How not to buy a stolen bike?

[lazy]

Hi,

i have manged to get rid of my basic viking bike (on a loss) and now i want to upgrade to something better/decent my budget is around £200 to £250, i cant afford a new decent bike in this budget so i have started checking on different sites such as ebay etc. for a used bike

i am an honest person and i would hate to buy something which is stolen from someone. so i want to avoid it.

now what happens is whenever i do a viewing the main excuse people use is they have lost the paper work or it was a present etc

i am viewing a bike tomorrow and i have a feeling same thing will happen.

what do you suggest?

Thanks

 

[TheDoctor]

Ask questions. How long have they had the bike, why are they selling, where did they get it etc.
I can't produce the documentation for any of mine, but I can give you chapter and verse about the tour I did on the Brompton, where I bought the Dynatech and why it's now a fixed, where I went on the Carbon Uberbike a few months after I'd got it, and so on and so forth.

 

[Booyaa]

Check a stolen bike register to see if it is on there.

 

[ColinJ]

Assuming that sale falls through ...

Put a 'bike wanted' ad up on CC and only buy off somebody with hundreds or thousands of posts, so you know that they didn't just register to sell you a stolen bike?

 

[ColinJ]

[QUOTE 2683165, member: 45"]That's got me a bike before so it's a good suggestion.

Or try the CTC forum. There are plenty of reputable bikes on there. Also the occasional dodgy one though.[/quote]
O course, I am working on the assumption that bike thieves tend not to be the kind of people who socialise a lot on cycling forums!

(I've ridden with over 100 CycleChat members at one time or another, and I can't think of one who didn't seem trustworthy.)

 

[Linford]

My stolen bike went up for sale from a reputable vendor on ebay. I had a paper trail when it was nicked. I could go back to the shop and get the frame code (actually had it in an email).

As them how long they had it, why they are selling it. where they got it from etc.

 

[lazy]

thanks guys very informative feedback

 

[lazy]

Assuming that sale falls through ...

Put a 'bike wanted' ad up on CC and only buy off somebody with hundreds or thousands of posts, so you know that they didn't just register to sell you a stolen bike?

i got a bad feeling about this sale to be honest but lets see

 

[vickster]

Ask to see a receipt, where they got it from. Any shop or online retailer should be able to provide a copy. If they give a BS story, walk away. Also, look for any plod bike marking and if marked, asked to see the registation

 

[lazy]

I can confirm the Bike was stolen and he theif offered me a carrera zelos 2013 model for 100 pounds however I said no to him on that he started threatening me calling racist remarks, I have reported this to police.
I am so happy that I didn't buy that bike

 

[PaulSecteur]

Well done!

If people don't buy `em, they wont nick `em!

Have some kudos and a free virtual pint `o beer!

 

[fossyant]

Well done

 

[lazy]

Well done!

If people don't buy `em, they wont nick `em!

Have some kudos and a free virtual pint `o beer!

Thanks It is so sad that there are so many stolen bikes, I hope I can find a decent bike from an honest seller. Guilt free ride on a basic n cheap bike is much better than on a 5k stolen bike.

 

[Linford]

Thanks It is so sad that there are so many stolen bikes, I hope I can find a decent bike from an honest seller. Guilt free ride on a basic n cheap bike is much better than on a 5k stolen bike.

If you are interested in reading it, this is my story

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/friends-reunited.138353/

 

[Hip Priest]

You sound like a very principled individual.

I wish you look in finding a new bike.