my progress once I've got something to report.

Cougrrcj

SELLING???? What is this mystery phenomenon of which you speak????

2cam16

Pretty much, in my area or even the surrounding areas. Just sold one this afternoon after 5 days of being listed.
Like everyone has suggested, lots of pictures, good description.

Phil_gretz

I've heard of it. Rarely seen in the wild, it's somewhat like Great White sharks mating.


Mathematically, it results in the number of bikes, n' = n-1.

fixedweasel

BRILLIANT!*





*yeah...............i did it..............in all CAPS

Digital Gee

Well, I listed my Masi on a few Facebook groups, and got nibbles right away. I priced the bike at about the price I found on the online used bike price site (like Kelleys Blue Book but for bikes), $450. It's a steal at that price - less than 1,000 miles, yes, six years old but garage stored the whole time. Bought it new for $2,000.

One very interested buyer was going to come over today and I believe he will buy the bike, but then it started snowing last night. Snow on the driveway is now about a foot; it's still coming down and may be double that by day's end. I don't shovel my drive anymore - the Subaru usually gets through easily enough.

I actually have three serious people who want to come see the bike and they know they're lined up in order. Couldn't have been easier so far. Posted lots of pics, priced the bike VERY fairly (and threw in bottle cages and a cyclometer I don't need) as well.

treebound 

If you priced your bike based upon the bicycle blue book you can expect to see it quickly reposted for about double. They tend to greatly undervalue their bike prices.

My local CL is variable, sometimes a bike will get reposted for months, other times it sells fairly quickly. All the usual good sense caveots apply as to personal safety and negating contact with scammers. You don’t want to end up in the belt buckle garden out in the desert outside of town.

I’m about halfway between the major CL and a smaller slower CL city, but sometimes I’ll alternate which one I post to. I also use a couple of regional facebook groups to post in as well as the general FB marketplace.

I have sold a couple bikes to people in the Chicagoland area who drove up to my area to buy a bike I had posted in the Milwaukee CL. I also just drove an hour south to buy a bike from a guy in Illinois who’s bike was posted in a facebook group. I never meet at my house, and usually never meet at the buyer’s house (but have a few times when working with someone who is carfree). Recently I’m about 90% positive that I had a carjacker dude trying to corner me somewhere but I didn’t dance to his tune and he never wanted to agree to my suggested time/place so eventually he faded away and I sold that bike to someone else. I don’t make any money at this, mostly just swap and upgrade along the way and also move unwanted family member bikes along to someone who can use one.

Experiment and see what works.