inkandsilver

I've been talking about this topic with my wife for a while. I don't sell a ton of bikes, but I have bought/fixed/resold 7 or 8 in the last 18 months -- mostly to fund my bike habit.

So let's make up a hypothetical situation:

You respond to a craigslist ad. Bad photos, minimal description. You go to see the bike. It is in nice shape -- doesn't need a ton of work. The price is not great -- the guy is asking $xxx, but you'd need to get it for 25% less than that to make it worthwhile to you as a flip. The bike is obviously much too large/small for you to ride. The seller notices this and inquires why you are interested in the bike. Do you:

a) be honest and tell him you plan to resell it (seems like this may torpedo your chances of bargaining him down)

or

b) say it's for your brother/wife/buddy (I don't like to lie, but this does seem a *relatively* harmless one)

or

c) something else

I have had a tendency in the past to use "b", but I am trying to stop doing so. What do you all think?

rfj

I would probably use option b. I agree with your assumption in option a. Some might get upset that you'll flip their bike but I think most might not care.
Either way, not much point in telling them your true intentions; its a simple transaction of a bicycle.

David Newton

In the past "thou shalt not tell a lie" was a pretty good rule, but a lot of the old rules have been nullified by modern opinion.

FrenchFit 

I think: It depends on whether you think these tranactions are a game (like the TV show Survivor) or an authentic exchange between people. If it's game, then anything short of civil fraud is a go. If you carry yourself with integrity in all exchanges, then anything less than full honesty is..something less than integrity & authenticity.

The second level question is ... is it all a game? That's one for the ages.

mparker326

I tell them I fix up old bikes as a hobby.

shoota 

I tell them that I just like old bikes and fixing them up. I can't advocate lying.

CACycling

+1

KonAaron Snake 

I don't recall that question coming up...probably because I have a very straight forward approach. When i want to buy something, I offer what I think it's worth, or what I'm willing to pay, along with something to the effect of "I understand if you can't accept this offer, or have better offers, but this is what I can afford right now, and I hope you'll contact me if you find that you can accept it." I generally don't like lying or BSing, but I also don't like over sharing. I'd probably make a non-answer like I haven't decided yet...or "it depends on if I like the bike."

Kobe 

If it is before an agreed on price, I go with b. Why make the seller think he has something rare if you don't have too.

After the sale, I would let him know my true plans for it.

PlanoFuji

I agree with most of this, with the exception of the last part... opinions doesn't change what is right and what is wrong...

That said, I don't believe telling the seller that it is a hobby that I like to fix (or work on) old bikes would be a problem...

wrk101

I tell them I like working on old bikes (pretty much every bike I buy is a project). It works well with my second question: "Do you happen to have any old bike parts?" Many, many times, a box of various parts comes out. Sometimes, a second or third bike appears. Win/win.

Several times, the box of parts has had more value than the bike I was buying.

Pars 

^ Win.

Wulf

I fix up these bikes and donate them to the Bikes-for-Homeless kittens and puppies program.

If youre going to lie, lie big!

David Newton

You must live in a different Texas, here, old truths are being thrown out by public opinion every day.

Sorry to moralize, the OP was asking our opinion if it was ok to lie to get a better deal.

shoota 

It isn't just Texas, trust me. I'm so sick of entitlements I could puke.

RobbieTunes

First mistake. You can't win.

I simply tell the seller. "I can't ride it, it's too big. But, I can put some time and money into it and sell it to someone else." I either get it or I don't (long ago quit buying bikes that didn't fit me). Or, about 1/3 of the time I sell the seller some parts.

I haven't bought anything to flip in quite a while, anyway. Each buy has had a reason, and I'm riding the reasons.

Bandera

Has this even happened to anyone?

Everything that I own is for sale, make me an offer and if you have the requisite cash it's yours.

If I've already decided to unload an item I promise that once the transaction is complete I really don't care what you do with it, and will not expect to come and visit it in the future. I also wouldn't post a "No Dealers" sign, highest cash bid takes the object. A seller who cross examines my intent to purchase his object would creep me out, back away slowly.

That said I once took an oath that all negotiations I conduct would be fair, impartial, and in good faith.

-Bandera

shoota 

The last two bikes I bought my height came up. Neither was initiated by me either. But I bet it doesn't happen all that often, most people just want to sell what they have and be done with it.

PlanoFuji

It sounds to me like we are agreeing so I don't understand your tone. As I said, peoples opinions don't change what is right or what is wrong. Which is not to say that people may change what they think is right or wrong.

And the OP doesn't need to lie to get a better deal. I suspect he would be completely truthful by simply answering that he enjoys fixing old bikes as a hobby. Since he is 'flipping' a bike every couple of months it certainly doesn't qualify as a business...

lostarchitect 

I don't flip bikes, really, but I occasionally see a super deal on something and I can't resist, even if it's not my size. I just tell the truth, "Well, this is a cool bike and a good price, and I enjoy working on bikes. I'll fix it up and probably end up selling it to a friend for the cost of the parts I put into it." Actually, that's not totally true, though, because I usually just give it away to someone.

Lascauxcaveman 

Even though I buy a lot of bikes, this is a non-issue for me. I'm only looking at crazy-cheap stuff that the seller wants to get rid of, and has priced it at $30-50. And no, they're not stolen. They're original-owner-has-had-this-thing-sitting-unridden-for-the-last-20-years.

YoKev

That a boy oddjob2

miamijim

All of the big bikes I buy are for my father-in-law, all the small bikes I buy are for my wife.

And its none of the sellers business who it's for.

miamijim

All the time. Sellers have never refused to sell to me but what business does someone 5'8" have buying a 70cm bike? I bought a 64cm Paramount last week and the guy said, it looks kind of big for you? Really? You think so rocket scientist? It turns out the guy was flipping it himself.

rootboy 

None of the their beeswax.