I want to buy an ebike but second hand, both for the cost reason and also as i think its a more sustainable option than buying a brand new one. I've been scouring facebook marketplace and ebay and have been so confused. So as i go through my research i will document the step by step approach i have been using to educate myself and ultimately make the right purchase.
It can be trecherous buying anything from ebay or facebook market place but its also an opportunity to get a good deal. So its all about doing a good amount of research and making a swift but well calculated decision. Even test riding bikes is a bit of a hassle for both the seller and the buyer so i want to get all the details and decision making done online even before test riding it.
As the bikes especially the good ones will sell fast, i need to act quickly but not too rashly. I also don't want to make the wrong decision or get ripped off. Its a balancing act between using my intuition and research skills and also not getting too bogged down in tiny details.
Advice
- Use chatgpt or ai (gemini) to find out specific factual info about the bike to compare features eg Battery details
- If you are not sure of the exact model you can use Google reverse image search to find out more info.
Good signs to look for
- Seller replies promptly and seems genuine
- The seller can answer questions about the bike like mileage etc. proving that it was actually their bike (rather than being stolen)
Option 1: Raleigh Motus Tour Low Step 2023
Price
£1200 / price when new £2100
Pros:
- Owned by a female
- looks after / kept inside
- low mileage 265km (165 miles)
- Seller has a legitimate reason for selling (moving to paris) and seems genuine, she also replied to all my messages very quickly (within the hour)
- good brand - easy to repair and get parts in London
Cons:
- A bit above my budget
- Could be too nice and a target for a thief
Option 2: Raleigh Felix 2023 Ebay
Price
£900 / price when new £2000 (approx)
Pros:
- Owned by 1 owner
- looks after / kept inside
- has paperwork
- good brand - easy to repair and get parts in London
Cons:
- A bit above my budget
- reason for selling?
- Could be too nice and a target for a thief
Option 3 Vitesse Pulse Ladies Hybrid E-Bike (facebook)
Price
£350 / price when new £950 (approx)
Pros:
- Owner willing to knock some money off for worn brake pads
- Cheap price so may be good for starting on the ebike journey
Cons:
- Photo doesn't match up with viewing address
- reason for selling?
- could be stolen?
- not a well known brand, difficult to buy so may be hard to get parts / repair
Option 4 Volt folding ebike (facebook)
Price
£430 / price when new £1600
Pros:
- Owner says in description that they hurt their back so valid reason for selling
- Cheap price so may be good for starting on the ebike journey
- Compact folding type so could. be a good format to transport etc
- Good brand
Cons:
- Seller slow to get back to me
- Why is it so cheap ? normally the second hand price is approx half of the new price
