Buying bikes off Craigslist

Hey there,

For the past few days I've been scouring Craigslist hoping to find a lightweight, preferably aluminum-frame single-speed bike. I've found a few promising ads and have been in touch with a few sellers about their bikes. This is my first time doing this - the first bike I bought when I moved from the city was from Working Bikes, and the bike I've been riding lately is a brand new bike my dad bought for himself that he let me borrow. So I'm pretty new to the whole buying used bikes on Craigslist thing. I want to do it right!


Last night I went to Logan Square to check out this beautiful green Fuji bike that had been advertised on Craigslist. It was a little out of my price range, but I was so obsessed with it I was willing to pay more for it. I got to the seller's neighborhood a little later than I said I would, so by the time I arrived he said it had already been sold. I was a little disappointed but figured it was good I'd be saving money and thought I'd just keep looking.

Fast forward to this morning, when I see a Facebook posting from a friend of mine (not a close friend, just an acquaintance I'd met a few times in person). It's a picture of her grinning, IN FRONT OF THE SAME GREEN FUJI BIKE I had tried to buy last night! The same bike! The price she said the seller was listing it for was the same price, the shady e-mail address she alluded to sounded like the e-mail address of the seller I had been e-mailing - everything matched up. She got it back by pretending to be an interested buyer and took it right back, which is totally awesome. I had just commented on a post of hers last week about how furious she over her stolen bike - the thief had completely broken down her fence to get it. I really can't get over the fact that if I had just been at his house an hour earlier, I would have bought her stolen bike. !!!!

Of course I'm not surprised that thieves are selling stolen bikes on Craigslist or that stolen bikes are being sold and resold that way - my question is, does anyone have any tips on how to avoid it? Any Craigslist bike experiences you could share? I would never feel good about riding a bike that had been stolen from someone else. I'm going to see another bike tonight and all I can think of is asking specific questions about how long he's had it and if he has any of the original paperwork for the bike - but I do know too that absence of paperwork isn't a guarantee that the bike is stolen. I would never keep the paperwork for a bike, I'm just that kind of person. Although now I'm thinking I should change that just in case I have to prove to someone in the future that a stolen bike in question is my bike. Anyway. Should I just avoid Craigslist altogether and go back to Working Bikes? Buy new? Be aggressive in asking for proof of the seller's ownership? Thoughts?

Thanks!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on August 21, 2012 at 4:06am

Hi there.

Ho there.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 21, 2012 at 4:09am

Indeed.

Permalink Reply by Joe Willis on August 21, 2012 at 4:14am

after the comma you are supposed to insert the body of information for all to see!

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 21, 2012 at 4:16am

This is the post-Apple information economy.   

Information is no longer free!

Permalink Reply by Erin Vogel on August 21, 2012 at 4:16am

hi ho hi ho hey there

Sorry about that guys, I hit the post button a little too early. Lesson learned! post written!

Permalink Reply by Joe Willis on August 21, 2012 at 4:27am

ALWAYS start here!

http://chicago.stolenbike.org/

If I am looking at a bike on CL this is my first stop. Some other good tells are if the bike is not sized right for the "owner", they have no knowledge of the parts or upgrades (this is not a 100% some people just don't care), and if the price is too good to be true be careful. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 21, 2012 at 4:49am

+1 and to Joe Willis' post as well.

If the bike doesn't "match" the seller then they might not be the legitimate owner. 

If there is a pump on the bike or other stuff that someone would not necessarily sell with a used bike (like clipless pedals -many folks will swap out to some cheap platforms or sell without pedals at all if it is a serious road bike) these are all signs of a bike that doesn't match the owner.

Someone I know online was posting a photo  yesterday that they took from a flea market and someone was selling a fairly hi-end road bike with a nice mini pump attached, water bottle still in the cage,  clipless pedals -and no front wheel.

HMMMmmmmm.... that doesn't look suspicious at all!


Cameron Puetz said:

Check the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry to see if the bike has been reported and be leery of any too good to be true deals. Also watch for tell tale signs that the seller has never ridden the bike, like locking skewers that they doesn't have the key to, or clipless pedals that they can't show you shoes for. If you do that you've really done what you can. There are plenty legitimate sellers on Craigslist, especially if you're looking for late model low to midrange stuff.

Permalink Reply by Ace Mann on August 21, 2012 at 6:44am
I always ask if the bike has a serial number on it. I tell the seller that I will be checking the number with the police & also with the stolen bike registry. Most thieves will not want to bother with you & hang up.

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