Use Craiglist to Sell a Bicycle

It catches your eye every time you head out to the garage to start the car. You remember happy journeys on your 10-speed bicycle, and make plans to start biking again. But your busy life goes on, and your old bicycle collects dust. Before it falls into disrepair, why not go online and sell the bicycle to someone who can use it? Craigslist, the online classifieds website, is a perfect place to sell a bicycle.

Since it is very unlikely you want to ship your bicycle across the country, begin by finding the Craigslist page closest to your hometown. Amid the job offerings and personals, you will find a "For Sale" section with many categories of different types of merchandise. Pick the one that covers bicycles and get ready to write a successful ad.

Start your craiglist ad with a catchy headline. Do not bother with ampersands and asteriks in an attempt to attract attention. People searching for a good bicycle to buy won't be impressed. Instead, post exactly what you are selling: the make and model of the bike if applicable, the measurement, any special features, and the condition. Be honest, but feel free to put a more positive spin on the bicycle by focusing on its benefits. Something catchy like "Save Gas!" could be an attention getter.

The next thing you need to successfully sell a bicycle on Craigslist is a quality photo of the bike. Leave the computer and head out to the garage. Take some time to wash and shine your old bicycle so it looks its best. Stand the bicycle in front of a plain colored wall or use the driveway as your backdrop. Take a picture that shows the entire bicycle from the side and one from the front. If the bike has any special features such as speedometer or a light, take a close up shot of that section.

Load the photos from your camera to a free picture hosting site online. Link to them in the Craigslist advertisement, being sure to indicate what they are pictures of. These pictures will speak one thousand words about your bicycle for sale, but you still must write an add.

List all the specifications about the bicycle: make and model, measurements, handlebar style, seat style, type of tires, and anything else you can think of. Give some benefits why your particular bicycle is better to buy than any of the others listed on Craigslist. And list an asking price. Be honest, be positive, and you will sell your bicycle on Craigslist without a problem.