How to sell your pre-loved mountain bike.

Sign up for the Trailinsider Newsletter:

What’s inside this week:
1. Insider’s guide to selling your pre-loved mountain bike.
2. Gadget of the week. (Since gadgets are part of what I do, this is a staple feature).
3. Shorts.
4. MTB vid of the week. How inclusion is supposed to look in sports.

Selling your pre-loved MTB.

So you’re looking to move on, maybe you have your eye on a new bike, or you just have the itch. Secondhand bikes are an enigma, when you are looking, there’s nothing worth looking at, and when you are selling, no one is buying.

Here are 10 steps to get your used bike sold:

1. Wash and clean your bike thoroughly.

2. Assess the condition.

Start from the top/front and work your way to the back- look for wear, damage, cracks. Make notes of everything that needs mentioning. Also a good time to make a list of components for the listing later.

3. Do I need to repair or change anything prior to selling?

Before listing your bike, consider whether it needs any repairs or upgrades. If you want to get a good price, it’s worth ensuring that everything is in solid working condition. For instance, if your bike has a 3x crankset and you have a single crankset lying around, swapping it out could make your bike more appealing to buyers. However, don’t go out and buy brand new parts just to sell the bike. If you need to fix anything, look for quality second hand parts to keep costs down while still making your bike a better deal.

4. Set up your bike and take great photos to showcase it.

• Typical views: Side views (drive side and non-drive side) then front angled and rear angled from both sides

• Cockpit: Capture clear shots of the brake levers, grips, and handlebars.

• Wheels: Highlight the tire condition and rim decals, and don’t shy away from showing any rim dings or tire damage.

• Drivetrain: Show the derailleur, crankset (both sides), and chainring for a comprehensive view.

• Details, Details, Details: Don’t forget the suspension, brakes, dropper post, and saddle.

Location: Choose a well-lit area with a clean, uncluttered background. If the background is busy, use a low F-stop (F1.8 - F4) to blur it and make your bike stand out.

Angles: Experiment with different angles to find what looks best. Check out a bike brand’s website for inspiration, but remember, you’ll need more photos since you’re selling used.

How Many Photos? As many as you can! Start with full side shots, move to 3/4 views, and then focus on close-up details. It’s better to have too many photos than too few—give potential buyers plenty to see.

5. Listing the bike - Information is king.

List every part of your bike in detail—include the brand, variant, size, and note any wear or damage. Do the same for any extras you’re including.

If there are extras you’re not including, like pedals, lights, or GPS, either remove them before taking photos or clearly state in the description that they’re not included.

Be honest and transparent in your listing. If you’re aware of any faults, mention them upfront. The phrase "as-is" doesn’t cut it if you’re hiding known issues. Our community values honesty—buyers will trust you more if you’re upfront about any irregularities.

Finally, don’t be afraid to inject a bit of your personality into the listing. You love this bike for a reason, so share that with potential buyers and help them see why it’s special.

Here is a great example:

Be realistic. Do market research and price accordingly.

Make sure you specify shipping terms.

6. Communication.

Be courteous, communicate clearly and in a timely manner. No, you don’t have to reply middle of the night or while driving, but chances are that a buyer will lose interest if you send one-word replies a day or two after they asked you a question.

7. Try to not get offended or bullied.

Low-ball offers are part of the game, so set your boundaries before listing. Decide in advance: maybe 15% under asking is a sell, 20-25% is negotiable depending on the buyer, and 30% under is a polite "no thanks." Anything lower? Feel free to ignore it.

Remember, many inquiries are just that—nothing may come of them, so don’t sweat it. And when it comes to dibs, soppy stories, or insults, let them slide like water off a duck’s back. You’re selling a bike, not signing up for unnecessary stress or financial loss. Keep your cool, and don’t feel pressured to take risks.

8. Don’t be that seller.

If you’ve set up a time and date to meet with a buyer who’s really keen, don’t turn around and sell the bike to someone else. It’s a tricky situation when you have multiple interested parties, but honesty is key. Be upfront—either go with “first come, first served,” or let others know that someone else is lined up to view the bike. If that falls through, promise to let them know right away. This way, everyone’s on the same page, and you maintain trust with potential buyers.

9. Safety - Meeting up:

When handing over the bike, make sure the funds have cleared your bank account before you let it go. Personally, I avoid cash transactions for larger amounts; if it's only a couple hundred bucks, you might choose to accept cash, but proceed with caution.

Take someone with you (buddy system is great) when meeting up, and set up the meeting in a safe space, or public place at a time when there are other people around. Also let someone know where you are heading and whom you are meeting when meeting up.

Trust your gut - I would rather offend a buyer and not give him/her a test ride, or not even engage when they get there, than get robbed. If they want to go for a spin, keep something of theirs, License, ID or credit card is a good idea. Phones and car keys are asking a bit much - but insist on keeping something.

10. Shipping a bike

Yes, you can sell bikes sight unseen—especially if you’ve followed steps 1 through 6. Just be aware that shipping can be pricey, so get quotes before finalizing the sale. Your Local Bike Shop (LBS) can usually pack the bike in a box with protective foam for a small fee. Alternatively, you can grab a used box from them and check out YouTube for plenty of tips on how to pack a bike properly

That's it, all you need to be a good seller.

Gadget of the week:

A quality chain cleaner. Try Parktool, Finish Line or Ryder. Tried and tested, these are worth every cent. Stiff horizontal and vertical brushed rollers are needed to get dried chain lube and dirt out of your chain links.
In my experience, the Muc-Off cleaner is not worth the money and the Icetools Scrubber does almost nothing to clean your chain.

Q. Can I still get money for my 26"bike?
A. The short answer is yes, but sadly not what you paid for it.

Since the industry has moved on, and away from 26" as the core wheelsize, replacement & compatible parts (especially wheels and tyres) are becoming harder to find. Keep this in mind when selling your bike, even though you loved your bike, the new buyer will also be facing these issues going forward, and rather than sit with your old bike, give it a second life and sell it for a reasonable price to someone that will appreciate it.

About the author:
Hello, I’m Francoin, an Industrial Designer in the cycling industry based in Somerset West, South Africa.

Tools, lights, accessories and bicycle frame design is my daily graft.

This newsletter is to share some of the experience & industry insight that I pick up along the way, with fellow cyclists. If you are new to the sport, or been riding for many years, I plan to give you something of interest in every edition.

Thanks for subscribing and Happy trails!

FV

Connect on Linkedin, and please share with your riding buddies.
Also let us know if you have any specific topics that you would like covered here for your coffee time reading.