There is no doubt that this triathlon game can be expensive.... very expensive! Luckily I come from a motorsport background so any money I spend doing this will almost certainly be a saving on what I used to spend doing seasons of motorcycle racing and motox!
Even so it will always pay to be prudent with your cash and seek out the most economical and best thought out purchases to A) make you competitive (I mean able to take part at the level you want to) and B) not in the dog house with the other half when one more "Wiggle" box comes through the door!
ebay is with doubt a great place to start your Triathlon stock cubed and indeed also a place where you can upgrade your equipment and machinery,....
But is what your looking at on eBay really a good deal???....
...and can it be that spending a bit more cash will give you a sense of security and also a better product that suits you?
Well lets start by working out what kind of buyer you are! like we all have different learning styles we can also have different styles when it comes to procuring goods. For example i'm a deliberater constantly looking for something else, something better or different. This is not a great characteristic when looking for something on eBay as it can pay dividends to be the kind of shopper that reacts on impulse or is clear and resolute on what they want to buy.
Other characteristics that are not useful for buying on eBay are, Try before you buy! this is often difficult as the goods can be old and finding the exact one to try may be impossible. The whimsical buyer, now you would think form my last statement that people buying on a whim would be good for eBay but no this is counter productive as you just end up with lots of goods you don't really need or indeed suit you for the job you need them to.
Good characteristics to adopt when buying on eBay are Researching, know exactly the range model type, competitors models, pricing etc... this will allow you to sort the wheat from the chaff! Patience, Know what you want and how much you want to pay and be prepared to walk away from silly bids that just keep going up, yes its okay to go over budget but remain unemotional "another will be along soon" mindset. A great tip for this is to always buy your equipment and machinery at stage times both in the year and in a 24hour period. What I mean by this is that off season summer gear, summer bikes will be low cost as everyones focus is on the cold weather, have some foresight and keep your eye open for those people upgrading in the shops sales.... also mid season is a great time to pick up deal! Injury, underforefillment of goals, change in circumstance all means people will be getting rid of great gear cheap to forget about there lack of participation or ability to perform! In a 24 hour period is explained by looking at the eBay sales that end after 9pm at night! these are always due to people coming home from work, training or the pub and making the decision to sell not realising that the auction will finish the time they started it... late, or in sociable time when people are generally out! great time to get a bargain! Be Cheeky, set your search critia to newly listed and send out DM's to all the new listers of products you want asking them to settle outisde of eBay and offering them an up front some (sure eBay wouldn't be happy about that) but its worth a shot, on things like bikes where the selling fees can be hefty there can be some success!
Things you should really know and be thinking about when buying triathlon gear on eBay!
Bikes- As people upgrade and grow out of love with their steeds eBay is no doubt a great place to pick up a bargain! But beware always think of the following...
Size:- bike fitters would always say buy new or from a shop that fits you to the bike, this can be beneficial but knowing the top tube length and the other important measurements of the bike your looking at can almost certainly get you in the right area, with a possibility of changing handle bars stem etc to refine the fit! However bear in mind TT bikes and Carbon road bike may have funny shaped frames meaning the seat posts are often cut, sawn down to fit the rider, it may be that you are able to DM the seller and request their vitals, leg measurement, height frame etc.. and ask them whether it has been cut down! for example Specialized Transition TT Bikes have this issue and the seat posts are now almost impossible to get hold off reaching a premium price on eBay when ever they come up for sale! (I know i have one)
Wetsuits, This is a piece of equipment that I don't think you can buy on eBay without a hell of a lot of research and a lt of visits to shops with out buying anything! wetsuits should be brought on fit and there are so many different fits out their! Take me for example i'm 85kilos and i'm what most people describe as stocky (short and fat) there only two brands of wetsuits I can find that fit me is Blue Seventy and Mako (and I've tried a lot on) especially when triathlon wetsuits need to be so tight anyway, i think its best to find a venue that allows you to try before you buy! Mallory park, adventure lakes in Lincoln and discipline of 3 in stratford upon avon all have either open water or infinity pools for you to try! or indeed one of the triathlon shows, Excel or Sandown Park. It is at the point you have tried it on and ideally swam in it that you can then, if your conscience allows walk away and buy on eBay? personally I wouldn't and I would support your local shop in this instance.
Me in my Blue Seventy Spirit wetsuit 
In essence I think the moto buyer beware should be always in your mind, but you should be open to the fact that eBay is still a great place to buy from carefully so I would say
"Buyer get out there!....and bid"
No comments:
Post a Comment