No. Check out www.roadbikereview.com classified section. Got my Trek 5500 at a steal!

I bought a sweet TT frame on ebay last year. The safest way to do it is pay through a paypal account and use your credit, not debit, card. This way you are protected b/c the card company can reverse the charges if it is a fraudulent charge. If I'm selling something I do not pull the sellers money out of paypal until I email a tracking number. You can ask the seller to do that as well. If your looking for a softride I have a TT7 size M/L with under 10 miles on it I'll sell you.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

No, but then again I never buy used equipment. Goes back to my rock climbing days, always know the complete history on you gear because it that situation your life depended on it. I like the comfort of knowing if the bike has or has not been crashed , well maintained etc. Then again my favorite thing to do on my bike is hurtle down the canyons at 50 so trust in my gear again becomes a major factor

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"on your Left"

 I bought a frame that was new off the bay and got a real deal on it. It was a Soulcraft single speed road bike. I liked it so much I bought it's twin from the company as a geared bike. I would buy a year or two old Ti bike as if you break one of those it got hit hard. I think 95% of the bay folks are honest as I have bought some other stuff and only was slightly disappointed once. G

i have. twice. one ended up being an alright experience, the other was a downright steal on my part. you do, however, need to know exactly what you want (size, components, etc.) and KNOW YOUR PRICES!!! i see so much stuff go for retail or close to retail (even above retail sometimes) because people don't know how much stuff is worth. if you're only saving a couple hundred bucks on a $2000 bike, why not just get it at the LBS and be sure of what you're getting? on that note, there is a degree of risk involved (obviously) because you have to trust that the person selling is legit and representing the item accurately.

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"I'm happy when life's good,
and when it's bad I cry.
I've got values but I don't know how or why."
- The Who

I have bought 2 high end tri race bikes on ebay. Both were exactly as described and I saved a ton of money on them. Double check the feedback and then ask for a phone number, call them and discuss the bike. If they are legit they will be easy to work with and very communicative. The last bike I bought (KM40) was such a good deal I was worried about it, I called and worked out paying a deposit via Paypal and then he shipped the bike COD to me for the rest. I was very satisfied with the bike, it was exactly as described. Research and patience And you can find great deals.



Mike

I got my softride rocket frame for $550. It was a total steal. It rides like a dream. I was worried, but it was a good experience. I also bought a new fuji. It came in the box perfect. I have had good luck on ebay. I always check out the feedback, etc.

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Jon Bergmann
http://jonbergmann.com

Yes!!!

I bought my P3 including Zipp disk wheelset off ebay for less than $3k. The bike came exactly as described by the seller.

I think the biggest thing you need to do is check the sellers feeback/history for any red flags.

Also, if you have any questions email the seller. I sometimes email even if I don't really have a question, just so I can get a feel of what kind of person I am dealing with.

Good luck!

I have bought some great stuff on ebay for a fraction of the price but after buying a bike I probably would think twice. I got the bike and it was in very workable shape but it wasn't in nearly as good of condition as they said it was and had even lied about certain aspects of the bike. Needless to say though the bike works fine, I paid too much for the condition it was in...if I bought a bike ebay again I would probably only by it if it was new in the box and being sold by one of the large mass sellers. Sometimes bikeshops sell their old wears online and I think they are usually the best to buy from.

I both buy and sell on ebay. If you are aware of the pricing you can usually get a good deal. It is also a great way to get rid of the box of stuff in the garage that you will NEVER use again! And you save on taxes etc. I always check the feedback on the seller. 100% positive is square with me, any negitives and think twice about it.

I have never bought a bike off ebay, though I have bought a lot of other stuff. From my endless internet wandering and research (I need to get a life) I think Ebay can be a pretty good route to go. The few pointers I've picked up have been:
-Always check feedback (Make sure the person knows what they are doing)

-E-mail the Seller (If he won't answer your questions don't count on him coming through)

-Don't by from overseas (This is not a cut and dried rule, but a lot of people have been ripped off buying a bike that never existed)

-If at all possible use PayPal (simply the best, COD's and checks are risky and a pain in the butt)

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I don't work here, I just live here

Check out my editorial on e-bay if your interested:

http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/...orials/0000026.shtml

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

On another note, if you're interested, there is a kick ass Lotus Carbon 110 Sport bike on ebay right now. I don't know what size it is, but YOU WILL NOT FIND A FASTER TT BIKE ANYWHERE! Boy I wish I had enough money for one.

Good article. I have only purchased a few items from ebay and then only when I knew what the item retailed for as well as what I could get it for on the internet. The best "bargain" I got was a new Curloo frame sans fork that had a tiny paint chip on the headtube right where the headset would go. Paid $100 for it. It amazes me how the auction mentality works. People will buy something used for more than it retails for. There is a particular seller (they are an internet based company) who has dozens of things for sale on ebay and their starting bids are often higher than the MSRP...and people STILL bid on this stuff. Crazy.

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin

there is also a Lotus for sale on timetrial.org on the message board

What size is it? It isn't listed in the post.

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin

bought my rain bike, a 1992 Paramount PDG 5, off ebay. It wasn't a screaming deal, and the frame had rather more rust than described. But after an overhaul I had a decent full 105 bike for $150 plus my labor, which was acceptable. I'd certainly buy again but with the usual caveats - check for minimal negative feedback on the seller, the seller's responsiveness to emails or a call, local to USA, etc.

I just spent $270 on Ebay for a race wheel set, Zipp 440 front and Hex CX rear. This was the only way I could afford race wheels, so I'm happy to have the Ebay option. Both wheels show some wear, but are as described, and perfectly rideable. They feel fast..

I have both bought and sold tri and road bikes on eBay. I echo other people here - the key is research. I don't buy unless the seller is willing to engage in extensive communications; supply any additional photographs or info I require; has solid feedback and gives off the right "vibes". There are some fantastic deals out there and many times I wish I rode another bike size due to the unbelievable bargains I saw in other sizes. Of course, except for one a bike shop is the seller, you don't get the warranties and otehr customer service that you receive from a LBS. One thing that most sellers are willing to do is the following: tell the seller that you are interested and if you were the high bidder, you want the following. Take the bike to a LBS and have the bike inspected. You can offer to pay or split it (what's $50 when you are talking about $1000 or so for the bike?). Have the bike shop fax you a copy of the inspection report. Upon your satisfaction, pay for the bike and have that LBS box it up and ship it for you (that way teh LBS is getting some $$ for this transaction). This method allowed me to back out of a purchase of an unbelievable Pinarello Prince that turned out to have a dent in the downtube.

Now, the note of caution: in the past few months there have been outright scams on eBay. The seller posts a stock photo of a top of the line bike (P3, Litespeed, Colnago, etc.) and writes a description that contains spelling errors. Usually the seller lists location as UK or Canada and will accept wired money transfer (Western Union). He claims the bike was a gift from a cousin or uncle. You ask for more info and you get no reply or when there is a reply its something like "Everything I know is in the ad. It was a gift. Please buy now as I have a lot of people ready to buy." Once for kicks I wrote the seller and asked "Where is the bike." He replied "Here in Toronto." I replied "Wow! I need to be in Toronto on business for the next week. Can I stop by and see it in person? I'll bring cash. You pick the place - anyplace." "Sorry, I was mistaken, my bike is still in London."....understandable, I'm always forgetting that I left my bike in the UK :)

So watch out. There are some great bargains and I'd say 97% of sellers are legit and very honest. Ask a lot of questions, comparison shop; don't get your expectations up too high (remember, most of these ARE used bikes); and don't fall for an unbelievable deal. Yes there are bargains, no - you won't be able to buy a brand new P3 that was a gift from an uncle for $375.

Alan

Last fall I bought a Litespeed Blade on Ebay. I don't think the seller tried to deceive me, but there were two major problems.

1. She listed it as a 2000. When I got it, I noticed the stearer tube was 1 inch, which they discontinued in 1999.

2. She listed it as a 51cm. After several months of trying to dial in the fit, I e-mailed Litespeed to have them verify the size...It turned out it was a 53.

Like I said, I don't think the girl did this on purpose, but in the future I would include asking for the serial number and then I would call the manufacturer to verify the size and year.

On a positive side, I just just sold the bike on Ebay-(yes, I very accurately described it) so now I can buy a new bike...From my LBS.

Jeff

I bought my last MTB on ebay (18 months ago) and just sold it on ebay yesterday. Pretty much broke even on the deal and got to ride it for a year :) Feedback is important and so is communication between the buyer and seller.

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Reverend Dr. Jay
Lake of the Pines Triathlon fastest bike course record holder - Golden State Super Sprint fastest tri course record holder - Wildflower Long Course slowest run course record holder (4:46:32)

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"If you have a body, you are an athlete." -Bill Bowerman

You know, there's a lot of NEW stuff on ebay - it's not all used. I bought a brand new in-the-box Fugi Aloha from a bike dealer who sells on ebay in the beginning of May. Because its a 2002, I got it for $850 (retails for $about 1600) Just have to know what size you need and error on the side of small.

I LOVE my bike. A lot of businesses sell on Ebay as it gets them into internet commerce but omits the cost of entry. Looks for the different bike shops that sell there and good luck!

Kate

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Most people don't recognize opportunity because it wears bib overalls and looks like work.
~Teddy Roosevelt