Worst/Funniest experiences buying used bikes?

[Titiritero]

Seeing that my thread about less desirable retrobike "features" was deriving into the experiences of people when buying used bikes, let's create a specific post where we can vent our frustrations (or laugh about the craziest experiences)... It could also be things we find annoying in selling adds, like posting only one crappy picture on the non-drive side and in the darkest shed.

Here is one of my latest: I went to see a '91 Trek 950. Price was fair even if the bike showed it was well used. The seller was an older guy, probably got the bike for commuting, he had added a dynamo wheel and front lights. I presume he was selling because he doesn't cycle anymore. While he was showing me the bike, some neighbor that was obviously on something (didn't smell alcohol so probably drugs) came and started chatting to us. "How much is he asking you for it?" "Oh, this is an American bike, I would not give it away for less than €200!!" and so on...

The seller was starting to lose his nerves and they started to shout to each other in the middle of the street, while I was doing my checks, like measuring the chain wear or ensuring the seatpost moved. In the end I got the bike, the seller got his money, and the other guy kept annoying him when I left, maybe trying to get the seller to buy him a drink with his fresh money...?

 

[d8mok]

You measure the chain wear on a 200€ bike?

I’m disappointed in myself if the pickup of any retro bike takes longer than 5 minutes all in.

 

[synchronicity]

Sure. Selling my first road bike about 25 years ago.
A shogun ultegra. Mostly aluminium bits.

I think I listed it in the local classifieds newspaper ad. Because that was how you did things back then.
Turned down several other offers waiting for this one dude to show up.

He proceeds to shows up, late, and then lowballs me.

He's some used car salesman type twice possibly thrice my age and I was well out of my depth in used selling experience. Being the submissive/introverted type teenager, eventually got talked into a reluctant unwanted sale (meaning I wanted to sell, just thought his final offer was far too low). I had a problem with drawing clear boundaries in my youth or ever saying no directly to anyone as in my family that would often up end in an argument (my god even now it does). I even said at one point I'd rather keep it. And then he pulls the old "but you said you have no use for it line". Then he pulled the "don't waste my time" line, as if I'm under some obligation to accept his shitey offer. A right wanker he was. And at the time I regret having sold it to him for such a good price. I can't recall what I sold it for. But it only encourages these predatory types. And what they don't know is that eventually after being taken advantage of, it makes nice people become very cynical later on in life anyway.

What annoys me was that I "reserved" it for this guy and lost out on other potentially higher sales (to nicer people I might add).

Nowadays I would have told him where to go. Although nowadays I would not sell anything in person as then people know where you live.

 

[Titiritero]

You measure the chain wear on a 200€ bike?

Oh, yes! A well worn chain will mean a chain replacement, new cassette, and likely new middle chainring. That is like 40-50€ and for the bikes I usually pick it might be the difference between a good and a bad deal.

I always go to any purchase with my multitool (if required to move the seatpost or adjust the brakes to stop rubbing), the chain wear checker, and a pump (the best deals are in neglected bikes with no air after months in storage, and worst case might allow me to cycle to the nearest public transport stop)

 

[Lucidone]

Might it also be good to hear people's best experiences too? I've only ever had postive experiences!

 

[greencat]

Sure. Selling my first road bike about 25 years ago.
A shogun ultegra. Mostly aluminium bits.

I think I listed it in the local classifieds newspaper ad. Because that was how you did things back then.
Turned down several other offers waiting for this one dude to show up.

He proceeds to shows up, late, and then lowballs me.

He's some used car salesman type twice possibly thrice my age and I was well out of my depth in used selling experience. Being the submissive/introverted type teenager, eventually got talked into a reluctant unwanted sale (meaning I wanted to sell, just though his final offer was too low). I had a problem with drawing clear boundaries in my youth or ever saying no directly to anyone as in my family that would often up end in an argument (my god even now it does). I even said at one point I'd rather keep it. And then he pulls the old "but you said you have no use for it line". Then he pulled the "don't waste my time" line, as if I'm under some obligation to accept his shitey offer. A right wanker he was. And at the time I regret having sold it to him for such a good price. I can't recall what I sold it for. But it only encourages these predatory types. And what they don't know is that eventually after being taken advantage of, it makes nice people become very cynical later on in life anyway.

What annoys me was that I "reserved" it for this guy and lost out on other potentially higher sales (to nicer people I might add).

Nowadays I would have told him where to go. Although nowadays I would not sell anything in person as then people know where you live.

I had a similar experience a couple of years ago. Had a bike for sale and no interest for several weeks. Then this 20 something lad channelling Arthur Daley turns up, and it was simply hilarious ticking off all of the tropes and negotiation gambits over the next couple of days before he eventually bought. At one point, he even got a mate to message me with a low ball offer on the grounds he was desperate for transport because his car had broken. I offered him a old Claude Butler that was more suited to his budget, and said mate quickly disappeared.

Eventually turned up in old dark blue BMW spewing out smoke, and that evening it was on eBay for £100 more than he'd bought it for. Looking at his FB and eBay profile, it looked like he has a side hustle in flipping bikes and other crap.

I might not have maxed out the price I could have got for it, but it was worth it for sheer entertainment value. These types don't know that they aren't fooling anyone.

More recently, I saw quite an interesting bike for sale locally for £40 and thought it might suit the missus. Messaged the seller, and they said, "I'm at work, just help yourself" so I rode over there, found it in the back garden, decided to have it and stuck the notes through his letter box. Talk about trusting. Either that or it was a neighbour's house

I was then presented with the problem of getting both bikes home as I didn't fancy walking 3 miles. The new bike was slung across the handlebars and all was going well until I misjudged the gap between the bike and a lampost. Crashed straight down, but thankfully unhurt.

 

[synchronicity]

Might it also be good to hear people's best experiences too? I've only ever had postive experiences!

That's cause you don't live in a land where people descended from convicts.
Personally I find negative stories more interesting to read.
That's why television, entertainment, always has a plot where the cast encounters challenging scenes that they then have to overcome.
If it's all roses all the time that's too boring to watch innit'?


And here's another story. I once rented a bike (and I always kept them in excellent condition mind you), to a Brit, in Tenerife, and my client realised that he had the exact same saddle as what was on the bike, a Selle Italia X2 Trans Am (gel flow model I think, the one with the cutout). Except that the one that was on the rental bike was obviously much newer than his one wasn't it (it certainly looked new). He then proceeded to swap his 'identical' model crappy old worn out looking Selle Italia X2 Trans Am saddle onto my rental bike. Thus, he got away with with what he thought was a clever little "free upgrade". Thought I wouldn't notice (I did, but later on, too late). It was an extremely scummy thing to do. And I never caught which one of you cheeky buggers did it! But just know this sort of thing really impacts on the owner trying to make an honest living. It's cumulative. It's the little things like that that contributed to me throwing in the towel.

 

[Tootyred]

Bought my swallow ptarmigan off the side of the road 2 villages away.....for lunch money. Lovely bloke, belonged his dad. He new it was handbuilt (turned out his dad had it built for himself whilst swallow were in essex), the bloke had no use for it and was glad it was going to somebody who seemed really interested in the old thing.

Funny, because i had to go back to collect it in the car and the guy then said he had "spoken to his dad" and he had confirmed it was definitely a swallow.......they guy who i spoke to must have been min 70s.....i can only assume the conversation was done via a seance .

Tbh, it was in a bit of a state, but its a great bike I now really cherish and love riding (even if its not for long periods now).

 

[nicklej]

I've generally had good experiences. I don't end up going to view something if the seller doesn't seem legit from prior correspondence. I like it when sellers are responsive and willing to take pictures and answer questions you have. I'm picking a bike up on Friday and the seller has been very accomodating in letting me collect super early.

My worst experience was buying a Cannondale Flash at the tail end of 2022. The bike was over 110 miles away and my intention was to get there really early and ride it home. So I did my due dillegence, asked questions got photos, paid on ebay. Got up at 4am to arrive by train near their home for 8am and had packed a large saddle bag and bar bag for my adventure back home...

Well, it was the right bike but all the photos were from a previous time. The bike had no front brake pads, chain was off the charts, tubeless tyres deflated and not holding air and it shifted like crap. Luckily he had some brake pads but he went back in to go to bed and then left me on his drive to service his bike with a mini-tool and then I did eventually rode back. Got as far as Guildford with about 30 miles left to get home and the saddle snapped so I just got on the next train and then a few days later after fixing the bike up, the drive side seat stay snapped. Nice. Silver lining though....Funnily enough, the reason I went for the bike was because of how good the price was. Even with a snapped frame, to this day, this was the only bike I have made money on when splitting and selling parts.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Early Covid, first lockdown...
People weren't allowed out, although I was, if on cycle retail business.

I'd bought a local bike off ebay, listed just before lockdown,
Green giant hybrid, vgc, we always have strong demand at the shop.

Turns out he had 6, he'd run a charity bike ride, like London to paris or similar, for non cyclists, so he'd supplied the bikes.

When I went round to collect, I negotiated the purchase of all 6, shouting to an unseen figure behind a window, just open a crack.

I visibly counted out a thousand pounds or so in 20s and then put them under a brick in his driveway.

Stuffed all the bikes into our golf Estate and drove away down empty roads - but I never actually saw the guy.

These green giants drop in for work from time to time and always make me laugh and remember those crazy covid times.