Do you have an electric bike (e-bike) that’s taking up space in your house or apartment and want to get rid of it? If so, there are several ways to go about doing it aside from posting it on your local classifieds. Here are a few ideas when it comes to off-loading your used e-bike.

Selling your used electric bike

Electric bikes are great for commuting, especially if you work from home and only need a simple form of transportation to run errands. However, there are some cases when you want to upgrade your electric bike, or if you don’t use it, then you may want to get rid of it altogether. The first course of action would be to list it on sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

Fortunately, electric bikes have become increasingly popular in the last couple of years, so there are plenty of buyers that will gladly jump on a good deal. By listing the bike on your local classifieds, you’ll be able to advertise to buyers local to you and they will be able to come and pick the bike up without you needing to ship it.

To get things going, we recommend taking multiple pictures of the e-bike and then posting a detailed description of it. Be sure to post specs like whether it’s a single-speed or geared and whether it has disc brakes or clamp-style ones. Also detail the bike’s weight, electric range, and top speed as these are small details that buyers would like to know.

Also, listing as much information as possible, along with some detailed pictures, will weed out a lot of the simple questions that buyers may have. Additionally, remember to meet the buyer in a public place and only accept cash for the e-bike.

If you really need to get rid of your e-bike, here are a few other ideas

In case you really need to off-load that e-bike in a hurry, then you can check out your local pawn shops or bike shops to see if they will buy it. According to ebikesHQ, if a local bike shop sells used e-bikes, then it’s highly likely that they buy them too. Most pawn shops will accept nearly any bike as long as it’s in good or decent condition.

Just be prepared to be offered a dollar amount that could be lower than what you really want for the bike. That’s the price that you pay for wanting to sell an electric bike quickly.

eBay is an option as well

If you don’t mind the possibility of having to ship the electric bike, then you can always list it on eBay. Fortunately, you do have the option to sell it locally if you go that route. However, you’ll cast a wider buying net if you can ship it. Just note that shipping a bike can be expensive and cumbersome when it comes to packaging it correctly.

Avoid scams when selling an e-bike online

No matter how you choose to sell your electric bike online, it’s important to take the necessary precautions when doing so. Here are a few guidelines for staying safe:

• Don’t give anyone your personal information: Keep your personal information like your address, phone number, or even your e-mail private. Use the in-app chat tools, like on Facebook Marketplace, to communicate with buyers and remember to meet in a public place.
• Meet in a safe area: If you’re planning to meet in a public space, then you can do so safely in places like a police station. Many stations have Safe Exchange Points so you can conduct business safely.
• Check the bike’s value: Visit Bicycle Blue Book to check your e-bike’s value first before posting it everywhere.
• Get a deposit: If you have a potential buyer on the line, it’s a good idea to get a deposit from them before taking it on a test ride. You never know if they might ride off with it. But if you get a deposit, they’re less likely to do so.

Ultimately, selling your e-bike isn’t too hard, it could just take time. Be patient and make sure to be as detailed as possible when posting it online. That way, you can get rid of it quicker and free up some space in your house or apartment.