What is Cyclesite and how does it work?

Cyclesite is a UK marketplace for buying and selling used bikes. Sellers photograph the bike's serial number when listing, and we check it against stolen bike databases before it goes live. Buyers browse for free, message sellers, and pay through Stripe with escrow protection. Listing fees start from £10.99.

Is it safe to buy a second-hand bike on Cyclesite?

Yes. The serial number photo that sellers provide when listing does two things: it proves the seller physically has the bike, and it lets us check the serial against stolen bike databases. If the bike comes back as reported stolen, the listing is blocked. Payments go through Stripe with escrow, so your money is held until you confirm you're happy. If something goes wrong, our dispute team can step in. You can also check any bike yourself for free at cyclesite.co.uk/stolen-bikes.

How much does it cost to sell a bike?

Listing fees start from £10.99 for a standard listing. Auction listings may include additional fees. There are no hidden charges, and you can see the full pricing breakdown on our pricing page before you list.

What bikes can I find on Cyclesite?

Everything from road bikes and mountain bikes to electric bikes, gravel bikes, hybrids, kids' bikes, and folding bikes. You'll find popular brands like Specialized, Trek, Giant, Canyon, Cannondale, and Brompton, plus smaller and boutique brands. Listings cover the whole of the UK, with bikes available in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol, and hundreds of other towns and cities.

How are payments handled?

Secure payments are available through Stripe. When you choose to pay through the platform, your money can be held in escrow until you've confirmed the bike matches the listing. Buyers and sellers can also arrange payment directly if they prefer.

Cyclesite vs Preloved Comparison

Cyclesite is the UK's trusted bicycle marketplace with seller profiles and ratings, quality listings, and stolen-bike verification. Unlike Preloved, every listing on Cyclesite is automatically checked against stolen bike databases. Cyclesite uses transparent listing fees from £10.99 (vs Preloved's Free (basic)), with optional Buyer Protection shown up front at checkout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Preloved a good place to sell a bike?

Preloved is a long-running UK classifieds site where bikes are one category among many. It is free to list for basic adverts, with paid upgrades available. It has no cycling-specific filters or stolen-bike verification. Cyclesite is a dedicated cycling marketplace with automatic stolen-bike checks and a listing fee from £10.99.

Does Preloved check for stolen bikes?

No, Preloved does not run listings against UK stolen-bike databases. Cyclesite automatically checks every listing against UK stolen-bike databases before it goes live.

Preloved vs Cyclesite for bikes?

Preloved is a general UK classifieds site with a long track record across many categories. Cyclesite is bicycle-specific, with frame-size and component filters, a bike valuation tool, stolen-bike checks and a cycling-focused audience.

Is Preloved free to use?

Preloved offers free basic listings with optional paid upgrades for extra visibility. Cyclesite charges a listing fee from £10.99, which includes automatic stolen-bike verification and access to a cycling-specific audience.

Cyclesite vs Preloved

Where's the best place to buy or sell your bicycle?

Cyclesite

Preloved

Here, we compare online bicycle marketplaces Cyclesite and Preloved.

*Comparisons based on publicly available information as of 13 April 2026. Fees and features may change, check each platform for current pricing.

Seller fees

From £10.99

Free (basic)

Stolen Check

Yes

UK Focus

Yes

Bike-Specific

Yes

How is Cyclesite different to Preloved?

Cyclesite

Cyclesite is the UK's trusted bicycle marketplace, connecting you to private sellers and buyers across the country. Every listing is automatically verified against stolen bike databases.

Preloved

Preloved has been part of the UK online classifieds landscape since 1998, covering everything from furniture and pets to vehicles and property. Bicycles are one category among many. The platform is UK-focused, offers both free and paid listings, and has a local-collection emphasis that suits bulky items. For bicycles specifically, Preloved is a general classifieds site rather than a cycling marketplace. There are no frame-size, groupset or component filters, no bike valuation tool, and no verification against UK stolen-bike databases. Listings compete for attention alongside every other category, and the audience is broad rather than cycling-focused.

Cycling-specific platform vs general classifieds

Preloved is a general classifieds site. Bikes sit alongside furniture, vehicles and pets, with no cycling-specific search, filters or tooling.

Cyclesite advantage: Cyclesite is built around bicycles: frame-size and groupset filters, component specs, a bike valuation tool and a cycling-focused audience.

Stolen bike verification

Preloved does not verify listings against UK stolen-bike databases.

Cyclesite advantage: Every Cyclesite listing is automatically checked against these sources before it goes live.

Audience composition

Preloved's audience is broad, browsing across many categories rather than arriving specifically for bikes.

Cyclesite advantage: Cyclesite's audience is UK cyclists actively shopping for a bike, informed enquiries tend to follow.

Cyclesite Strengths

General classifieds format, no bike-specific tools
No verification against UK stolen-bike databases
No frame-size, groupset or component filters
Broad audience rather than a cycling-focused one
Smaller reach than the biggest UK classifieds platforms

Preloved Strengths

Long-established UK brand, operating since 1998
Genuinely UK-focused platform with local search
Free basic listings with paid upgrades available
Local-collection emphasis suits bulky items
Covers a wide range of categories under one site

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Preloved a good place to sell a bike?

Does Preloved check for stolen bikes?

No, Preloved does not run listings against UK stolen-bike databases. Cyclesite automatically checks every listing against UK stolen-bike databases before it goes live.

Preloved vs Cyclesite for bikes?

Is Preloved free to use?

Compare Other Platforms

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Ready to Try Cyclesite?

Join the UK's safest bicycle marketplace. Every listing stolen-checked. Transparent pricing from £10.99. Built for cyclists.

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