Chuck M 

Where are you preferring to online shop for C&V bikes and parts these days?

There are certainly many bikes and parts on eBay. While I don't know that I would ever buy a bike on such a platform sight unseen, I go to that site often looking for a part to finish off a bike. It is quick, easy and there is a pretty proven level of buyer protection. Being able to review the seller's rating is a plus too.

Craigslist, in my area at least (NE Oklahoma), has seemed to dry up for what I'm looking for. It seems the bikes that are there are all from a handful of sellers as all the photos show the same tan garage door. And it isn't readily apparent to me how sketchy the lister may be before contacting them.

Facebook Marketplace for me seems to be my favorite. While I don't like how Zuckerberg's algorithms decide what I will see, I do like that I can easily see how long it has been listed and usually any changes in price. I also like that I can creep the seller's profile before deciding if I want to contact them.

Or do you go old school cruising CO-OPs and garage sales? Where are you most successful in getting what scratches your itch?

old's'cool

If I told ya I'd have to kill ya

scarlson 

Bikeforums Classifieds. Buying, I get the best deals there. The selection of parts can be limited, of course, but the crowd is always nice to deal with

Selling, although it is hard to see stuff go for less than it might on evilbay, I get to keep the whole money, not just some fraction as evilbay would take a cut (and always a bigger cut than I imagine). So often it's better both ways.

I can't bring myself to go on facebook. It makes me feel real crummy so I haven't been there in ages.
Based on the increased tax reporting and changes in algorithm, I think evilbay is really trying to shake off any smalltime sellers of used junk, which is really my jam.

tkamd73 

Don’t have a facebook account, never will, so pretty much eBay. Actually I sell CV stuff on CL, and buy CV on eBay. Have sold a few higher end CV items on Bikeforums though.
Tim

nlerner

Pretty much all the vintage crap I’ve bought in the last couple of years has come from BFers. I’m not looking at eBay much unless I have a very specific need, but my parts bins remain ample.

thinktubes 

Here - where’s there smoke, there’s fire.

Roger M

Like scarlson mentioned above, the classifieds here are a good place to buy. Generally priced well, and from decent folks. I haven't sold anything here yet, but I'm working on it

The 'ebay/craigslist find' thread is another good tool. I found my Lyon there earlier this year.

Google groups has a couple of places that I've found stuff.

Offerup is hit n miss. I bought a Cannondale last weekend from a seller there. I've had a few good buys there, and the sellers seem to be of a higher caliber than the average CL peddler.

Craigslist isn't as good as maybe ten years ago, but I still come across fair deals on occasion.

I buy from ebay when I can't find it elsewhere, but I'm not digging what it's turned into.

I don't do fb,

rgvg

facebook marketplace - fishing gear section turns up some interesting bites once in a while

noobinsf 

I’ve had really good luck with NextDoor, but one needs to be fast. I got a free Brooks Imperial in great condition, and I’ve been first in line for a handful of things where I changed my mind, but I’ve also missed out on excellent finds for being two minutes too slow. It goes in waves, but there are some spring days where I stalk like a panther.

For selling, it’s mainly here and Craigslist.

icemilkcoffee 

Facebook has the absolute crappiest search engine known to man. And nobody knows how to measure a bike frame. But you do find good deals there.
Craigslist is great. Sellers are typically more experienced. But you don’t find any smashing good deals there.
Ebay remains the best place to score C&V parts bar none.

Chuck M 

I haven't really looked through the classifieds on her as much as I should. Probably because I'm not really looking for anything specific, just some bike boom product that I would enjoy wrenching on which CL and FB seem to do. But I do imagine the offerings here are far better quality and from more knowledgable people than craigslist and facebook are going to have. And I think the eBay/craigslist find thread is fantastic. I imagine it has connected people and bikes many times as it lets people see items from regions where they wouldn't normally be searching.

bark_eater 

I gave up on craigslist a while back, as the time combing thru all the junk and over priced "pro" listings wasn't worth it. Facebook has definitely sold me a couple bikes with it's automatic suggestions, and it seems like it's more likely to find a bike locally from an original owner. Unfortunately, recently I've been dealing with a certain lack of ethics from sellers, which I think is a sign of the times.

I stop by the scrap yard every morning, and that like buying a lottery ticket with 15 minutes of my time. I Don't quite average a bike a week, and a lot of them have been mangled so I just get parts, but in reality all the "Barn Finds" around here are going straight to scrap. The average life expectancy of a bike at the yard is 2 minutes, so it pays to be lucky.

​​​​​​EBay is good for finding esorotic parts. I have a long list of saved searches that pop up every day. That's been good for cheaply filling out group sets, that often start with one component found at the co-op, or stocking up on consumable unobtainium.

Selling I don't have a handle on yet, but I'll be flooding the local market with $100 bikes next spring, and am going to start unloading the pre bike hobby stuff on ebay, as there's not much attachment to the items.

SurferRosa

Is that like erotic and esoteric. Is there a bike subforum for that?

PilotFishBob 

Looks like a useful portmanteau, especially for us.

Dylansbob 

I've actually had good luck over the past year buying from CL and OfferUp, of all places. Yes, 90% of the bikes on OU are stolen. Once you see through all of those, there have been a surprising number of 70s 1-owner nice roadbikes listed.
My pre-covid jam was a small chain of thrift stores in the area who are supplied by buying out storage closets at auction. Lots of crazy deals over the years, but covid has slowed down their supply and it seems much more competition for cool things. Our pawn shops seem to be fairly well run, I've run serials a few times on bikes and came back clean. Occasionally very cool stuff comes through cheap (which reminds me to check to next time I'm out to see if the Bianchi Eros is still at one).

I'm also a pretty thorough online shopper, if someone has a stupid deal I'll buy and either flip right away or use for a season before selling. Good example of that is On-One UK/PlanetX had a free US shipping deal a few months ago..... and a $62 DirtJump frame. Not something I'd ever *want* to buy, but I had wheels/forks/drivetrain bits to build it up. I'll play with it this winter, clean it good and sell in spring for probably $500. MTBs sell for ridiculous prices around here.

bark_eater 

Its all about the Dopamine...

wrk101

My best on line source for parts is FB marketplace, I buy parts in the form of a complete bike.

I also find bikes when I am traveling. Road trips have become part time buying trips. Bought a bike on my last road trip solely for its pedals. Bought five bikes total that trip. Next trip I will need to take packing materials, as space for finds will be limited.

When you know how to recognize parts, you can sometimes find great parts in the form of a mediocre bike.

My last bike purchase was on C/L. Mediocre bike with some really good parts. Seller was only asking. $20, and it remained available for over a week. I finally succumbed. Most of the bike will go to the co-op, I will keep the stem, RD and crankset. Two bikes prior to that one were both FB marketplace, one a very nice Tommasini at a ridiculously low price.

Two challenges with FB marketplace: 1. sellers do not respond to messages and 2. bikes are not just in one, logical category. Bikes will appear anywhere from outdoor sporting goods, to misc., to fishing gear. Apparently, FB spots the term "Shimano" and assumes its fishing gear. Search function is painful too. This all combines to reducing the competition.

Selling is all either eBay, a couple of collectors at much lower pricing, or I donate. I'm done with tire kickers/no show artists.

icemilkcoffee 

"What do you mean? It is perfectly logical to put bicycles under 'Hobbies' along with Auto parts." -Mark Zuckerberg

wrk101

And yet, despite his "genius", he doesn't recognize that an Airstream Bambi trailer for $1,500 is a scam (the one below is $1,200). They even let scammers promote their listings! So much for FB's AI.


https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...a-33f9db37ac66

iab

Scambio 017 by iabisdb, on Flickr


Scambio 025 by iabisdb, on Flickr


Scambio 032 by iabisdb, on Flickr


Scambio 039 by iabisdb, on Flickr


Scambio 059 by iabisdb, on Flickr


Scambio 064 by iabisdb, on Flickr


Scambio 026 by iabisdb, on Flickr


Scambio 019 by iabisdb, on Flickr

markwesti

^^^^ I'm afraid to ask .

scarlson 

Yeah, @iab what is that? Some Italian flea market? Looks like they have motos too. I bet I could spend a couple days there, just poking around.

iab

https://www.mostrescambiodepoca.it/m...-novegro-2022/

seedsbelize2

Here, and Bike Recyclery.

randyjawa 

If I still have my website I could steer you to an article that describes my ten how to find a vintage bike list. But I was foolish enough to sell the website however this might be a small help - How To Find Bikes.