I love eBay, and I love cycling. And what a great combination they are. Like Laurel and Hardy, Rolls and Royce, Armstrong and EPO, or coffee and cake, cycling and eBay go together as if made for each other.
Obeying the universal equation that the correct number of bikes to own is N+1 (where 'N' is the current number of bikes owned), I am currently in the market for a bicycle. I have four bikes at the moment, and three of them are built almost entirely of parts gleaned from off the great bike component swop shop in the sky, eBay. I've also sourced parts from mates at the club, riders I race against and various forums. There is a strange joy in the pursuit of an elusive brake lever or bottom bracket - for the right price, obviously.
I'm a bike snob, I admit it. I'll go into a high end bike showroom, look at a £15K machine and find fault with some of the components used on the build. 'What, it only comes with a Chorus gruppo?'; or, 'Those wheels, on a frame like that? Disgusting!' I just can't help myself. Trouble is, I'm also careful with money and don't like to throw huge amounts at a bike. So, buying a frame, either new and heavily discounted or second hand, and adding components to it is the idea method for me to get a bike that I'll be happy with.
However, in the world of the serial upgrader, it is only possible for a bike to be 'right' for a brief moment in time. No sooner is it 'done' then you see something else, on a club mate's bike or on a website, and before you know it you are bolting it onto one of your bikes. The old component either goes on your next bike down, or ends up back on eBay.
Deals on wheels
eBay also allows kit to be purchased, used for a while and then sold on, usually for a good proportion of the new price. I once bought a new set of carbon race wheels, used them for two seasons of time trials and then sold them on eBay. The total cost of ownership worked out at £60 for two years: a princely sum of £30 per annum!
Years ago I bought a steel Colnalgo off eBay for £200. It was a great bike. I used it for years as my hack bike around Manchester. It was left outside Moss Side pool three times a week, and never got stolen. Eventually I stopped using it when I moved house, and I ended up selling the retro high end gruppo for more than I'd paid for the bike. The seatpost ended up jammed into the frame, and the forks were similarly affected. I stuck it in the loft thinking that one day I'd treat it to a respray and some new kit. Eventually I listed it on eBay as an unfinished project, requiring a lot of work. And I got £180 for it. So, I made £180 overall, and got an epic hack bike for a number of years.
Last year I was after a replacement disc wheel for my TT bike. So naturally, I had a gander on eBay. New the item is £700 in the shops, maybe a little less in an online shop. I saw a used one on eBay go for £650! Bought as seen, as per standard eBay conditions. Crazy, a moment of madness and an example of someone's bidding enthusiasm getting the better of their common sense. Sometimes it is worth buying new and getting a warranty, after care service etc. I usually work out what I'm prepared to pay for an item and don't go higher than that price. After all, another one will be along soon.
Snipers at work
Ever wonder why an item on eBay can hugely increase in value in the last 20 seconds before an auction ends? Welcome to the hidden world of the eBay sniper tool. What these tools do is to allow a bidder to select their maximum bid, and then unleash the tool to bid up to their maximum bid in the last few seconds of the auction. This is great from one point of view as it allows a bid to go in, up to the maximum the bidder is prepared to pay, without inflating the auction price too early. The added bonus is that the bidder does not have to remember to be bidding as an auction finishes.
eBay is not the only game in town however. Club mates might be selling items they no longer use; friends on Facebook might be too. There are a number of 'bike bits for sale' groups on Facebook where people sell kit for set prices. In addition cycling the Timetrialling forum, British Cycling, etc all have 'items for sale' sections on their sites where it is possible to pick up a bargain. Magazines such as Cycle Plus, Cycling Weekly etc also have small ads at the back. Worth a look, the right set of wheels or crankset might just be waiting for you.
Buyer - and seller - beware
As always, be very careful when paying for goods. Paypal is usually the best way to pay, or if meeting someone locally to pick an item up, cash on collection. While eBay offers buyers a tried and tested guarantee that they will receive the item they paid for, it is important to be careful as a seller, especially if you are parting with a high value item. Using recorded delivery for high-value items is advisable. Likewise if the buyer does not sound like 'one of us', be cautious: you don't want to tell a potential thief where you and your harem of bikes live.
Finally, once your pride and joy is upgraded, get out and experience the epic nature of the ride!
0 Comments