Legitimate reasons to be selling lots of used bikes on eBay

jonny_trousers

Can anyone think of any? I've seen a few sellers now who have a regular turn over of used bikes. Some of them obviously don't have a clue what they are selling, one or two have a basic understanding. The natural cynic in me thinks the bikes must be stolen, but might I be wrong? Someone got a little business buying bikes from police auctions and then selling them on perhaps?

jeremyrundle

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Can anyone think of any? I've seen a few sellers now who have a regular turn over of used bikes. Some of them obviously don't have a clue what they are selling, one or two have a basic understanding. The natural cynic in me thinks the bikes must be stolen, but might I be wrong? Someone got a little business buying bikes from police auctions and then selling them on perhaps?

Just goto

http://www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk/XcAP ... .asp?ID=24

lost_in_thought

Wowsers Jeremy, that's like a treasure trove of lost souls...

NGale

We have a second hand bike seller in Exeter (does some amazing bikes, all serviceable even with their age) and he buys all of his bikes via police auctions in job lots. does a good business from it too.

My father recently brought my mum an old 1977 Dawes Compass for £40 from him, the only thing that needs doing is the back tyre pumping up.

It's actually quite scary that bike is the same age as me. :shock:

Initialised

Could be a hire shop selling off old stock.

jonny_trousers

Initialised wrote:

Could be a hire shop selling off old stock.

Aw, that's sweetly positive thinking. The bikes I've seen being sold are quiet a variety and all pretty decent quality (Cannondale Bad Boys feature heavily).

Fireblade96

jeremyrundle wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Can anyone think of any? I've seen a few sellers now who have a regular turn over of used bikes. Some of them obviously don't have a clue what they are selling, one or two have a basic understanding. The natural cynic in me thinks the bikes must be stolen, but might I be wrong? Someone got a little business buying bikes from police auctions and then selling them on perhaps?

Just goto

http://www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk/XcAP ... .asp?ID=24

That's depressing beyond belief ! Given that Thames Valley Police exhibited exactly *no* interest the two times I had bicycles stolen and reported to them, they seem to be rather more enthusiastic in selling on stolen/recovered bikes...

Initialised

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Initialised wrote:

Could be a hire shop selling off old stock.

Aw, that's sweetly positive thinking. The bikes I've seen being sold are quiet a variety and all pretty decent quality (Cannondale Bad Boys feature heavily).

I don't know what came over me.

But if it's mainly one type off bike it could well be a hire shop's decommissioning process.

jeremyrundle

Fireblade96 wrote:

jeremyrundle wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Can anyone think of any? I've seen a few sellers now who have a regular turn over of used bikes. Some of them obviously don't have a clue what they are selling, one or two have a basic understanding. The natural cynic in me thinks the bikes must be stolen, but might I be wrong? Someone got a little business buying bikes from police auctions and then selling them on perhaps?

Just goto

http://www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk/XcAP ... .asp?ID=24

That's depressing beyond belief ! Given that Thames Valley Police exhibited exactly *no* interest the two times I had bicycles stolen and reported to them, they seem to be rather more enthusiastic in selling on stolen/recovered bikes...

EXACTLY, and last year believe it or not someone who was told by Thames police FOUND his bike at one of their auctions, and made a formal complaint. They BOUGHT it back for him

SamWise72

I used to buy badly described vintage bikes, strip them, clean the parts up and sell on for a profit. I only ever bought one that I suspected (when I picked it up) might be stolen, but even then it was only a slight suspicion. It made me reasonable money, though sitting on the lounge floor at 6 am scrubbing derailleurs with a toothbrush and white spirit wasn't much fun, plus all sorts of interesting bikes passed through my hands. I would occasionally keep something I fancied the look of, and I built 4 bikes up for nothing from those bits (two of which I later sold, and two are unfinished). I used to keep the proceeds in my Paypal account, as my bike toy fund.