Put my Turner Flux up on here and Pinkbike back in November. A few good enquiries resulted, but ultimately no deal. No probs though, will re-list in the Spring when a young man’s fancy turns to…

Then a call on Sunday afternoon. Guy asks “Is it still available”, only he’s seen it on Pinkbike. “Yup”, says I. “I’m in Manchester” he says, “Give me your address and I’ll view it this afternoon”. Hmmm thinks I, maybe he’s intending to view it at 3am instead. “I’d rather meet you someplace else if that’s ok” says I. “Out of interest, what attracts you to this bike?” He then goes on about needing a bike to commute to work and to ride off-road (his choice of words) with his brother. He then asks me if it is FS and if so whether it has lock-out?!?

All this for a boutique brand that’ll mean nothing to those not acquainted with biking, for a cost of £1,100, when for his needs he can pick up a 2nd hand Spesh for £500.

So many things seemed wrong that I said I was actually reconsidering selling and would get back to him.

So the questions is, did I do the right thing???

Good to be cautious, gut instincts are usually right.

Having said that, I would probably be fine about meeting in another place. Perhaps take a mate with you if you are worried. Some people have lots of cash and little knowledge of bikes, doesn’t necessarily make them a crook

gut instincts are usually right.

+1

Probably genuine, but you did the right thing IMO.

A few years ago one of my mates spent £1500 on a Marin off eBay. He rode it only on the road for no more than 5 miles at a time … wore trainers, tracky bottoms and a hoody … and thought a packet of crisps, an apple and 2l bottle of coke was the way to refuel half way round 😯 Needles to say he knew bu88er all about MTBing but still opted to splash a silly amount of cash.

Think you were right to be cautious, I had a similarly odd enquiry when I was selling my “XL” carbon enduro last year. Guy rang up, said he and his girlfriend had started cycling and he fancied getting into MTB. So had a chat with him about the sort of thing he wanted to use the bike for and what the bike was designed to do, all very vague responses, clearly had no idea but gave him the benefit of the doubt as he was a “newbie”, then I asked him how tall he was, turned out he was about 5’9″, so told him he probably couldnt reach the pedals!!

Thanks for the responses guys, still pondering this one to be honest. Thing that gets me is I can see a newbie wanting to splash the cash on a Spesh, a Trek, a Santa Cruz (for the better informed) or even – well back in the day anyway – a Marin. But a Turner? Unless you start talking about Nicolai or somesuch they’re pretty much as obscure as you’re going to get. For someone who knows pretty much nothing about bikes the name wouldn’t mean anything more than Apollo. Why drop over a grand on a brand you purport to know nothing about? Could be that his mate said to him “That there Turner on that Pinkbike is a serious bike and cheap at the price, pile in whilst you can my son!” but it still seems fishy to me.

All a bit academic now as I suspect that the deal – if there ever was one to be had – is well and truly dead.

Not too fussed though as I’d like to sell it to someone who can really appreciate it for what it is and get the best out of it (ie. I’ll still be the proud owner of it in 2016 😀 )

I know in the last that Pink Bike has suffered badly with scam artists agreeing to buy stuff via collection only to not turn up. A few days later garages and sheds have then been broken into. There was a thread on here about it.

I think you were probably right to be cautious.

Maybe he should have worn a suit to the bike buyer Interview.

He might have passed.

Go with your instincts, at the worst you’ll just have to wait a bit and sell it to someone else. Which considering the other possible options for such a scenario, doesn’t sound too bad to me!

Don’t think Turner are that obscure, I’ve got one too!

I mean they are not a “man in the street” brand but its not hard to Google a bike you like the look of is it?

Although I agree I probably wouldn’t meet him at my house if I felt something was off

Yes. I think its a good idea to meet somewhere.

But then strava doesn’t help much even with my privacy settings.

Secure lock ups and Good insurance is the only way to go.

I generally say I’m finishing duty at (insert time) and meet me at (insert police station) and you can have a look at it. Genuine people are happy, fishy people text you last minute with a magical reason explaining why they can’t attend.

Sold a bike on eBay a cpl of years ago bloke turned up with the cash..he come across ok payed for the bike and asked why I was selling I made the mistake of telling him I did not use it as I had a new one..any way off he went back to Liverpool (not say Liverpool is a bad place) with the bike 3 or 4 weeks later we got robbed and 3bike were stolen some thing was bugging me when I checked his eBay account (not sure why I did this) but I had been closed down…after that I have never let any body come to the house to buy any thing bike related….better be safe than sorry.. Try to meet them some were away from home.

All fair enough advice, but I’ve read advice for buyers (from police I think) saying that it a seller won’t meet at home you should be suspicious…