Get my eBay bike from Brownsville, TX to Phoenix!
August 27, 2014 8:23 PM Subscribe
There's a bike that I want to buy from a pawn shop on eBay for local pickup only. It's a screaming good deal, of the exact size and frame that I have been looking for.
Obviously, living in Phoenix, I can't pick it up, and the pawn shop won't ship it. Any ideas (hopefully from a Brownsville native)?
I was thinking about calling a local bike shop and seeing if they would pick it up and break it down and box it for me, but I'm not sure if local bike shops like when they get undersold by eBay! I'd be willing to pay for that, obviously, along with the cost of shipping.
Any ideas? I was thinking that something like Taskrabbit might work, but it's not available in Brownsville.
I was thinking about calling a local bike shop and seeing if they would pick it up and break it down and box it for me, but I'm not sure if local bike shops like when they get undersold by eBay! I'd be willing to pay for that, obviously, along with the cost of shipping.
Any ideas? I was thinking that something like Taskrabbit might work, but it's not available in Brownsville.
Based on the time I've spent working in a shop (about six years), the bike shop shouldn't have a problem with boxing your bike up, but it might take some sweet talking to get them to pick it up for you (best to try and arrange for this to happen in the middle of the week some time, not on the weekend). Bike shops don't really make their money selling bikes, anyway—the bulk of that comes from selling parts, accessories and service (including shipping bikes). Some shops only box bikes and won't ship them, too, so be sure to get that clarified.
I'd save that hypothetical tune up for when the bike arrived, too, to be honest. Tuning the bike up just to tear it down and box it means doing at least some of it over again, since building a bike out of a box is about as close as you can get to tuning it up without actually calling it that.
posted by Chutzler at 9:55 PM on August 27, 2014
I'd save that hypothetical tune up for when the bike arrived, too, to be honest. Tuning the bike up just to tear it down and box it means doing at least some of it over again, since building a bike out of a box is about as close as you can get to tuning it up without actually calling it that.
posted by Chutzler at 9:55 PM on August 27, 2014
I doubt any bike shop wants to be your go-between for a too-good-to-be-true ebay scam and/or pawn shop stolen bike deal.
That's what I'd be thinking if you came to me with this proposal.
posted by ryanrs at 2:02 AM on August 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
That's what I'd be thinking if you came to me with this proposal.
posted by ryanrs at 2:02 AM on August 28, 2014 [5 favorites]
If you find a shop that can pack and ship bikes, see if the seller (assuming he/she's legit) will drop it off for you.
posted by karlos at 9:38 AM on August 28, 2014
posted by karlos at 9:38 AM on August 28, 2014
See if Brownsville has a subreddit on Reddit. Most U.S. localities do. I've seen exactly this sort of stuff posted on my local subreddit and people almost invariably step up to help out, for free or for a nominal cost.
posted by killdevil at 12:59 PM on August 28, 2014
posted by killdevil at 12:59 PM on August 28, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
Well, you weren't going to be buying a bike from a shop in Brownsville, were you? Call them up, explain you live in Phoenix, and if they can do it and what they would charge. It might sweeten the deal if you want to buy a tuneup before it's shipped. If they don't like it they'll say no.
posted by yohko at 9:28 PM on August 27, 2014 [1 favorite]