kidspjm

Hi,

Just wondering what you all think about purchasing bikes/components/clothing etc from an online auction like EBay? I see a lot of great prices out there but I question the quality and condition of many of the items. Any other sources for great deals online?

Just curious about your thoughts.

Thanks!

DXchulo

I do it all the time.

Look closely at the pictures and ask lots of questions. If something just doesn't feel right, then don't bid, even if the price is tempting. I wouldn't buy used shorts off of eBay, but I've bought used jerseys and they are fine. Never buy from the name "mintage vintage," though. Look at his feedback and you'll know why.

If eBay makes you nervous your best bet is Nashbar or Performance.

www.nashbar.com
www.performancebike.com

Grasschopper

Well I got my Marin Mill Valley off of eBay. When I was looking at bikes I looked only at ones WELL below my max bid. The one I got said that it was an 04 and was only ridden for 50 miles. Well you could tell from the photo that these both were wrong but I took this into account when I bid. The price never got to my max bid and I feel I got a decent deal. A little cleaning and some new rubber and the bike is treating me great as my commuter/family bike. I think if you know what you are looking for and research what you are looking at on eBay then you can easily protect yourself from getting ripped off. Now for sure there is some POOR photography out there and you probably want to pass on some of those bikes but at the same time others will also be passin gon them so keep that in mind.

For sure there are good deals to be had...I just picked up a frame for $20 if it doesn't pan out hell I am only out $40 (with shipping) no huge deal but if it is good then I made out.

Edit: Oh yea as for other items rather than just bikes I got a set of NIB Ultegra SPD-SLs for $85 shipped which was WAY below what I would have paid just about anywhere. Great deals to be had there too.

pstrauss

I bought cannondale track bike for $1000 and was very happy. Just make sure the seller has lots of positive feedback. Read the ebay buyer tips. If a seller has been around for a while selling expensive items they are probably okay or they would have been reported and out of business.

JarodArmstrong

I bought a pair of Speedplay peddles off of ebay a few months ago. They were "new in box" and cheaper than I could get anywhere else. Saved a few bucks and had fun. Came with full warrenty and everything. You just have to do your homework to make sure your getting what you want at a good price.

webist

Ebay and the like are definitely "buyer beware" situations. Good deals to be had though. As mentioned in this thread, probe a little, check 'em out and ask questions. If it feels wrong, avoid it. Auctions offer good deals.

alanbikehouston

My favorite bikes are the lugged steel frame road bikes made between 1980 and 1985. The best place to find these bikes and "original" parts for these bikes is on E-Bay.

Several of the folks I have bought from have histories showing scores of satisfied customers, and a history of carefully packing and shipping bikes successfully.

A few times, I have bought bikes from folks who are selling a bike for the first time. Although they may try to be "honest", a non-bike person's description of a bike as being "in great condition" can translate into "needs to have almost every component rebuilt or replaced".

If I buy from someone without a long history of selling bikes and bike parts, I treat it like a "lottery" ticket. I bid low, and I gamble that what I get is worth the low bid amount. And, as with the lottery, I am ready to be disappointed in the result. And, I have gotten a winning ticket or two.

Umbra

eBay doesn't seem great for getting the latest road bikes for an especially good price. I've been looking at a Trek 1000 at my LBS for around $550. On eBay, I see used Trek 1000's going for $450 to $500...not what I consider a substantial enough discount for a sight unseen, used bike (which also requires money to be shipped).

I mean cmon now!:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...134425137&rd=1

and

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW ($445 + $25 shipping...)

lotek 

I've bought all but one of our (wife's and mine) stable from
e-bay. I've never had a really negative experience, worst was
a saddle that I bought for $15 that was a bit more torn than described.
I always check feedback, and read it with a grain of salt. If a seller
has above 95% positive I'm usually ok with the sale. Remember it
takes only 1 negative to knock down someone's percentage significantly.
Be careful about shipping and packing fees, they can add significantly to
the auction price.
I usually try to communicate with the seller before buying, if they don't respond
to e-mail etc. I tend to stay away from their auctions.

Marty

skydive69

I buy a cycling related item virtually every week on eBay, and I have yet to be disappointed. Just make sure that the seller has a high feedback rating indicating that he has been making people happy, and has probably been dealing for quite a while.

fogrider

I would recommend paying with paypal and credit card. I do not recommend paypal with bank transfer. If there is a problem, paypal is not much help, no matter what they tell you, but your credit card company will take care you with one phone call. As others have said, read everything and ask questions to the seller. make sure you are clear on what they are selling and what condition it is in before you bid. The thing about ebay is the it is the biggest by far, if you're looking for something, you're likely to find it on ebay. But that also means others are interested in the same items as you...which drives up the price, not so good if you what it cheap. But good if you're the seller.

I found some tires on ebay, it looked like they were running a little ebay store...they had a few other items listed and I saw they had multple listings of the the tires I was looking at. The first listing had a bid. the second listing had no bids, instead of bidding on the first listing and driving the bid up, I bid on the second listing and both of use got tires for the minimum asking price.

ZackJones

I have bought and sold several things on Ebay and will continue to do so. As a buyer I make sure and ask questions if there's any doubt. As a seller I try to give as accurate as a description as possible when listing the item. I like Ebay's ability to see questions and answers on items.

sydney

I've yet to get hosed on ebay,but have on other online classified sites. Not that there are not scammers and shady sellers on ebay.

rule

Sure...do it all the time. Have sold a bunch of stuff too. You just have to watch what you are doing, and whom you are dealing with. Unless it is someone who stands to lose a lot from scamming me, I will steer away to another buyer/seller. That has worked really well for me. That, and I have been on eBay long enough to spot a scam without too much trouble. Lastly, if the seller is a complete hole whenever I ask any questions, I pass. That alone has probably saved me from a number of suspect purchases.

Chad's Colnago

I've built up two bikes now with everything purchased on E-bay, no problems. Just be patient and check out the individuals record.

squeegy200

Sure, I buy and sell all the time.

One of the traps I see is that emotion gets into the bidding cycle and people often pay more than an item is worth. I've found this more true with bicycle parts.

But there are some great deals to be had and I've purchased brand new items at prices well below the discounters.

travis200

I have sold a few of my old spare parts on Ebay to pay for new stuff I have purchased on Ebay. So Yes I buy all my bike stuff on Ebay.

Adgooroo

I found my bike on ebay, being sold by wholesalebikes.com, one of the bigger ebay/internet bike retailers. My wife objected to me buying a $1000+ bike sight-unseen, but I wanted to pursue it, so I called them and became more convinced that they had what I was looking for (a light, well-made, mid-quality, low-priced high-tech bike that would fit me well). I decided to take a trip across Florida (from our place in Naples) to the retailer's place of business in Pompano - about a 2 hour drive. I found a real, live bike shop, with real, live bike experts, selling beautiful bikes at remarkably low prices. Wholesalebikes offers a "pro build" for people who want their bikes assembled and tested before they are shipped - and that's just what was going on when I stopped in. A bike mechanic with 35 years of experience running bike shops, was assembling bikes ordered over the internet, dialing them in and test-riding them outside the store. I've put hundreds of miles on my Tommaso bike and will put it up against anything costing half-again as much. The weld quality of the frame is simply gorgeous, the materials and components are first-rate. I shopped EVERY comparable bike on the market, and have been buying and riding bikes for 35 years - and I couldn't be more pleased.

Sawtooth

Last month, I bought a pair of specialized ultimate road shoes size "43". Although I had worn specialized size 43 before, this particular pair fit like a 41 even though they were clearly marked 43! I was dissapointed and emailed the seller to see if we could work something out. I never got a response. Unless he never had another pair of shoes, he would have had to know that they were not really a size 43. All I can do is leave feedback indicating that I did not get a response. I would not buy shoes or other "must fit" items on ebay.

On the other hand, when I needed an ugly, no suspension commuter mtb in great shape with great parts, I paid only $45 for my Jamis Explorer on Ebay and another $45 to have it shipped. The bike was in even better shape than I expected mechanically and just as ugly (theft repellant) as the photo's suggested. I love that bike.

Just be aware that you are at some risk and really need to do your homework. Do not be naive about ebay and assume that everyone is out to make you happy as a customer. Look at feedback ratings. I would not be afraid to buy a high end bike from someone with lots of positive history of selling.

Sawtooth

I have also seen some great deals on roadbikereview.com in the classifieds.