Buying Mountain Bikes Online To Avoid The Trap: The Right Reflexes

To stop worrying about buying a bike without even trying it: Develop the right reflexes when buying online, whether it's a new or a used mountain bike.

The right reflexes for the right online mountain bike purchase

As the growth far outstrips the growth of the car market, sales of bicycles in France continue to grow. Unfortunately, these good results also attract opportunists and scammers.

This is the flip side of any success.

While government agencies responsible for consumer protection and major ATV sales platforms are grappling with this new scourge with their resources, prevention remains the best way to counter this new illegal commercial practice.

Why mountain biking is the main goal?

MTB and VAE are the best selling bikes in France. The average price of a new bike is 500 euros and more than 2500 euros for an electric mountain bike (the price depends, among other things, on the type of engine and its battery).

In addition, 84% of regular cyclists are over 35 years old and 35% are over 65 years old. Periods of life when incomes are relatively comfortable compared to other demographic groups.

Therefore, some “scammers” target this market because of its significant potential in both volume and value.

Online shopping: the right reflexes

E-commerce continues to grow in France. In 80, the turnover amounted to almost 2017 million people, and now this mode of consumption has become part of the French habit. The development of specific applications and the emergence of the market will further highlight this trend.

The bicycle market, and especially the mountain bike market, is no exception.

If big brands like Alltricks.fr or Décathlon dominate the mountain biking market in France with the giant Amazon, other bike shopping sites are created every day with more or less seriousness.

Among the main misconceptions that are most often observed and condemned on the mountain bike forums, we find:

• fake,
• non-receipt of the ordered goods,
• theft of bank data ...

On the other hand, if credit card insurance allows you to get your money back in most cases, the time, frustration and stress that has arisen, unfortunately, cannot be recovered.

Even more alarming, counterfeit parts can endanger the lives of customers. Poor quality brake discs or helmets sold with the premium ATV logo can cause serious accidents. This may be related to purchases made on platforms located in Southeast Asia (e.g. China, Hong Kong, Vietnam).

To make the right choice in your decision, here are some simple tips:

• A price that is too low compared to the average price on other ecommerce sites should make you opt out;
• Most major brands of mountain bikes or bike accessories list their authorized dealers on their websites. When in doubt, feel free to reach out to these big brands directly on their websites or social media. They will be able to tell you if your doubts are justified.
• Websites listing major scam ecommerce sites are accessible with a few clicks on Google. Be sure to check with them if in doubt.

Simply put: "if there is a lot of sensationalism, you are mistaken for a dove."

Beware of certain sales between people

People-to-person classified ads sites like Leboncoin or Trocvélo (owned by Décathlon) are full of friendly people just wanting to sell their mountain bikes that they no longer use or would like to change. Unfortunately, these sites sometimes encounter malicious "middlemen".

Read more about these questionable methods in the special report Velook.fr (a blog dedicated to used bikes):

• When someone tries to sell you a used bike for something that it is not. This is usually a very large fake (several stickers on the frame);
• When someone tries to get money from you for a used bike that has already been sold to someone else. In any case, never send a wire transfer without seeing and especially trying the mountain bike you are interested in;
• When someone tries to sell you something other than the ATV shown in the ad photo. Often, the photo used to illustrate classified ads was sourced from a Google image.

To avoid falling for it, always trust your intuition. If in doubt, consult your dealer.

On some ad sites, you can see everything a person is selling.

If the seller of the ATV you are interested in offers dozens of bikes for sale, check to see if they are stolen. If his explanation seems incomprehensible to you, do not risk it.

Alternatively, call the seller and ask them to tell you why they decided to buy this bike.

Conclusion

Keep your common sense and critical mind even when buying an ATV online, check all the items mentioned above to avoid any unpleasant surprises.