Getting a good deal vs. buying a stolen bike---Tips for buying used bikes?

This afternoon I saw a bike on Craigslist that sounded like a really good deal, however, it seemed too good to be realistic.  I searched on the Stolen Bike Registry and didn't see anything to match it.  I also Googled for "stolena bike make Chicago" and nothing similar came up.

 

When I looked back later, the poster had deleted the ad.

 

So, I like to get a good deal and am on the lookout for several people who are looking for bikes.  Any advice to keep a person from inadvertently purchasing stolen property?

 

Thanks!

 

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Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on June 28, 2010 at 10:14am
Do the same thing you should do when purchasing anything of substantial value - ask lots of questions. Inquire about the components, how often and what types of service was performed, how long they've owned the bike, etc. Legit sellers will give you good answers, and if they're anything like me they'll probably get overly excited and begin talking your ear off about it. On the other hand, shady people trying to fence stolen goods will usually become evasive to casual questioning.
Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on June 28, 2010 at 10:23am
Doing just what you did---check the Stolen Bike Registry, check Craigslist for any stolen bike postings, and do a general Google search. It also never hurts to check on The Chainlink, as you also did. I like to buy bikes from thrift stores and suburban garage and estate sales. Better deals and highly unlikely anything is stolen.
Permalink Reply by Primitive Don on June 28, 2010 at 12:31pm
Look out for areas of the frame (downtube, under the bottom bracket, etc.) that have been rubbed or scratched out to conceal the serial number. Also notice if there's just a make (e.g. Nishiki) and no model (e.g. Colorado) showing on the decals; sometimes the decal of the model name will be removed to cause confusion.

Also, consider the seller, as suggested above. Is the seller allowing you to come to his/her home? Ask questions. Does the seller have vague answers to your questions? Ideally you'll want to purchase a bike from the actual owner, so hopefully that person will have believable answers to your questions about them owning the bike.
Permalink Reply by Sean W. on June 28, 2010 at 1:06pm
Definitely look for the S/N on the bike, and ask the seller about the bike's history. I've taken to writing up a bill of sale / receipt with the bike's description, seller's name and address, the S/N, and a signature from the seller as a CYA move in my private party purchases.
Permalink Reply by igz on June 28, 2010 at 1:21pm
When you go to see the bike...look for angle grinders laying around...
Permalink Reply by buddaa38 on June 28, 2010 at 2:27pm
Yeah, like they'll have them laying around.

iggi said:
When you go to see the bike...look for angle grinders laying around...
Permalink Reply by Ricardo Cervantes on June 28, 2010 at 2:34pm
How about buying bikes from pawn shops? I know they've got sketchy reputations.
Permalink Reply by rik on June 28, 2010 at 4:14pm
Try WorkingBikes at 25th and Western.
All their used bikes are from donations and less likely to be stolen.
The have bikes from $100 - $200

http://workingbikes.org/image/tid/3061
Permalink Reply by heather s on June 28, 2010 at 5:42pm
I think your instincts were right. The main thing is that when it seems too good to be true, it is. The rightful owner of a $1,000 bike is not going to sell it for $200. A thief who wants to unload it soon would do so. The proper owner will wait and get what they think the bike is worth.
Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on June 29, 2010 at 3:04am
Oh, I've purchased from Working bikes before. However, now that I know more about bikes, I'm often looking for something that is a little nicer than what they generally have in their inventory...and I'm prepared to do a little work to get it into riding shape anyway.

Looking for rubbed or scratched out serial numbers is a good idea.

About the fact that thiefs want to unload things quickly...that's true....but there are also people who don't know the value of things, or are moving or want to clear out space or for whatever reason are selling things for less than they are worth or want to get rid of them quickly.

rik said:
Try WorkingBikes at 25th and Western.
All their used bikes are from donations and less likely to be stolen.
The have bikes from $100 - $200

http://workingbikes.org/image/tid/3061
Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on June 29, 2010 at 3:11am
heather stratton said:
I think your instincts were right. The main thing is that when it seems too good to be true, it is. The rightful owner of a $1,000 bike is not going to sell it for $200. A thief who wants to unload it soon would do so. The proper owner will wait and get what they think the bike is worth.

Probably. But as bikes age their value drops off a cliff (until they are old enough to be cool again as is the case with vintage steel.) It is not uncommon to see bikes at garage sales or thrift stores for sale at 10% of their original sale price. Those bikes are not stolen, they are just not worth anything to the people who find themselves stuck with them.

The little housing collective I live in is moving this summer and we are in the process of getting rid of a lot of stuff. Oddly enough, giving away stuff on Craigslist is harder than selling it. Something about $30 futon/couch makes for a much less flake-prone transaction than a free futon/couch. The same thing could be happening with any given too good to be true bike deal on Craigslist. Sure, the bike may be stolen, but just because it seems too cheap to us does not necessarily mean that the bike is stolen. It may just be something that someone feels stuck with. $100 and sold today with one interaction is worth a lot more to some people than a week of dickering and a hundred emails back and forth and $200.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for swift and brutal corporal punishment of actual bike thieves, but we don't have enough evidence to convict someone solely on the basis of a price that seems too good to be true on Craigslist. Craigslist for lots of people is just an ongoing garage sale and sometimes the prices reflect that.
Permalink Reply by igz on June 29, 2010 at 3:11am
does their back yard look like this?

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