Is there an old bike sitting in your garage right now, collecting dust and rust?
Before you part with your collectibles, uncover these 8 Genius Money Moves to Score $500+ in Free Cash This Week! Why sell when you can earn more effortlessly?
If you’re in the need of some quick cash, selling used bikes for cash is one way to potentially make a few hundred dollars or even more.
But, figuring out how to sell used bikes can be tricky. After all, you need to find the right marketplace and also make sure you get as much money as possible.
That’s why this post is covering where to sell used bikes online and in person so you can turn that old bike of yours into cash.
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Where To Sell Used Bikes
I’ve sold two old bikes in the past to make extra money. The first was an old roadbike I had simply outgrown from childhood. And the second was a gently used bike I had in college that I sold after graduating.
If you’re wondering where to sell used bikes for money, there’s actually a surprising number of options.
You can sell used bikes online with various marketplaces. There are also ways to sell one in-person for faster cash if that’s your preference.
1. Bike Exchange
Bike Exchange is a great place to sell your used bike no matter what kind of bike you’re trying to sell.
All you have to do is upload an ad with a few images as well as a short description of your bike.
Listing your bike can cost anywhere between $9.95 to $29.95 depending on the price of your bike. However, you’re accessing a massive marketplace of buyers, so this is worth the advertisement cost.
Listings stay up for 60 days, so just keep this in mind.
If your bike hasn’t sold after 60 days, you have the option of renewing your listing for 50% of the original listing fee. This also brings your ad back up to the top of your search category so it gets noticed.
However, you can edit your used bike listing as many times as you want, so it’s easy to tweak the price or description if you’re not getting any offers.
Listing is free for sellers, but you pay a 10% commission as well as potential merchant fees when you sell your used bike with Bike Exchange.
As for shipping, you can charge buyers shipping costs to cover the cost of packing and shipping your bike, so the 10% commission is the main cost you’re paying.
2. Pink Bike (Outside)
Another way to sell used bikes online is to sell through Pink Bike.
Pink Bike is a news, photo, and video community website for cyclists. The company also let sellers list bikes on its site, allowing buyers to get great bikes locally.
Since Pink Bike has a large community of over 700,000 members, you can sell to a massive community of passionate bikers and find local ones to buy your used bike.
This also means you’re likely dealing and negotiating with people who have some knowledge when it comes to bikes. But this is a good thing since it hopefully reduces silly, low-ball offers.
As for selling, you can sell bikes as well as individual bike parts.
Posting an ad on Pink Bike is simple and free. Just sign up on their website and click on the ‘Post Ad’ button. Follow the quick and easy steps to publish your ad and you’re good to go!
When you find a buyer, make sure you clarify every detail like if you’re shipping it, who pays for shipping, and how you’re going to process the transaction.
PayPal is definitely your best bet here, and always make sure you communicate with buyers and feel them out to avoid potential scams.
The best part about Pink Bike is its online community, so use this to your advantage and reach out for help if you need it.
3. The Pro’s Closet
The Pro’s Closet is the largest online used bike marketplace, and it specializes in high-quality bikes usually over $1500 in original retail value.
This is also an excellent option for selling a used bike because you have two options for selling:
- Trade-Ins: Trade your bike in for another bike or credit towards another purchase.
- Final Sale: Sell your used bike online for cash and then spend the money however you want.
The Pro’s Closet is well respected in the cycling community and has years of expertise making it a great platform to ensure that you’re getting the best price for your bike with little hassle.
And selling on The Pro’s Closet is simple and just takes six steps:
- Submit two photos of your bike along with some basic information about it
- Wait to receive an offer within 24 hours
- If you choose to accept the offer you will be sent a shipping label at no cost
- Your bike will then be shipped to Pro’s Closet to be inspected
- Once it passes the inspection your payment will be finalized
- You can choose to receive your payment in cash (through Paypal) or store credit at TPC or your local TradeUp bike shop
If you prefer selling to a company rather than individual buyers, The Pro’s Closet is definitely one of the best places to sell used bikes.
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4. Facebook Marketplace
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of shipping your bike and you’re looking for a local buyer, Facebook Marketplace is one of the best ways to sell a used bike.
To sell on the Facebook Marketplace, you just need a free Facebook account. From there, you can list things on the Facebook Marketplace for free.
FB Marketplace is actually where I sold one of my used bikes in the past. And I like that the platform is popular, so there are plenty of buyers.
When you create a listing, make sure you include as many photos as your bike as possible to help buyers know what they’re buying. Also write an in-depth description that includes your bike’s make, condition, and any important information like upgrades or damage.
If some time goes by and your ad isn’t gaining traction, consider re-uploading it with other keywords or lowering the price.
Just note that you probably have to do a lot of negotiating when you sell a used bike on the Facebook Marketplace.
Local buyers are also going to meet you and test out the bike before buying, so there’s a bit more work versus selling online. However, the trade-off is that you don’t pay any listing fees or shipping costs and get paid in cash.
5. Bicycle Blue Book
Bicycle Blue Book was initially created to help people determine the value of their bikes.
But these days, Bicycle Blue Book lets you sell your bike online with three different methods:
- Marketplace: Create a listing that will be posted on Bicycle Blue Book’s marketplace that can reach hundreds of thousands of shoppers.
- Instant Payout: If you don’t want to wait for someone to see your listing, Bicycle Blue Book will offer you a price for your bike upfront and sell it later.
- Trade-In: If you’re looking to upgrade your bike, consider trading in your bike for a store credit that can be used towards your new bike.
Listing a bike is free, however shipping costs can get expensive and usually range from $85-150. But if you’re selling an expensive bike online, this shipping cost could still be worth it.
And, you can set up your account so that the buyer covers these costs or you can build the costs into your listing.
Bicycle Blue Book pays for your used bike with PayPal cash as well, and overall, it’s a trusted and simple way to sell a used bike online.
6. Goodbye Cycle
Another way to sell used bikes is to sell through Goodbye Cycle.
Goodbye Cycle accepts gently used high-end bikes that are either road bikes or mountain bikes from high-end manufacturers.
To sell your used bike, you just fill out their online form providing information on your bike and its condition. From there, Goodbye Cycle gives you an offer within 24 hours.
If the offer sounds good to you the next step is choosing a shipping method that works for you.
Goodbye Cycle has two options for shipping:
- $49 FedEx Ground (Emailed Shipping Label): Measure the dimensions and weight of your box and Goodbye Cycle will email you a shipping label. All you have to do is drop the package off at an authorized FedEx location.
- $59 FedEx Ground (Call Tag): If you aren’t able to bring your bike to a FedEx location, or just don’t want the extra hassle, you can let Goodbye Cycle know your availability for pick up and FedEx will come pick up your package from where you are.
Keep in mind if your box is too big you may be charged an oversize fee of $40. Goodbye Cycle lets you know at the time they process your shipping label if this is the case.
Shipping is the only fee that you have to pay with Goodbye Cycle. This is one perk of selling your used bike since you’re not paying seller fees.
As for getting paid, you can choose PayPal or check.
7. OfferUp
OfferUp is one of the most popular marketplaces for selling just about anything online or in-person. So, unsurprisingly, it’s also one of the best places to sell a used bike, especially if you live in a big city.
To list your bike, just download the OfferUp app on iPhone or Android and upload photos along with a description of your bike.
OfferUp is mostly for local sales, so nearby users can contact you to negotiate a price for your used bike and arrange a pickup time and place.
One perk of OfferUp is that it also has pre-approved meeting places for sales that are in safe, busy public areas.
But you can still sell a used bike online with OfferUp. If you go with this route, the buyer provides their credit or debit card when they make an offer and they will be charged when you accept their offer.
OfferUp doesn’t charge a listing fee, however, when your bike sells online there’s a service fee of 12.9%.
This fee makes OfferUp best for selling used bikes in person; other websites are cheaper and more popular for online sales.
You can also read our post on top selling items on OfferUp and OfferUp hacks for more ideas on what to sell!
8. Cycle Exchange
If you’re still wondering how to sell used bikes, one more option you can turn to is Cycle Exchange.
Cycle Exchange is a great website if you have a top-of-the-line bike you’re looking to sell. That’s because the company services and refurbishes each bike it buys and provides full warranty for the next owner.
Different used bikes Cycle Exchange buys include:
- Gravel, Road, And TT Bikes: Requires a minimum original retail value of $1570 that are less than 7 years old
- Mountain Bikes: With a minimum original retail value of $3260 that are less than 3 years old
- E-Bikes: Requires a minimum original retail value of $2350 that are less than 4 years old.
- Gravel, Road, And TT Framesets: With a minimum original retail value of $1300 that are less than 7 years old
- Carbon Wheelsets: With a minimum original retail value of $650 that are less than 5 years old
This is a pretty decent selection, although it’s worth noting that Cycle Exchange also doesn’t buy certain types of bikes.
Specifically, you can’t sell:
- BMX, Tandem, Hybrid, Recumbent, Trikes, or Kid’s Bikes.
- Downhill, 26” MTBs, or Fat Bikes
- Folding bikes with the exception of Brompton
- Tubular wheels
Cycle Exchange is also located in the UK, so international sellers have to ship their bikes themselves.
But, Cycle Exchange offers a ready-made box with everything you need to package the bike for $65 and they will send you a shipping label.
Payments are made through Klarna, a Swedish payment service provider that covers end-to-end responsibility for your payment.
9. Pawn Shops
If you have a higher-value used bike for sale, one option you can use to sell are local pawn shops.
Pawn shops are usually in every medium and large city. And they’re an excellent option to sell things if you need cash immediately and are willing to accept a lower price.
Some things pawn shops buy in most cases include:
- Antiques
- Bikes (as long as they’re in very good condition)
- Jewlery
- Furniture
- Collectibles
- Tools
- Watches
The pawn shop in my college town always has a few bikes for sale. Just note that pawn shops often lowball customers since they need to resell goods for profit.
10. eBay
eBay is one of the most popular selling marketplaces out there, and it has millions of active buyers from around the world.
You can also sell almost anything on eBay, ranging from rare collectibles like Pokemon cards to used bikes.
People also sell bike parts on eBay, and you can list up to 200 listings for free every month. As for selling used bikes or anything else, eBay also lets you sell at a fixed price or by using its auction mode.
The auction feature on eBay is especially good for bikes that may be more highly valued as people using the site are usually willing to pay more.
Auctioning bikes also removes the burden of coming up with your selling price and allows the market to determine the value, that way all you have to do is set the starting price.
Selling on eBay does mean you have to do the listing and selling work yourself. This includes photographing and listing the bike, as well as corresponding with the buyer after the sale is made to have the bike picked up or delivered.
It’s also important to develop a good reputation on eBay through positive feedback as buyers will naturally favor sellers with good ratings.
Also note that eBay charges around 12.9% for most item categories, so it can be a bit more expensive to sell your used bike versus some other marketplaces or with local cash sales.
However, considering how large eBay’s marketplace is, paying this fee can be worth it if it helps you get a fast sale.
Extra Reading – Where To Sell Used Sports Equipment.
11. Craigslist
Like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist is another excellent place to sell used bikes that you can use. And it’s completely free to post an advertisement on this local classified website.
People sell all sorts of things on Craigslist as well, including sports gear, mountain and road bikes, and any type of fitness equipment.
Once your ad is live, people in your area can contact you to ask questions, negotiate, or to arrange a pickup time.
You get paid in cash, and overall, Craigslist is probably my favorite Facebook Marketplace alternative for local sales.
Extra Reading – Facebook Marketplace vs Craigslist.
12. BikeSoup
One final place to sell used bikes you can try is BikeSoup, a worldwide bike marketplace that’s very popular.
It costs $3 to list a bike on BikeSoup. From there, members can contact you to place offers on your bike.
And if you’re worried about how you’re going to ship your bike, BikeSoup has teamed up with SHERPR to provide you with everything you need to package and deliver your bike.
For $50, BikeSoup sends you a reusable bike box with styrene blocks, heavy-duty polyurethane bags for your wheels, foam piping to protect the frame, box tape, and cable ties.
BikeSoup also sends prepaid shipping labels if you want, although you can find your own shipping solution if you prefer.
Another perk of selling used bikes with BikeSoup is that you get up to $650 insurance on your shipment, which covers a decent portion of many bikes.
What Do Other Bikers Say?
Another way to find the best place to sell used bikes is to ask other cyclists for their recommendations.
Here’s what some fellow bikers are saying on Reddit about their favorite places to sell used bikes:
- Archaeopto says: “Pinkbike is another online option focused on bikes. I’ve had good experiences.”
- ForSureLying says: “Local bike shops sometimes have consignment sales. Shop in my area will sell it, and you have the option of receiving 100% of the proceeds in store credit or 80% cash.”
- dfitzger says: “The Pros Closet could be an option as well. They sell mostly on eBay and their own store but do buy used bikes as well.”
- One user says: “OfferUp. I’ve had a lot more luck selling with that app than Craigslist, and you can do all the communicating in the app messaging (so no dealing with email or giving out personal phone/text) and also use the app to set a meeting point once you sell the item. It’s a much better way to sell stuff like this.”
As you can see, there are plenty of options for selling a used bike, and you can always list your bike on several marketplaces to try and get more offers!
This video from cyclist and YouTuber Matt LeGrand also shares tips for the best places to sell bikes and tips to find buyers more quickly.
I suggest giving this video a watch if you have a high-end road bike or mountain bike and want to get the maximum value possible. But it’s also useful for selling beginner used bikes as well.
Extra Reading – Realistic Ways To Make Money From Home.
Tips For Selling A Used Bike
Now that you know the best places to sell used bikes, here are a few tips you can keep in mind to keep the selling process much easier!
Clean Your Bike
Before you take photos of your bike and list it on an online marketplace, give your bike a thorough clean and tune-up.
Photos play a massive role in getting a higher value for your used bike.
So, make sure your bike is cleaned, and try your best to tune-up your bike and fix any small scuffs or rust marks so you can charge a higher price.
Take Multiple Photos
Speaking of photos, make sure you take as many photos of your bikes as possible.
Again, online buyers want to know they’re buying a quality bike. So, take photos of every part of your used bike, including the chains, wheel tread, and body.
Write In-Depth Descriptions
When listing your bike online, make sure you write in-depth descriptions to help rank your listing higher on the marketplace.
This means mentioning your bike’s model, name, year, and any important information about the brand.
Also mention any upgrades you’ve made and as much info about the bike’s condition as possible.
Be Honest
It doesn’t matter if you’re selling sports cards or used bikes online; you always need to be honest with people about what you’re selling.
So, mention any dents, scuffs, rust, or damage to your bike.
The last thing you want to do is ship your bike to someone, only to have them file a dispute and refuse paying because they feel like they’ve been cheated.
Watch Out For Scams
One more tip for selling used bikes is to watch out for buyer scams.
This is true for selling anything online, and the main scam to watch out for is when buyers try to use different payment methods than the platform you’re on supports.
Always stick with platform-approved payment methods. And if you get a weird feeling about a potential buyer, trust your gut and walk away!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Sell My Bike Fast?
If you need to sell a used bike quickly, your best bet is to sell in-person for cash rather than using online marketplaces. This makes websites like the Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, and Craigslist excellent choices.
You can also try selling used bikes at pawn shops if you need quick cash.
What’s The Best App For Selling Used Bikes
If you want to sell a used bike through your smartphone, apps like OfferUp and Mercari are excellent choices. You can also manage your Facebook Marketplace listings and negotiate with buyers with its mobile app.
Extra Reading – eBay vs Mercari – What’s Best For Sellers?
Who Buys Used Bikes Near Me?
Local bike shops and pawn shops might buy your used bike and then try to resell it for a profit. But in my experience, the best way to sell used bikes near you is to use local selling apps like Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp. Craigslist is also an excellent local selling option that’s completely free.
Where Can I Sell My Bike For Cash?
The best place to sell your bike for cash is on local selling marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp. I’ve sold a bike on Facebook Marketplace in the past, and you can usually find local buyers in a few days and deal completely in cash.
Pawn shops or hosting a garage sale can also work. And some used bike shops might pay cash for your bike. However, seller marketplaces find buyers the fastest in my experience.
Final Thoughts
I hope our list of the best places to sell used bikes helps you find a buyer for your ride or even start a new side hustle of flipping bikes!
If you’re looking for the easiest way to get your bike off your hands and get paid, you may want to sell locally. This means you don’t have to deal with the hassle of shipping and the sale is made on your terms.
If you have a higher-end bike you may want to look into the websites that specialize in these types of bikes. This way, you’re dealing with the experts and can rest assured that the sale of your bike is in good hands.
No matter which approach you take, if you have a bike that’s in good condition, you’re likely to find a buyer on one of these platforms and make some extra money!
Looking for even more ways to sell stuff for cash? Checkout:
