Selling a used bike can be a giant pain! As a bike reviewer, I sell a lot of bikes, and I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve wanted to rip my hair out dealing with potential buyers on classified sites.
There are the folks who will ask you a million questions and then ghost you, folks who will give you outrageously low-ball offers (or ask to trade), and don’t even get me started on folks who just never show up.
The good news is that I’ve recently discovered an easier way to do it! Cycle Limited is an online retailer of pre-owned bicycles that will buy your used bike from you.
Unlike classified sites like Facebook marketplace or Pinkbike, where you have to deal with buyers yourself, Cycle Limited will actually buy your bike from you outright and then list it on their site.
Selling This 2022 Pivot Firebird
To test the process for myself, I decided to see how much I could get for this 2022 Pivot Firebird that’s been sitting in our garage for a while. The bike actually belongs to a buddy of ours.
After unsuccessfully trying to sell the bike himself in the DC area, he asked if we would take it. Our local market has more demand than his, and he thought it might sell faster here.
Spoiler alert: it did not. Turns out the post-COVID bike slump is a real thing.
After sitting on Pinkbike for several months with no bites, he agreed to let me see how much we could get for it by selling it to Cycle Limited.
The original (unsuccessful) Pinkbike listing
Submitting The Bike To Cycle Limited
Now, Cycle Limited doesn’t take just any bike. It has to have an original retail value of $1,500 or more, be a model year 2010 or newer, and it can’t be broken. We were good in all those areas, so moved on to filling out their online form.
I was super careful to provide plenty of information on the bike, including all parts that were different from the original spec, and took pictures of wear, scratches, and damage.
Screenshots from my online form submission
I’d been told by friends who had used Cycle Limited previously that if you don’t properly disclose all this information, they might reduce the price you ultimately get after they’ve inspected the bike in person. By then, you’ve already shipped the bike, so make sure you’re honest and upfront about the condition of the bike so that you don’t end up with any headaches later.
Receiving An Offer
I submitted the form at 12:52p on a Monday, and received an email response at 12:06p on Tuesday. Less than 24 hours, and within the 1-2 business days that they generally aim to respond within.
The offer came in for $3,400 in store credit or $3,050 in cash. This felt like an amazing offer considering that you’re going thru a middle man.
The offer I received from Cycle Limited
Yes, the offer was a little less than my buddy had been asking on Pinkbike, but he was also ready to be done with the hassle of trying to sell the bike.
Boxing Up And Shipping The Bike
Once you accept the offer, you’ll get a pre-paid shipping label.
To ship the bike, you need a bike box and shipping materials. I’m fortunate in that we get a lot of review bikes, so I had a bunch of shipping materials and a bike box on hand.
If you don’t, go to the UPS store and get some bubble wrap and foam. You’ll also need zip ties and tape to secure everything, and newspaper to fill the box.
Cycle Limited has instructions on their website on how to package everything. It takes a little bit of time, but it’s not hard.
For a bike box, call or visit your local bike shop and ask if they have any spares you could take. (They usually do). They may even have extra shipping materials if you ask nicely.
Once you have the bike boxed up, tape it up, slap the pre-paid label on the box, and drop it off to UPS.
Getting Paid & Final Thoughts
Once Cycle Limited receives the bike and inspects it, they’ll pay you on the 12th business day following. You can request payment via check or PayPal.
The whole thing is pretty darn simple. It’s not THE easiest sales process I’ve ever been through (that would be selling a bike to a local friend), but if you haven’t had any luck with that, then I’d say selling to Cycle Limited is the next best choice.
You don’t have to deal with unreliable buyers and you get cash (or store credit) fast. I was pleased with how straightforward and easy the process was.
Other Stuff You Might Like
- How To Buy A Used Bike (Don’t Get Scammed!)
- How to Clean and Lube Your Bike Chain (It’s Easy!)
- Training Zones For Cycling Explained
About The Author
Kristen Bonkoski is a USA cycling and NICA coach, bike educator, and founder of Femme Cyclist.
She’s also the host of the Femme Cyclist podcast and runs Rascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.
She’s been riding bikes for more than two decades and is passionate about empowering women on the bike.
IG: @femme_cyclist