• Select a Bicycle That Fits Your Needs

• Determine Your Bicycle Size

• Get Must-Have Bicycle Gear

• Find Bicycles on eBay

• Buy Bicycles With Confidence

Select a Bicycle That Fits Your Needs

Select a Bicycle That Fits Your Needs

Before you begin shopping, you should realistically examine how you plan to use your new bicycle. There are many types, so you’ll want to find one that fits your individual needs.

• Road racing bicycles: Designed for use on paved roads (opposed to track-racing bikes designed for tracks), road racing bikes are designed for speed. They have a lightweight frame made of aluminum or carbon. Riders usually sit at an incline, crouched toward the handlebars in a streamlined position.

• Off-roading bicycles: Mountain bikes have the weight and tread you need to move around unpaved areas. They can have tires more than 1.75 inches wide, up to 27 speeds, toe clips to keep your feet on the pedals, and often come with a dense foam seat/saddle that has some stitching to keep you from slipping around while you ride.

• Hybrid bicycles: Hybrid bikes make great all-purpose bicycles. Hybrids allow riders to sit in a more comfortable upright position than mountain bikes, lightweight frames make them perfect for use on pavement, and they can handle light off-roading on dirt and gravel.

• Comfort cruisers: Comfort bikes have the same sporty look as mountain bikes, but let riders sit more upright for superior comfort. Although they will not go as fast as a hybrid bike or deal with rough terrain as well as a mountain bike, they work great for beginners, commuters, or people who want to take a ride through the park.

• Hanging out: Older kids and teenagers love BMX bikes, which have the look of a motocross dirt bike. They have higher handlebars than road bikes and mountain bikes and the frames look small compared to the rider.

• Kids bicycles: Bikes geared toward younger kids have a small frame and raised handlebars fit a child's body. They also include a spoke guard and coaster brakes that allow a child to stop when pedaling backwards.

• Nostalgic or retro bicycles: With a banana seat and high handlebars, lowrider bikes are a blast from the past. You can also find vintage bicycles and parts on eBay.

• Recumbent bicycles: Recumbent bikes allow riders to sit in a chair-like seat lower to the ground than traditional elevated seats. Although some people may be taken aback by the unconventional look, recumbent bikes offer riders a comfortable place to sit back and relax.

• Tandem bicycles: Great for a day in the park, tandem bikes have enough room for two or more people. Share your pedaling power!

• Unicycles: Show off your amazing balance and astound your friends with a unicycle.

Determine Your Bicycle Size

Determine Your Bicycle Size

Now that you know what type of bicycle you want, find out what size you need. You’ll need to know your height and inseam measurement.

Wheel rim size

Some sellers will list a bike's wheel rim size, which works as a great measurement when you shop for a child-size bike.

• 12-inch: Child 28 to 38 inches tall.

• 16-inch: Child 38 to 48 inches tall.

• 20-inch: Child 48 to 60 inches tall.

• 24-inch: Adult with a 30.5 to 33.5-inch inseam.

• 26-inch: Adult with a 33.5-inch or greater inseam

Frame size

Different frames fit different people. More specifically, different seat tubes work for different inseam measurements. Adult bikes normally come with 12 to 26 inch (31 to 65 centimeter) frames, measured from the top of the seat tube to the middle of the bottom bracket. Road bike frames are measured in centimeters (divide by 2.54 to convert to inches) while mountain bikes and hybrids measure frame size in inches.

To find your perfect fit, find your inseam measurement in inches and do a little math.

• Mountain bikes and hybrids: Multiply your inseam by .59 and round to the nearest whole number.

• Comfort bikes: Multiply your inseam by .65 and round to the nearest whole number.

• Road bikes: Multiply by 2.54 to convert your inseam measurement to centimeters, multiply your product by .65, and round to the nearest whole number.

Different manufacturers can use one of several methods to measure frame size. When you find a bicycle listing that interests you, contact the seller to determine how they measured. eBay sellers will happily answer questions and help you make sure you purchase a bicycle that fits your body. Simply click the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile in a listing.

Bicycles designed for women

For the best fit, shop for a woman's bike. It will have a seat designed especially for a woman's pelvis and shorter top tube to avoid uncomfortable stretching when using the handlebars.

Get Must-Have Bicycle Gear

Get Must-Have Bicycle Gear

Stay safe and look great while you ride your bicycle.

• Bicycle safety: Make sure motorists can see you on the road with safety lights and reflectors. Maintain proper tire pressure with a pump.

• Personal protection: Keep your knees and elbows protected with pads and use a full face helmet or a standard bike helmet, available for adults and kids.

• Food & water: Carry a water bottle or hydration pack to ensure you'll stay hydrated. Also get a bag or basket to carry food, clothing, or anything else you want to take along for the ride.

• Bicycle clothing: Wearing the right shorts, pants, bibs, jerseys, t-shirts, jackets, and vests can streamline your ride. Don't forget socks, booties, leg warmers, and shoes designed for mountain biking or road racing.

• Bicycle acessories: Make sure your hands and head stay warm with gloves and hats. Keep sun, dust, and dirt out of your eyes with sunglasses and goggles.

• Bicycle storage: When you're not riding, keep your bike stored on a stand or on hooks. Make sure to lock it up in public locations. You can also store your bike or take it on vacation with a car rack.

• Bring the kids: Take small children on a ride with a bike seat or trailer.

Find Bicycles on eBay

Find Bicycles on eBay

Once you know what type of bike you want, go the Sporting Goods portal, click Cycling, and start searching for items on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of the page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for BMX Bikes, Comfort Bikes, Kids Bikes, Mountain Bikes, and Road Bikes. As you dig deeper into the site you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by brand.

• Keywords: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a new mountain bike, type "new mountain bike" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

• Let sellers help: A good item listing should include information about Listings should also include a clear picture. If you want to know about information not included in a listing, email the seller your question by clicking "Ask seller a question" under the seller's profile.

If you can't seem to find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Bicycles With Confidence

Buy Bicycles With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.