Why even bother selling bike parts online if

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McGilli
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2015 6:57 pm

by McGilli

Why even bother selling bike parts online if You're not going to even attempt to clean it up first?

Is it just me? Are you ok with buying bike parts that have dirt and grease all over them? Do you sell parts and not clean them first?

I kid you not - there was an Ebay auction for a set of wheels that recently sold - and in the close up photo of the free hub not only was there the usual grease and grit - there were cobwebs in there..

Obviously the most common culprit is cassettes. But wheels, hubs, cranks...

I'm almost compelled to start a thread with photos of all the cruddy parts for sale out there...

mdeth1313
Posts: 2066
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Location: Dutchess County, NY

by mdeth1313

...and some people really don't care- they just want the stuff out. Usually if you clean it up it sells for more, but everyone has their own tolerance for that stuff.
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Shrike
Posts: 2019
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 5:08 pm

by Shrike

Yeah it's mad how lazy some people are. I always scrub everything to get it into the best possible shape. If you're selling something, you're also providing a service there. It reflects on you as a person. Character and all that.

kode54
Posts: 3740
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

all the dirt and grease does serve a purpose of hiding cracks and scratches. if some cleaned up their parts...no one would buy them. sometimes, you really have to look closely or beyond the blurry pics...or take your chances.
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micky
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by micky

Happened to me twice when looking for a bike; both times bikes were dirty and it wasn't easy to notice the cracks at first glance.
That's why I try always to go and see stuff by myself on hand if possible.

AJS914
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Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

Dirty parts are also a way to get great deals. At least with eBay you get buyer protection.

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LouisN
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by LouisN

+10

Louis :)

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Rick
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Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:30 pm

by Rick

I think you just have to weigh all the factors as seller and buyer.
I would probably never buy a very dirty part. So when I sell, I usually clean them up pretty well to hopefully get a higher price.

But I have had some old derailleurs, etc, that were so cruddy that it simply wouldn't be worth the selling price to use my time cleaning them up too perfectly, so I just sold them "as-is". People bought them and were happy anyway. Just try to be honest about it and include photos.

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Asteroid
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 8:43 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California

by Asteroid

It makes it quite a bit more riskier for the buyer. Sometimes the seller lists a vintage bike on craigslist or eBay, without much knowledge of what they're selling. I scored a couple of great finds like that. Dusty frames or parts - or fuzzy photos - can be a horrible mistake for the seller, often losing them bigtime on their selling price. Got my '94 Merlin Extralight for $500 about five years ago that way. It looked brand new after a real easy cleaning. 15k miles later, it's my favorite frame ever.
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sawyer
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by sawyer

I'd clean parts, but as above, some people aren't interested and just want rid of stuff quickly - you may get a bargain
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tymon_tm
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Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:35 pm

by tymon_tm

there's no golden rule but sometimes those dirty parts are barely used. if you ride a lot you rather keep your gear in good condition. but those dudes who ride occasionaly, their bikes often look like hey just hit a mud wash with extra grease treatment.
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