I recently tracked a bike on eBay which I was interested in. On initial contact with the (3rd party) seller, the responses were good and quick, but once I asked some more detailed questions, I heard nothing more. I’ve just seen the same bike advertised again but with different pictures and by a different seller (replica item titles and spelling mistakes in the description suggest to me that it is the same item as well), and at a slightly lower starting bid.

I’d like to know what questions you ask of a seller / what research, if any, you do to satisfy yourself that you’re not being sold a dud / about to get on the wrong end of a too good to be true deal?

Thanks

Got a link?

Otherwise, feedback?

Feedback & Paypal are as much as you’ve got. Or cash on collection.

Presume you’re talking a fair few hundred quid, personally I’d only buy locally, view before bidding and/or COC.

Yep, here’s the original listing and here’s the current one.

Given the different accounts in this instance, I’m not sure that I would trust feedback, but yes I agree that would be a normal port of call.

cash on collection

when u go up a curb u can just ride up there with out woring the suspension does all the work for you

Says it all

It’s a 19″ dh bike. Ask the guy how tall he is. Less than 6’2″ walk away! Otherwise go so and maybe cash on collection.

Don’t forget seller less than 16 so maybe the sale is off a parents account or something, they could have switched parents accounts because one was away!

Thanks for the replies so far, sounds like a personal viewing and cash on collection is the only way to go.

@shortcut Good point about sizing versus how tall the guy is, thanks. Previous seller was a mate of his, perhaps using his own Mum’s account

As it’s in Bristol I would check on that site that lists stolen bikes or get in touch with that copper who has helped a few STWers in the past.

If I remember the link or the name I will post again later. In the meantime do a forum search.

Ta da !

Second post down

Bike stolen – Bristol – July/Aug 2011

Going off the description the guy is a monkey, or retarded. Neither means a good second hand bet.

Walk away, briskly.

Hmmm, seen dodgier looking listings. Neither seller seems to know all that much about what they are selling. I suppose it’s possible that the second seller bought the bike outside of ebay cash on collection because it was local and he could see what he was buying… And then realised that a 38+lb bike isn’t really the thing for croozin’ the streetes of the gloucestershire projects….

shortcut – Member

It’s a 19″ dh bike. Ask the guy how tall he is. Less than 6’2″ walk away! Otherwise go so and maybe cash on collection.

Maybe seller did the rookie mistake of buying a bike too big because he liked the look/price of it? We’ve all been there!

And also no, american sizing is often very loopy. The ‘large’ size does indeed have a 19″ seat tube but it should be considered as a 23″ top tubed freeride-as-opposed-to-downhill bike. My bullitt is a large, and i am 5’11. It fits rather like my ‘small’ yeti asr, which has an ever so slightly shorter tt and an 18″ seat tube, but was still the second smallest of the four sizes they made.

Don’t even think about bidding, that is so transparently dodgy I’m amazed you even have to ask

Remember this… when in doubt, there is no doubt – don’t do it