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Trust and safety on Cyclesite
How Cyclesite keeps buyers and sellers safe.
How Cyclesite keeps buyers and sellers safe.
Cyclesite is built on transparency, verification and user education. Sellers give us the frame number and we check it against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports before the listing goes live. Pricing is a flat fee, tiered by asking price, shown before anyone commits, and there is no commission on classified sales.
This page explains how Cyclesite protects the UK cycling community, what we do, and what we deliberately do not do.
Cyclesite only deals with bicycles, which lets us build bike-specific verification and write detailed, relevant safety guidance.
Rather than promising protection we cannot guarantee, we give you the tools and knowledge to protect yourself. Every safety guide, verification check and pricing tool on Cyclesite is designed to help you make better decisions.
Each pillar covers a specific part of the system.
Cyclesite is a classified advertising platform. We connect buyers and sellers, but we do not operate like eBay or Amazon.
Important. All transactions are between you and the other party. Cyclesite provides tools and guidance, but you are responsible for your own safety. If something feels wrong, trust your instincts and walk away.
Understanding UK law helps you protect yourself when buying or selling bikes privately.
Quick links to every trust and safety resource on Cyclesite.
We provide the tools - stolen bike verification, safety guides, seller history. For most sales the transaction happens directly between you and the seller, so meet in person, inspect the bike, verify the frame number yourself, and use common sense. For added protection, optional Buyer Protection with escrow (via Stripe) is available on eligible transactions. Most transactions happen without problems.
Every frame number gets run against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports before the listing goes live. Matches get flagged for our Trust and Safety team to review and report. This deters thieves from using the platform because stolen stock gets spotted and removed.
UK law is clear: you cannot keep stolen property regardless of how you acquired it. The bike goes back to its owner. You might recover costs through household insurance or civil action against the seller. Our verification reduces this risk significantly, but no system catches everything. Verify the frame number yourself as a second check.
For most classified sales, no - payment happens directly between buyer and seller. Cash works best for in-person sales - immediate and final. Bank transfer works if you verify funds have arrived before releasing the bike. Avoid PayPal Friends and Family and never send deposits before viewing. For added protection on eligible transactions, optional Buyer Protection holds your payment in escrow via Stripe until you confirm the bike is as described.
For direct classified sales we cannot arbitrate - private sales offer limited legal recourse, as the bike only needs to match its description. Business sellers fall under the Consumer Rights Act. Where you paid with Buyer Protection, you can open a dispute within the 48-hour inspection window: funds stay in escrow until it is resolved and we mediate. For fraud, report to Action Fraud and your bank. Keep message records as evidence. Prevention beats cure: inspect thoroughly before paying.
Check their profile history and ratings from previous buyers. Verified badges mean something. Communicate through our messaging so there is a record. Meet in person, ideally somewhere public. If the story keeps changing or they refuse normal requests like test rides, walk away. Instinct usually gets it right.
To check it against stolen databases before your listing goes live. Buyers know bikes on this platform have been verified. Thieves know their stolen goods will get flagged. The frame number also helps with insurance claims, registration, and proving you own what you are selling.
We are UK-first and bike-specific. Every listing with a frame number is automatically checked against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports, and listing is free during our launch, with no commission on classified sales. eBay is a much larger general marketplace, free to list for UK private sellers in most categories, but it has no bike-specific verification, no frame-size or groupset filters, and a shipping process that most standard couriers will not handle for a full-sized bike. Different trade-offs for different priorities.
From a private seller, probably not. UK law only requires goods match their description. From a business seller, the Consumer Rights Act gives you more protection. For direct sales we do not process the payment, so we cannot process a refund - but where you paid with Buyer Protection, raise a dispute within the 48-hour inspection window and an eligible refund is handled through the escrow process. Inspect the bike properly before handing over money. Prevention is easier than dispute.
Use the Report Abuse link on any listing or contact support directly. Tell us what looks wrong. We investigate every report and ban fraudulent accounts. If money actually changed hands fraudulently, also report to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) and your bank.
Encrypted, securely hosted, GDPR compliant. We do not sell data to third parties. Your contact details stay private until you choose to share them with a buyer or seller. See the Privacy Policy for the full details.
Report to police first - call 101, get a crime reference number. Then mark it stolen on UK stolen-bike databases. Contact your insurer within their required timeframe. Monitor online marketplaces including this one. If you spot your bike listed, do not confront the seller - tell the police and let them handle it.
Report suspicious activity, ask a question or reach the support team.