Cyclesite mediates disputes for purchases made under Buyer Protection. Direct-collection sales are private contracts — Cyclesite can support both parties with evidence and messaging history but cannot rule on the contract itself.
When you can open a dispute
You have 48 hours from delivery to open a dispute if the bike does not match the listing. Common grounds:
- Bike does not match the photos or description
- Undisclosed damage discovered on delivery
- Frame number does not match the listing
- Listing claimed a feature (e.g. a groupset, a battery) the bike does not have
- Bike never arrived, despite courier confirmation
How to open a dispute
From your orders page, click "Open a dispute" on the relevant order. You'll be asked to:
- Pick a reason from the list above
- Describe the issue in your own words (max 1,000 chars)
- Upload photos or video of the problem (up to 10 files)
- State your preferred outcome (full refund, partial refund, return-and-refund)
Funds remain held in escrow while the dispute is open. The seller is notified within 1 hour and given 72 hours to respond.
Mediation timeline
- Day 0 — buyer opens dispute, seller notified.
- Day 1–3 — seller responds with their account of the situation and any counter-evidence.
- Day 3–5 — Cyclesite dispute team reviews both parties' evidence and the listing snapshot.
- Day 5–7 — ruling issued. If buyer wins, return-shipping label issued and funds released after the bike is scanned at the courier depot. If seller wins, escrow releases to them.
Possible outcomes
- Full refund — buyer returns the bike at our cost; full purchase price refunded once courier confirms scan.
- Partial refund — buyer keeps the bike; an agreed sum is refunded for the disclosed defect.
- Dispute denied — escrow releases to seller, no refund. The 48-hour Buyer Protection inspection window ends.
Evidence we use
- The listing as it appeared at the time of purchase
- All in-platform messages between buyer and seller
- Stolen-bike check result + frame number history
- Courier scan and tracking history
- Photos / video uploaded with the dispute
What this policy does not cover
- Direct-collection sales — these are private contracts. Use the small-claims process if you cannot resolve directly.
- Subjective preferences (e.g. "I changed my mind") — use the seller's own returns process if any, otherwise the sale is final.
- Wear consistent with the listed condition (e.g. minor scuffs on a bike listed as "Good").
Escalation
If you disagree with the dispute team's ruling, you can escalate via our complaints procedure within 14 days. Disputes involving regulated payments are also covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Related policies
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