General Cycling Discussion - Complete Bike = Pedals included? Ebay dispute..

I've recently bought a used bike on eBay that was listed under "Complete Bikes". The bike did not ship with pedals. I contacted the seller, and he replied pointing out that the picture attached did not have pedals, and saying that the ad did not say it "included pedals". I feel that I was misled, thinking that this was a complete bike, as listed. How should I go about this? Thanks for any help.

Go down to the store and buy some pedals.

Unless you buy a really low end or dept store bike, pedals aren't included. The reason being that there are so many aftermarket versions that most riders would ditch the stock ones. You didn't get ripped off. You just went into the transaction not knowing what you should.

Think of it this way: I ride Look on all my road bikes. Why do I want to pay extra for platform pedals that I won't use? Answer, I don't.

Tim

For mid to upper end bikes(anything not from Wal-mart) pedals are like shoes. They are individual and it would make no sense to include them. A complete bike would not include pedals unless specifically noted.

As others said, better bikes don't come with pedals.

Unless you buy a really low end or dept store bike, pedals aren't included. The reason being that there are so many aftermarket versions that most riders would ditch the stock ones.

I always buy my bikes at bike shops, and I never bought one that didn't have pedals as part of the deal.

cs1, I can see your point, though.

I think the ebaY seller was a bit shady. I would expect a complete bike to have pedals, but he did show a photo. This is the kind of thing you take care of before you bid.

Give him negative feedback and buy some pedals.

Whoa. Negative feedback seems unwarranted. No pedals is SOP for a lot of bike sales and the pictures didn't show pedals. Suck it up and buy some cheap pedals. What is eBay supposed to do, include a category of listing for "complete bike without pedals" along with "complete bike" and "frame and fork"?

I always buy my bikes at bike shops, and I never bought one that didn't have pedals as part of the deal.

cs1, I can see your point, though.

I think the ebaY seller was a bit shady. I would expect a complete bike to have pedals, but he did show a photo. This is the kind of thing you take care of before you bid.

Give him negative feedback and buy some pedals.


There were no pedals in the photo. There was no promise of pedals. It is not standard practice to include pedals in mid to upper level bikes. There is no need to give negative feedback. What kind of bike was this anyway?

Ok thanks. It was a Redline 925 if anyone wanted to know

Do you have a link to the auction? Other places seem to have the new Redline 925 with wellgo pedals and clips. Most new bikes don't come with pedals. But that said, those pedals are only worth $13 new, with the clips.

My understanding is that many manufacturers do not include pedals due to the fact that pedal preferences are an individuals choice. I am sure the bottom line comes into play also. I am better off without the pedals....one less thing to throw away or put on my workbench.

Don't blame the platypus - you got what was in the picture. No pedals is common.

I can see where no pedals might be normal for upper bikes, but when it says complete bike that mean complete, nothing else needed to ride it...

I can see where no pedals might be normal for upper bikes, but when it says complete bike that mean complete, nothing else needed to ride it...


Not really. Complete means frame, fork, cranks, wheels, tires, handlebars, bar tape, brakes(unless a track bike)....

Otherwise it means Frame and fork only

So many people ride in clipless pedals and there are dozens of proprietary pedal systems each with their own separate cleats that it makes no sense to sell a bike with a set of pedals that odds are the new owner cannot use. And why waste a perfectly good set a pedals by including them in a sale, when you can just remove them to put them on your new bike and sell the old bike sans pedals.

The Redline 925 is a $500 bike new. It is a fixed gear. It is a nice bike and not something that joe schmoe down the street is going to buy. I am sure the seller(pure speculation) assumed that anyone looking for a fixie would know that no pedals is common practice. That combined with the fact that there are no pedals in the picture pretty much clarifies things.


So the bottom line is if you go to buy something online or otherwise and see something missing that you thing should be there. Ask. Assume nothing.

If a bike showed up at my house with everything but pedals, I'd call that complete.

When you buy a computer, do you expect a mousepad to be in the box?

I would think "complete" means I can ride it when it gets to my house. Sure, most LBS bikes don't come with pedals, but you wouldn't leave without planning to "complete" your purchase with pedals of some sort, would you?

A bike without pedals is like a computer without a keyboard... A mouse pad is like a rear blinkie. ;)

So the guy sends you a 3 dollar set of crappy pedals. Happy?

Most guys put a crappy set back on to make it 'complete' Don't ding his feedback for that.

this just goes to show how important it is to include everything you can think of in the initial e-bay description. as someone who is experienced in bikes, i would not expect pedals. but if it was a first bike or something, i would feel misled too.

ebay sellers shouldn't assume anything about the potential buyer's experience or knowledge.

this just goes to show how important it is to include everything you can think of in the initial e-bay description. as someone who is experienced in bikes, i would not expect pedals. but if it was a first bike or something, i would feel misled too.

ebay sellers shouldn't assume anything about the potential buyer's experience or knowledge.

This is one of the major hazards of selling on e-bay. "Assuming" that that the public is smart
enough to take time to LEARN what it is they are buying with most buyers still needing to
be spoonfed everything........then b!tching when they don't like what the get. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Just like the OP of this thread.........:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I don't expect pedals with a higher end used bike (although it is nice to include them). I bought my used Giant NRS1 mtb from mtbreview.com and it did not come with pedals. It may be sop to not include pedals, but many sellers have become wise enough to at least warn the unsuspecting or newer buyer that pedals are not included. I would not usually feel ripped off, although I believe the 925 comes with pedals when purchased from any lbs, so in this case he probably took them off and supplied you with a less-than-whole-as-purchased-new bike. So I might ask him if it came with pedals when he bought it and if so, to send them to you as it is reasonable to expect a bike represented as whole-as-purchased to have whatever equipment originally came on it. As a seller, I would feel a bit shady specifically taking off the cheap pedals it came with and then selling the relatively new bike as "complete". But that is me.

Slow down here guys. The auction ad didn't say complete bike. It was just in the complete bike section of e-bay as I understand it. As in you have two options for bikes in e-bay. Complete bikes or Frames

Don't give negative feedback, that would be wrong. The picture didn't include them, like stated by numerous others here higher end bikes don't normally come with pedals, and this is something that should have been asked of the seller prior to buying.

Go buy yourself a pair and chalk it up as a learning experience for next time.

I don't expect pedals with a higher end used bike (although it is nice to include them). I bought my used Giant NRS1 mtb from mtbreview.com and it did not come with pedals. It may be sop to not include pedals, but many sellers have become wise enough to at least warn the unsuspecting or newer buyer that pedals are not included. I would not usually feel ripped off, although I believe the 925 comes with pedals when purchased from any lbs, so in this case he probably took them off and supplied you with a less-than-whole-as-purchased-new bike. So I might ask him if it came with pedals when he bought it and if so, to send them to you as it is reasonable to expect a bike represented as whole-as-purchased to have whatever equipment originally came on it. As a seller, I would feel a bit shady specifically taking off the cheap pedals it came with and then selling the relatively new bike as "complete". But that is me.

Unless he bought it online or something. My lbs offers a free service after you buy a bike - if you want, they'll take the pedals off before you even leave the store. They have to sell them with the pedals, but they know nobody wants them.

Don't complain. It is common to not include pedals. Did he give a parts list?

The guy could throw in a pair of rubber peds. Or just give you the 5 bucks to buy them yourself.

I've recently bought a used bike on eBay that was listed under "Complete Bikes". The bike did not ship with pedals. I contacted the seller, and he replied pointing out that the picture attached did not have pedals, and saying that the ad did not say it "included pedals". I feel that I was misled, thinking that this was a complete bike, as listed. How should I go about this? Thanks for any help.

Maybe it was shady, maybe not. I'm not sure I agree with everyone here who says that pedals aren't part of a complete bike. Personally, I think they are. When I bought my bike from the LBS, it came with two sets of pedals, the Shimano 505 clipless that were part of the specs for the bike, and a set of BMX pedals that the owner gave me to use instead. After about two months of riding, I switched back to clipless. However, bikes are sold w/out pedals all the time. If the bike was sold used, without pedals, and the picture didn't have pedals on the bike, you should have asked about it before bidding.

Alot of the replies missed the mark here.

The bike was listed under "Complete Bikes" category, AFAIK it doesn't necessarily mean 100% complete bike. It is just a way for eBay to seperate bike parts and bike. The seller did not mention anything about the pedals.

Furthermore the picture shows that pedals are not included.

And if you throw in the fact that most mid-high end bikes don't come with pedals (you might "make a deal" for the LBS to throw in a pair, but that's besides the point), I don't see any problems here. Just a mis-perception.

edit: Was it a black 9-2-5 that went for $300? I think I saw the auction.

The guy could throw in a pair of rubber peds. Or just give you the 5 bucks to buy them yourself.

Platform pedals that stores throw-on "cost" 5 bucks and are worth 5 cents. So why waste time on a "dispute" over 5c?

Redline 9.2.5 come new with peddles. If the picture(s) didn't show peddles I would have inquired prior to bidding. Peddles are relatively inexpensive...suck it up, chalk it up and go riding!

Aaron:)

Thanks for the input everyone. I've realized I overreacted at a trivial issue.

- Steve

Thanks for the input everyone. I've realized I overreacted at a trivial issue.

- Steve

Yes, when in doubt or not 110% sure.......ask.......before you commit!

That saves much grief!:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Platform pedals that stores throw-on "cost" 5 bucks and are worth 5 cents. So why waste time on a "dispute" over 5c?

they're nice to have for when you sell the bike to someone else. :p

I gotta say following industry standard a complete bike doesn't come with pedals.


now if it said "ready to ride" then yes i would expect pedals.

When you shop on e-bay, always ask questions. Not only do you get more information, but you also get a sense on how responsive the seller is. Had you asked about pedals, the seller might just have thrown some cheapies in... last time I asked a particular question about a frame, the seller offered to toss all sorts of stuff (helmet, jersey, shoes, assorted tools & components) in the box - it was a surprise build for my son who was away at basic training - and the seller, knowing this, didn't even charge shipping!

E-Bay and the web have created creat opportunities to create a new form of English that could be called "E-Baylish". And, "E-Baylish" does not have any relationship to honesty or truth.

A company that sells bikes "direct" over the internet and through numerous E-Bay stores will advertise a bike as "Dura-Ace Bike for $1,777". Yet, the only Dura-Ace parts will be the brifters and the gear changers. The crank, the chainrings, the cogs, headset, hubs, rims, chain, seatpost, stem will all be discontinued, "last years" leftover and off-brand stuff. Truth has no value in the new internet world where "lowest price" rules.

The buyers' solution is to be careful about who you buy from. Buying from a reputable store in your own neighborhood usually costs more than buying on E-Bay. But, you can take that bike for a ride before you buy, and you will know exactly what you are buying. If you buy from someone you don't know over the internet, you must be prepared for the possibility of disappointment.

Why do you hate america?

Truth has no value in the new internet world where "lowest price" rules.


you state this, but then quickly jump into spreading "mis-truths" again regarding BD bikes. that's hypocritical (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hypocritical). are you aware that they provide a full list of the parts on the bike right on the description page of each bike? everything from the handlebar tape to the tires. before you order you know exactly what you are getting.

E-Bay and the web have created creat opportunities to create a new form of English that could be called "E-Baylish". And, "E-Baylish" does not have any relationship to honesty or truth.

A company that sells bikes "direct" over the internet and through numerous E-Bay stores will advertise a bike as "Dura-Ace Bike for $1,777". Yet, the only Dura-Ace parts will be the brifters and the gear changers. The crank, the chainrings, the cogs, headset, hubs, rims, chain, seatpost, stem will all be discontinued, "last years" leftover and off-brand stuff. Truth has no value in the new internet world where "lowest price" rules.

The buyers' solution is to be careful about who you buy from. Buying from a reputable store in your own neighborhood usually costs more than buying on E-Bay. But, you can take that bike for a ride before you buy, and you will know exactly what you are buying. If you buy from someone you don't know over the internet, you must be prepared for the possibility of disappointment.

I'm going to start fining you a nickel every time you mention BD in a thread that previously was BD-free. You know you're their most persistent advertiser on this forum, right?

You'd be in the wrong to leave that person negative feedback, or neutral feedback over the lack of pedals.

A. Complete bike is the proper category even without pedals.

B. If there were no pedals in the picture, there are no pedals on the bike.

C. a & b notwithstanding, it is a common practice & your seller probably informed you of that when you complained. The polite thing to do, upon having that confirmed here, or just call an LBS, would be to accept that and acknowledge you got what you paid for and leave feedback based on the level of service you received (shipping time, communication et al).

D. Though it hardly matters, you're better off without the stock pedals that may have come in the box from Redline. Manufacturers know they can't pick a pedal for a mid to high end bike & put crap pedals in the box if any unless a dealer specifies.

aaaand the OP already knows all this already :) What I get for not reading all posts

I have some perfectly terrible pedals I would be willing to let you have that came with a "complete" bike in a used bike shop once.

I agree with everone else posts. Complete bike doesn't mean pedals are included. It's such a personal choice that it really doesn't make sense to include them. Specially if it drives the price up. Besides picture didn't have the pedals. I think the worst seller did was assume that people will realise that there are no pedals included.

It's amazing how many people are posting exactly the same thing over and over (pedals not in photo, not usually included with bikes, etc)- apparently nobody reads previous posts in this thead.

Anyway- the OP has completely acknowledged that he overreacted. Well done- it's not often someone on these forums can be persuaded ot change his mind!

i would be a little miffed if i expected pedals and didn't get them, but if it didn't have them in the pictures, and it didn't say "Pedals: such-n-such" i'd chalk it up to 60% i should have read closer and 40% the seller should have said "needs pedals" or "pedals not included" but still even if it does come with pedals, what are the chances that the stock pedals are the exact ones that you want? Ebay sales are chock full of minor misunderstandings. I'd say if the bike is in otherwise as-described condition, i wouldn't worry about it. save that karma for when you have to deal with a real scam artist. I'd leave him a positive feedback and let it go.

when it comes to ebay, you have to ask questions about everything. fwiw, the 925 comes with pedals, though.