Selling online safely comes down to three things: who you're dealing with, how you take payment, and how the bike changes hands. For buyers, stick to platforms that verify accounts and let you see a message history — random DMs on social platforms are where most of the scams happen. For payment, never accept a cheque or an "overpayment" offer, and watch bank transfers land in your own banking app before handing over the bike (screenshots are faked in seconds). Cash is still fine for in-person sales but count it before the buyer leaves. For remote sales, use an escrow-protected marketplace that holds the buyer's money until they confirm the bike arrived as described — on Cyclesite this is a 48-hour inspection window after delivery. For handover, meet in a public place during daylight for test rides, hold photo ID and the full cash value while they ride, and take a photo of the buyer with the bike at the point of sale. Record the frame number on the receipt so ownership is clearly transferred. These five habits eliminate the overwhelming majority of selling scams.
Cyclesite is more than a marketplace. It’s a UK-wide community of riders buying, selling and talking bikes every day.
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