Mountain Biking - Where is the best place to sell a used bike?

Have you guys ever sold a used bike online? It seems like I won't get much if I try to sell it locally. Maybe Ebay or something? How hard is it to pack up and ship? I've got a Cannondale F500 with XTR V-brakes and levers, XTR hubs on Mavic 217 rims, Race Face Next LP cranks and Time ATAC pedals, and XT rear derailler with SRAM 8.0 Attack shifters. It's a medium. Is there really any secured way to sell it? I've checked out a few online classifieds, but those don't really seem to get any good exposure.

Also, what do you guys think would be a reasonable asking price? I don't expect to get anywhere near what I put into it back, but I've got a project bike in the works, so I kinda want the extra cash for new components. It's in really good shape, just scratches in the usual place.. chainstays, etc. Do you think 700 would be too much for starters?

Here is the proper forum/thread in which to list something for sale. As far as shipping, I would go down to your LBS and ask for a discarded bicycle box to pack up your bike in when/if it sells.

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=57


(Maybe a Mod can move it for you).

There is ebay and the classifieds at www.mtbr.com The secure way for you is to ship COD,that way,you get the money on delivery.Have carrier accept only a money order,no checks or monopoly money.. Security for you AND buyer is to use an escrow service.

I wasn't actually trying to list it via this forum, so I wasn't really sure if it belonged in the For Sale forum.



Thanks for the advice so far though.

Personally, I think $700 is kind of pushing it.

As far as the best way to sell it, it depends. If you use eBay and Paypal, they'll charge you an arm and a leg on fees. However, the upside is that you'll get the money faster.

If you're more patient, you can post on this site or mtbr.com. You'll wait longer, but you're more bound to get what you want for it.

Shipping? If you're not sure what you are doing, I suggest having your LBS do it. Most LBSs will professionally pack your bike and ship it for you. You'll pay a little more for it this way, but all you have to do is drop your bike off, pay them, give them the address, and it's off your hands.

If you want to go a cheaper route, most LBSs will give away bike boxes for free. From there, you can pack it yourself. Keep in mind that bike boxes come in different shapes and sizes. From the looks of that bike, you shouldn't have a problem finding a box big enough to accomodate for width and height.

Considering the cranks and wheels, you may get more selling the components than the entire bike - assuming everything is in good condition.

I've sold quite a few things on eBay and through www.mtbr.com and other on-line places.

The quickest & easiest is eBay. The ad won't cost too much to run. I think my last one was about $7.00.

For payment, I would state you only accept Money Order, Cashier's Check, or personal Checks, but will wait to ship until personal check clears the bank. I prefer using Paypal to buy and sell, only because it's another person you can utilize in case you get screwed on the deal. If using Paypal or Billpoint or etc. clearly state the buyer will pay an additional 3% for this method of payment.

As far as shipping, I pack my own bikes, but I also work at a shop part-time and have done this a lot. I would call around to your local shops (Spin Cycle, University Cycle, the one out on 39th & University) and find out how much they charge to box it for you. Most charge about $50.00 to box and ship. I would charge a flat shipping rate of $60 in the continental US. I wouldn't ship overseas or to Canada. (Too much hassle), but clearly state this in your ad. I ship everything FedEx Ground, because it seems to be the least expensive and less problems. I drop the bike off at a FedEx location to avoid an additional pick-up fee. The most I've been charged to ship a bike was $42.00 w/insurance (value $2500), and that was to CA from FL. You can either charge a flat rate, or have them pay whatever actual shipping will be. If you get their Zip code, you can calculate this using FedEx's website.

Get the insurance for shipping, and not the price you sold it for, but the FULL MSRP Replacement costs. Insurance is cheap and it's better to have too much than not enough!

As far as your asking price, a new F500 is right around a grand, then with the components you've listed, I figure you've got another grand invested. This don't mean diddly. If you get $700 for your bike, I'd be impressed. Not because of the shape, but because of the age of the bike. Also, that frame ISN'T disc compatible, a major detriment these days!

I would set a reserve price of $500 or 600 and let it ride! You're sure to get $500, maybe 600, but if the reserve is too high, you'll turn bidders away!

PM me if you have more questions.

L8R & Go Gators! (B.S. in BCN Class of Fall '93)

As far as packing it up and shipping, I can do that myself. I work at a shipping warehouse with access to PLENTY of packaging materials. You guys really think 700 bucks is pushing it? I've got WAY more invested in it than that... but I figured I'd get a better price to sell it all at once, and also not have the hassle of selling the individual pieces. The crank and pedals alone are worth at least 400 bucks to me, not to mention some of the other parts... so maybe I'll just keep the crank and pedals and piece the rest of it out. It's a really nice crank, and I love those pedals... so it looks like just using the parts I want on my new project bike is the right solution. I've got a big break for the holidays, so maybe I'll have time to complete my buildup!


It's good to see some Gators on this site, too! :D