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One of the big ‘perks’ of cycling that people often mention is just how cheap it is. Which is, for the most, true. There’s no fuel costs, no “road tax” and the general up keep is pretty low.
Nevertheless, whether it’s finding a seat, wheel or basket, when we do need to purchase new bicycle parts or accessories, we still want to get the best product for the best price. And sometimes, just like cars, there is no need to buy new.
Traditionally, if you’d want to go down the ‘second-hand route’, you’d generally have to scour local newspaper ads, scrapyards or car boot sales. But, in case you hadn’t heard, we’re in the 21st Century, darling. There’s an app for that.
Introducing: Spock
My bad, my bad. Not Spock – SHPOCK!
[Just imagine Sean Connery saying “Spock”. That’s it. You got it.]Anyway, Shpcok is a mobile boot sale app. It has the same offering as the leisure centre car park on Sunday morning. But instead of rummaging through other people’s rubbish at 9am in the rain, you can search exactly what you’re looking just by tapping on your smartphone.
What is Shpock and how does it work?
Well, it’s a free to install app found in all the usual places (i.e. App Store for iPhone users and Google Play Store for Android users). Installation is super quick and easy, and you can register immediately by filling in your details or just by using your Facebook credentials.
Once you’ve signed up, enter your location details and Shpock will start listing various items in your area that are for sale. If you have something in particular in mind, e.g. a bicycle basket, simply enter that in the search bar at the top, and the most local listings will appear.
Launched in Austria in 2012, Shpock has proved to be extremely popular in its homeland as well as Germany, with more than four million downloads in the two countries. Shpcok was launched in the UK in March 2014 and over a million people have already used the app – meaning there’s plenty of great stuff to buy – and even sell if you want to. What’s more, Shpock has no buying or listing charges.
There are also plenty of bicycles available to buy on Shpock, but, as is common with these unofficial outlets, make sure you check that the bike hasn’t been stolen before agreeing to purchase one. One of the best ways to do this is by checking the bicycle frame number on Check That Bike! to see if it has been listed as stolen.
Shpock has a comment section where you can openly ask any questions relating to the product. Prices aren’t fixed either, so you can bid away on your preferred items. If you win, go and pick up your product, or ask them nicely to post it.
All in all, this is a great app and takes a lot of the hassle out of buying second hand goods. Find cheap bicycle parts and accessories with Shpock.
