Cycling Market: bike listings bot

Selling a bike or spare parts in general chats means waiting for your post to sink under a hundred others. Cycling Market gathers cycling listings around one dedicated channel, and the bot lets you manage them and your orders from one place.

It opens as a Telegram mini app with the catalog, your own listings and statistics at hand. It suits sellers, and it suits anyone hunting for a cheaper frame or wheelset. 🚲

What the bot does

The profile says the bot handles listing and order management. The /start command opens the main menu, and /stats shows statistics.

• Main menu. The entry point: from here you go to the catalog or to your own listings.
• Catalog. Browse items inside the mini app, no scrolling through a feed.
• Listings and orders. Manage what you have posted or ordered.
• Statistics. A summary of your activity on the platform.

Alongside it you'll find a channel with the listings feed, a support contact and a community chat. The bot's profile points to all of them.

Anatomy of a good listing

Buyers in the bike market look at the same things every time. The fuller the listing, the sooner the first message arrives.

• Price. State an honest figure. Haggling will start anyway.
• Condition. New or used, and for used items, a description of wear.
• City. Many buyers only do pickup, so location matters.
• Shipping. Say whether delivery is possible and who pays for it.
• Photos. A few shots in good light, including the frame serial number.

A serial number in the photos protects both sides: the buyer sees the bike isn't stolen, and you show you're serious.

Buying a used bike? Check three things

1. Inspect the frame for cracks near the welds and the head tube. Carbon is best examined in person.
2. Check wear on the chain, cassette and brake rotors. Those are the most expensive consumables to replace.
3. Ask for proof that the seller owns the bike: a receipt, older photos, correspondence with the shop.

When the price is far below the market, there is usually a reason. Verify first, then decide. 🔍

Meeting a stranger safely

Meet in daylight in a busy place, and bring a friend if the sum is large. Hand over money only after the inspection and a test ride.

If you ship, agree on the payment method in advance and keep the receipt and photos of the packaging. Prepaying a stranger with no safeguards is the most common way to lose money. 💸

Selling? A few tricks

Wash the bike before taking photos: a clean drivetrain in the picture builds trust at once. Put the model, year and frame size in the first line so buyers don't have to ask.

Reply fast. Many people message several sellers at once and pick whoever answered first. Decide in advance how much you're willing to drop the price, and don't bounce between offers. ⏱️

When something goes wrong

The platform has a separate support contact listed in the bot's profile. Describe the problem, attach screenshots of the conversation and don't delete messages until it is resolved.

Sellers should keep their listings current: close an item as soon as it is sold, so you don't field pointless questions.