(NOT) Buying A Stolen Bike

sib2332

Since I have had my Mongoose Otero stolen (taunton) I have come to the conclusion that a significant % of bikes on various auction and classified web sites are stolen (you know which web sites i mean).

However (and herein lies my problem) i can't afford a new bike so i need to go down the second hand route - my biggest concern is making sure i don't buy a stolen bike unknowlingly.......

any suggestions as to what i should do ? should i ask for proof of purchase from the person selling ? what happens if the reg number has been ground off and i'm told it was stolen / re recovered ?

or do i just accept that all these bikes are hooky ? I really don't want someone to feel the way i've felt over the last week (ranging from sadness to wanting to murder anyone who remotely looks like a bike thief) but i can't help that think most of these bikes are snide

tom_howard

As a four bike (three bought, one sold, total value £4200) veteran of ebay, the vast majority of sellers are genuine, you generally get a feel from the ad if its dodgy, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. ask questions that only the owner would know, what bb does it have is a good one. do they have manuals, receipts, will they give you a reciept and avoid Gumtree like you would avoid aids. ebay is loads better, esp with paypal, as they need much more detail to log on, theives dont like to use it as a reult, but some slip through, so alway pay via paypal.

Kinetic85

Tom has a point covers you from scams etc. as you have paypal and eBay to raise a dispute. However, eBay has had many stolen bikes on the site sold. The 'sellers' re-spray them or change parts to make them un-identifiable. Sometimes though, you can tell if it;s dodgy by mis-matched parts or odd specs.