After decades of n+1 I find myself needing to sell some of my bikes Where's the best place to sell these days?
There's a range of bikes (including a fatty, a couple of road-ish bikes, a ti audax bike and an outgrown Islabike), so should I be looking at different places to advertise different bikes?
Other issue is that I'm in an out-of-the-way location (far west of Cornwall), so limited market within easy travelling range. I'd rather not get into packing & posting bikes, but if it comes to that are there any recommended couriers?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
ETA Also got a Thule Chariot baby carrier thingy. Was thinking eBay for that, unless there's anywhere else?
Ebay is your friend, ideally wait until they're is a final fees offer on (though I've not seen one in ages despite looking).
The second hand market is currently rubbish mind.
The second hand market is currently rubbish mind.
It depends if you're being realistic with what your bike is worth. There's bikes in the classifieds on this site that are laughably over-priced.
eBay only offers selling deals to people who are actively selling so if you want a special offer sell something small and cheap first. Then check your inbox for offers like max £1 selling fees or similar.
I used to like Pinkbike because it's free and busy but it seems stuff just doesn't move on there.
FB marketplace has replaced everything. You just have to be ruthless with the muppets. Don't waste time with anyone who doesn't sound like a genuine buyer.
Oh yeah, also the used market is dead on it's arse. A combination of people asking comedy prices for stuff and the fact that people have cut back on toys.
Ebay is your friend, ideally wait until they’re is a final fees offer on (though I’ve not seen one in ages despite looking).
There's one pretty much every other weekend - I just keep an eye on HUKD as it's more reliable than getting the eBay messages about it.
Its annoying as I hate Facebook. But every bike I've sold recently (despite being advertised everywhere) has been sold through Facebook marketplace as the first contact. As above, be very strict with who you actually speak to. There's a lot of spam and fake accounts who message trying to say they'll send courier with cash... My brother will pick it up etc.
Pinkbike has been good for selling parts, I guess because you can sort and filter easily with the categories.
Always worth starting with FB Marketplace - I've shifted stuff within hours on there.
Facebook marketplace and local cycling groups will be your first port of call, if you're hoping for people to collect.
But as above, you've picked the worst time to sell for years.
If you want the best prices you can get, you better be prepared to box them up and ship them out. This makes sense for the fatty especially, limited demand these days so the wider market the better.
STW classifieds; Paisley Freight.
I still stick it all on ebay.
If you definitely want it sold, stick it all on for 99p staring auction with a postage option.
If you list stuff together you can put "look at my other listings!" to get more views.
It won't be worth very much I'm afraid.
Classified here have been rubbish for me for last few years. Best results via (my wife’s) Facebook.
Ebay has been ok for parts not so much bikes and usually a reduced fee deal every few weekends.
Ignore anyone that looks remotely dodgy or wants someone else to pick it up. Be patient, it will take time and you won’t get back what you think you will.
I've had reasonable success on ebay with selling bikes and parts (some of them on behalf of friends with a less comprehensive selling history).
Sold a touring bike many years ago (belonged to my Dad) on the Cycling UK forum which might be a good place to list your Ti Audax bike (again, it helps if you have a reasonable forum history on there, I think they have some rules about how you have to have been registered for so long and have x posts in the forum before you can start selling).
Never had any issues selling on here.
Older road bikes (unless they're actually desirable vintage models) are an absolute **** to shift, everyone wants disc brakes now and rim brake stuff won't get a look in unless it's VERY cheap (or very exclusive). I think your Islabike will get a decent price, best place for that is probably FB Marketplace.
As above really, my preference is ebay when there's a cheap deal on. Sold a few on Pinkbike too without issue and reasonably quickly. FB Marketplace can be good but the amount of scammers, idiots and no shows puts me off. Lost £800 after being scammed on Facebook.
Market certainly is terrible atm though with some bikes I've watched selling for a fraction of what they usually would, even taking in to account the daft prices some people seem to think they will still get.
Oh, and offer postage if you want a decent price. Paisley Freight are decent and will provide a box at additional cost.
Without postage, given your location you'll either need to be very lucky or accept that you will probably get half as much as you think the bike is worth.
FB marketplace. Yes you do have to deal with some absolute morons, but stuff normally sells. Be sure to share the post in some local bike selling groups.
I can't stand FB Marketplace/gumtree - the idiots have pushed me off. I've just sold my sons Islabike Creig 26 on ebay but had to post it via Paisley Freight.
Obviously it depends what you're selling and if someone wants it: I'm finally selling my SC Blur TR (pretty much everywhere except FB marketplace) and not a sniff so far (/stealth_ad).
Price it reasonable. There are still some crazy prices on there (ebay). Anything with 'gravel' in the title is a premium. I was looking for a CX bike recently (wanted rim brakes due to spare wheels) and got one for a realistic price, no other bidders as it's not trendy.
Interesting reading is leading me to quite possibly removing my advert as thought I were giving it away at price currently.
Hmmmm
If the parts are worth something, it's often much better to split and eBay on an 80% FVF deal.
All of my previous bikes have sold for 20% more than the whole bike was advertised for and finally reduced to. It's also MUCH easier to post frames, forks, wheels, etc, than a whole bike.
Pink bike, Facebook, eBay. The good thing about being in Cornwall is you can catch people on holiday, also at the end of the day it's not that far if the bike is worth it, you can always offer to meet someway along the A30, say Bodmin or somewhere a bit further.
Agreed on Fb marketplace but as said above, the price has to be right. There are some bikes on there at the moment that you can get cheaper brand new. You only have to search for the Spec Enduro that was a PSA on here a few weeks back, £3k brand new from Evans or second hand £3.5k and you have to collect it from Carlisle...
I sell via word of mouth.
There is a islabike sellers group on facebook
It really is not easier to sell by way of splitting @Daffy
Time taken and separate packages to complete and in out in out to Post Office.Some of us do not have luxury of parcel tape by the barrels and jiffy bags galore.
I'd rather even a custom bike of mine (which isn't eh) goes in one go at a reduced amount.
Anyways
The second-hand market is indeed dead right now. I've got my cheap hardtail to shift once I've fixed the drivetrain (rusty chain and dead BB) so have been monitoring adverts of the same model and they're just not selling until they're massively reduced. Mine has an upgraded fork and front wheel and currently I'd most likely get more for the fork than the whole bike!
Older road bikes (unless they’re actually desirable vintage models) are an absolute **** to shift, everyone wants disc brakes now and rim brake stuff won’t get a look in unless it’s VERY cheap (or very exclusive).
Been hunting for a cheap road bike for a while now for Zwift duties and the odd road ride so rim brakes don't matter to me but the advertised prices are seemingly sticking quite high. It's either really cheap 'road bike' things for £1-200 or a jump up to £500+ for anything with 10 speed or more. But then again a basic decent road bike starts at £1000 these days, anything below that seems to have dubious parts. Gone are the days of a decent, upgradable road bike for £5-600.
I didn’t say it was easier. I said it was better from a value PoV and easier to post smaller things.
Also, tape and Jiffy bags - difficult/luxury? Really? A quick Google suggests that 5 rolls of the former and 10 of the latter can be had from Amazon for £10 and they’ll even bring it to you. Almost every parcel service will collect from your door and most will even bring a label.
Boosted advert on here, no hassle and, in my experience, deal with nice, reasonable people.
Thanks everyone, good to hear real world advice.
Think I'll try eBay - and free (non-stealth!) ads on here too, because why not. Great shout about the IslaBikes FB group, will definitely try that. Paisley Freight good to know about too, thanks.
I hadn't thought of splitting, but will definitely bear it in mind if the bikes don't sell in one piece.
Another win for Facebook marketplace at the weekend. No interest anywhere else, just the usual timewasters on eBay. Guy drove 3 hours from Borders to pick it up. Got less than advertised at, but more than I expected.
Pinkbike is prob worth it for the fatty at least
It may not be the site with the most traffic, but it's free, easy to use, and has the best search functionality of any secondhand bike part site I known of
I've had loads of good sales through there