eco_bach

Selling a used road bike.
Since the asking price is $500 is it fair for me to demand the full cash deposit before allowing a would be buyer take for a test ride?

Iride01 

Depends on a lot of stuff too numerous for you to tell us.

You're the seller so you do what you want. Though if y'all meet somewhere and the person leaves their car then they are probably coming back. Unless they planned well and stole the car just before getting there.

If you are really paranoid, you might take a picture of their ID.

For just a 500 dollar bike, I'd just give it away to someone that needed a bike. No disadvantaged youth in your area?


Welcome to BF

Rolla

I just ask if I can hold their phone or their car keys for them while they ride it. No one has ever objected.

_ForceD_

Is the bike stolen? I just saw a thing on FB about a person who had their Masi stolen, then saw it advertised for sale in an online website. Told the poster they were interested, and asked if they could test ride it. Poster said OK. The person rode off and stole their bike back.

Dan

dedhed

$500 would cover my grocery bill for a month and for lots of people a good chunk of rent

delbiker1 

I think fairness has nothing to do with it. One has to decide what they are comfortable allowing, and do what they feel is necessary to protect themselves. How badly one wants to make the sale, I suppose, also comes into play.

MattTheHat 

So much wrong with these two sentences that I won’t even bother. Welcome to BF, indeed.

SurferRosa

Yes.

​​​​​​It's also fair that you require the full asking price for sale as-is without a test ride.

dedhed

I know I'd be hard pressed to hand some stranger $500 of my cash before a deal was struck.

Bald Paul

Meet at your local PD parking lot. Ask an officer to come outside for a few minutes. Bribe him with a donut and coffee. (Just kidding!)
Tell the buyer he can test ride the bike in the parking lot. If he leaves, he's in trouble. It also protects the buyer from getting a stolen bike.

Chuck M 

If you feel that the prospective buyer handing over the cash to test ride is what your gut instinct is telling you to do, then do it. There are too many variables for strangers on the internet to know what you should do. Small town America and a meetup at a convenience store in a shady area present two different comfort zones.

TakingMyTime

I feel safe if I meet and greet them out on the driveway and I've seen them drive up. Like said above, unless they went to the trouble of stealing a car just to get a $170 bike (in my case) I feel fairly confident that they'll come back. Just be aware that there are buyers who might sabotage your bike once they're out of sight and upon return try to get a discount because something or the other isn't working right.

ClydeClydeson

Generally expectations of what will happen when the person comes to see the item (price, condition, test ride or no, etc) should be discussed before they come. Few people to whom I have sold bikes were demanding a test ride, but often conversation with them gives you the info you need to know when deciding to allow test ride or not.

But if they did demand one, and I was not comfortable allowing it ("can you hold my crack pipe while I take 'er fer a rip?") then they would leave empty handed (empty except for crack pipe) and I would sell to the next person. Sometimes finding the right buyer to match your needs as a seller doesn't happen right away, and it's important to not get in a position where you are desperate to sell.

burnthesheep

If paranoid have it setup on a stationary trainer and let them ride it on that for a minute to verify the shifting brakes etc…. Then remove it for the obligatory parking lot ride. Also usually I fit cheapo flats to the bike and say that I wont change the pedals out to avoid a last minute pedal swap incident of any kind or a person acting like they can ride clipless but faint like a goat and mess it up.

curbtender

I'm not so paranoid, but I sell a lot of bikes. I can't count how many times a guy has left his girlfriend while he goes for a test, lol. Since when is $500 considered chump change?

Iride01 

I'm not saying that 500 bucks is chump change. But I don't think that everything I own but no longer want has to be sold. No reason why useful stuff can't be given away to those that might not be able to ever afford themselves the luxury of owning a decent bike.

Consider it part of spreading good karma or paying it forward.

Rolla

You're in a different tax bracket than me.

Not if you actually want to sell the thing.

Maybe in Mayberry, but around here a cop wouldn't put down his donut long enough to laugh at you.



I wonder if any of these sage advisors have ever actually sold a bike before.

burnthesheep

Moron, I did just this past weekend.

And it is actually exactly how I declined purchasing a used smart trainer with a bad bearing. I brought my bike with me and tried it and heard the issue. Saved me a PIA.

So maybe YOU don’t know anything.

SurferRosa

​​​​​​
I'm just saying what's fair, not what's practical.

I've only bought and sold about 50 bikes. I always allow a test ride. But I've never felt the need to take one myself ... except when purchasing new.

Rolla

LOL. You're precious!

Bald Paul

Love how you left that part out.

Rolla

Glad you approve -- I didn't think it added any value, either.

jon c. 

I wouldn't hand over any amount of cash for a test ride.

msu2001la

You're the seller, so you can do whatever you want, but you should make sure your expectations are clear before you meet up with a buyer and start making demands that they hand over cash.

From a buyer's perspective, I'd be extremely skeptical if I showed up to look at a bike and the seller unexpectedly demanded I hand over full asking price in cash before letting me ride it. I'd probably assume the bike is either stolen or I'm about to be robbed.

burnthesheep

Only as much as you want me to be baby. If you want it rough just let me know.