bikes · British Columbia

Where to sell bikes and sports gear in Vancouver

3 businesses in and around Vancouver that buy used bikes from the public — what each takes, and whether you are offered a purchase, a consignment or a loan.

Verified 2026-09-24 from each organization's own website. We are not affiliated with anyone listed here, nobody pays to be included, and we receive nothing if you sell to them.

How to tell what you have got

Before you call anyone, two minutes with the object settles most of it. None of this needs an expert — it needs a flashlight and a look at the back.

  • A lugged steel road bike from roughly 1970 to 1989 carrying a tubing decalLook at the seat tube and down tube for a decal naming the tubing: Reynolds 531, Columbus SL, SP or SLX, Tange, or Ishiwata. The frame joints are lugs, meaning sleeves with shaped, scalloped edges, not smooth welds. The shift levers are on the down tube, not the handlebars. A magnet will not stick to the rims. On a Reynolds frame, read the whole decal rather than just the number. Reynolds' own 1972 booklet on what the 531 decals guarantee sets out the hierarchy: the top decals promise 531 stays, taper-gauge forks and butted frame tubes, while a decal reading only "butted frame tubes" covers the top, seat and down tubes and leaves the fork blades and stays as lesser material. The words "forks & stays" are what tell you the 531 runs through the whole frame.
  • Any adult bike with alloy rims that rolls, brakes and shiftsMagnet-test the rims, not the spokes or the frame. Our Community Bikes in Vancouver gives the test in a parenthesis on its donation page: "(if a magnet sticks to the rim it's steel)". If the magnet falls off, the rims are alloy — that inference is ours, not theirs, but it is the whole point of the test.
  • Hockey skates, protective gear and sticks in sizes people actually needSkates with steel left above the blade holder and no deep rust pitting, pads with intact straps and foam that has not crushed flat, and sticks with no cracks at the hosel. On any helmet, the CSA sticker must be present, legible and unpainted.
  • Skis and snowboards whose bindings are less than ten years oldFind the binding model and its year, not the ski's year. Snow Valley Ski Club's swap in Edmonton states that "Skis with bindings older than 10 years may not be accepted." It gives no reason for the rule.
  • Cast iron and steel free weights, Olympic plates and dumbbellsThe weight is cast or stamped into the iron. There is no motor, no display and no electronics, so there is nothing on it that can be broken.
  • A recent e-bike whose battery still holds chargeThe pack charges and holds that charge overnight, the casing is not swollen or cracked, the contacts are free of corrosion, and the display powers up and reports a sensible range.

Rarely worth anything

Not a rule, and not a reason to bin something without asking. These are the things people most often expect to be worth money and find are not.

  • Entry-level dual-suspension mountain bikes
  • A bike with steel rims
  • A bike that has sat outside and seized
  • Used bicycle helmets
  • Used ski and snowboard helmets
  • Straight, unshaped downhill skis
  • Skis and boards with bindings more than ten years old
  • An e-bike with a dead battery
Bicycle helmets are single-impact items and must be replaced after any impact Canada, national guidance from Parachute, not law

Parachute, Canada's national injury prevention charity, states: "Some helmets are designed for a single impact, such as a bicycle helmet, and must be replaced after an impact. Others are multi-impact, such as hockey helmets, and are designed to protect against more than one impact, but must be replaced when you see damage." That is the whole of what the guidance covers. The inference about second-hand helmets is ours, not Parachute's: on a used bike helmet you cannot establish whether the single impact has already happened, which is why a crashed helmet should be binned rather than passed on. Parachute's page gives impact-based replacement only and states no time interval, so the widely repeated five-year rule is not something we can source to it.

Read the rule →
E-bike and e-mobility lithium batteries must go to a battery recycling route, not household waste Canada, with distinct additional programs in British Columbia and Quebec

Call2Recycle Canada operates the e-mobility battery collection program, accepting rechargeable lithium batteries that power e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards and hoverboards. Collection runs through retailers, municipalities, property managers and other potential partners who opt in to be collectors and receive specialized shipping boxes, so coverage depends on who has opted in near you — check the Call2Recycle locator for your own province rather than assuming a site exists. In British Columbia, Call2Recycle also offers a separate and distinct BC e-mobility program supporting the collection and recycling of full e-bikes, including the battery, in that province. In Quebec, effective 1 July 2026, ecocentres can also opt in to collect complete e-mobility devices for recycling. Outside those two provinces, only the battery is covered and the frame must be handled separately.

Read the rule →

3 places in Vancouver that take bikes

Able Auctions

Consignment Not stated — ask
Buysantiques and collectibles, jewellery, fitness equipment, office furniture, restaurant equipment, industrial and commercial equipment, vehicles, retail stock and unclaimed freight
The dealAn auction house and liquidator rather than a shop: they sell your goods on your behalf and you are paid after the sale, not on the day. Their site says they can "help you liquidate your assets either at your facility or ours," which makes them one of the few options for a whole houseful at once. Commission rates, buyer's premium and seller's fees are not published anywhere on their site — you must ask.
WhereLangley North: 19757 92A Avenue, Langley BC V1M 3B3, 604-881-2253. Langley South: 22652 Fraser Hwy, Langley BC V2Z 2T8, 604-881-2253. Surrey: Unit 101 - 11539 136th Street, Surrey BC V3R 0G3, 604-325-2253. Also onsite auctions in Nanaimo, 250-751-1250.
No commission, buyer's premium or reserve policy is published, so get the full fee schedule in writing before you commit goods. Auction proceeds are uncertain by design: a piece can sell for far less than a dealer would have paid outright.
Visit their site →604-881-2253

Roath's Pawn Shop Ltd.

Buys or lends Not stated — ask
Buysgold, silver and platinum jewellery, diamonds and precious stones, laptops, gaming consoles and LED TVs, power, hand and air tools, generators, power washers, boat motors, guitars and amplifiers, ATVs, motorcycles, jet skis, boats
The dealTwo separate transactions, and the difference matters. They buy outright — their site says they purchase gold, diamonds and watches for cash — and they make pawn loans. Their own words on the pawn side: "If the customer does not want a loan, they can also choose to sell their item to the pawnbroker." The pawn loan is secured credit. They publish loan principals between $10 and $100,000 based on collateral, no credit check, a term running 0 to 90 days with payment due at 3 months, a flat rate of 7.5% per month, a stated APR of 90%, and a one-week grace period on loan items. Their own loan calculator example shows a $100 loan over 3 months carrying a monthly interest charge of roughly $7.50. If a pawn loan is not repaid, the item is forfeited and the shop keeps and resells it — a pawn is not a sale, and you do not receive the balance of the item's value.
Where13573 King George Blvd, Surrey, BC V3T 2V1
The 90% APR is the cost of borrowing, not a discount on the item. They also buy outright, so you can ask for both numbers — the loan offer and the purchase price — and compare them before deciding. In-house staff include a gemologist and a goldsmith.
Visit their site →604-584-4010

Sports Junkies

Buys outright Bring it to them
Buysski and snowboard equipment, bikes, camping gear, golf clubs, hockey equipment, outerwear and footwear, surfboards, tennis racquets, baseball and soccer gear
Won't takedamaged items, safety helmets, climbing gear, most weapons, propane and gas canisters, bear spray, archery equipment, diving gear, used undergarments, swimwear, socks and sandals, stained or unhygienic clothing, snowboards and skis over 8 years old, golf clubs over 10 years old
The dealOutright purchase only, no consignment: "We will work with you face-to-face when purchasing your gear and pay you in cash the same day." You bring the gear to the buying desk and they assess it there. Government-issued photo ID is required (passport, BCID or Canadian driver's licence; expired, photocopied or temporary licences are rejected) and you must be 18 or older. No payout percentage is published, and pricing varies with what they currently need in stock. On items donated rather than sold, they state 50% of the proceeds go to the Nature Trust of BC.
Where102 West Broadway (at Manitoba St.), Vancouver, BC V5Y 1P3
The refusal list is long and safety-driven — helmets, climbing and diving gear and anything damaged will not be bought at any price, and older skis, snowboards and golf clubs are often refused on age alone. They state that price estimates cannot be given over the phone or by email. Sort out the refused categories before you load the car.
Visit their site →604-879-6000
MUNICIPAL RULES ARE WHAT ACTUALLY AFFECT YOU. I could not verify the claim that British Columbia has no pawnbroker statute in force, so that claim has been removed rather than published. What is confirmed is Vancouver's Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law No. 2807, consolidated for convenience to 16 September 2025 (amended to include By-law No. 14443), read directly from the City's own consolidated text at https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/2807c.pdf. BRING PHOTO ID OR YOU WILL BE TURNED AWAY. Both secondhand dealers (buying outright) and pawnbrokers (lending) must confirm your identity by "picture identification" and record a complete description of it and the name of the authority that issued it (ss. 2.2(b), 3.2(b)). The by-law defines picture identification (s. 1.2) as one of the following, bearing a photograph of the holder: a valid driver's licence issued by a Canadian province or territory; a BC Services Card or other photo identity card issued by the Province of British Columbia; a passport issued by a legitimate government; a certificate of Indian status; a certificate of Canadian citizenship; a conditional release card issued by Correctional Services Canada; or a valid Canadian permanent resident card. A credit card, a bus pass or an expired licence does not qualify. The dealer must also record your name, residence or street address and birth date; a complete description of the property including make, model and serial number; the price paid or the amount advanced; the precise date and hour; and any identifying marks (ss. 2.2, 3.2). Other confirmed by-law facts: - You must be at least 18. A dealer must not purchase from, and a pawnbroker must not take a pawn from, anyone under 18 (ss. 2.15, 3.15). - No evening deals. A dealer must not purchase property, and a pawnbroker must not take property in pawn, between 6 p.m. of one calendar day and 6 a.m. of the next (ss. 2.13, 3.13). A shop may be open, but it cannot take your item in. - Anything whose serial number or other identifying marking has been wholly or partially tampered with or removed will be refused outright (ss. 2.14, 3.14). - Police reporting is daily. Shops on electronic registers transmit entries to the Chief Constable electronically (ss. 2.11, 3.11); shops on handwritten registers must hand-deliver a photocopy to the Chief Constable at the Vancouver Police Department, 3585 Graveley Street, between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on each business day (ss. 2.10, 3.10). Registers are kept within BC for seven years after the last entry (ss. 2.9(b), 3.9(b)). Selling second-hand goods in Vancouver is a recorded transaction, not an anonymous one. - Holding period. A shop cannot repair, alter, dispose of or remove an item for the longer of 35 business days (electronic register), 49 business days (handwritten register), or the number of business days the police direct, not exceeding 90 days (ss. 2.19, 3.20). If you pawned rather than sold, s. 3.19 preserves your right to reclaim the item inside that window by paying the debt and interest owing. - A shop licensed as both must physically separate purchased goods from pawned goods and individually tag each item to show the date and whether it was purchased or taken in pawn (s. 2.21) — a useful sign of a properly licensed operator. - In the Downtown Eastside, both secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers may only remain open from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. (ss. 2.23, 3.21). Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond license under their own bylaws, so holding periods and reporting hours differ there; I did not read those bylaws, so call ahead if your shop is outside the City of Vancouver. SCRAP YARDS ASK FOR ID TOO. Richmond Steel Recycling states all material suppliers must provide valid government-issued photo ID to sell scrap metal. ABC Recycling requires a valid driver's licence or other government-issued ID and that you drive in with a four-wheel vehicle — bicycles, motorcycles and taxis are not allowed.

Not sure what you have got?

Photograph it and we will tell you what it is and what it is worth — including when the honest answer is that it is worth nothing.

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