How do you value a used bike?

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LittleGreyCat
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How do you value a used bike?

Post by LittleGreyCat »

That is, if you can't find an equivalent for sale online?

I have a Dawes Backstreet Ladies' Hybrid with what seems to be a 21" (or 21.5"?) frame, Reynolds 501 tubing and Alivio 3 * 7 groupset.

It is quite old (possibly about 15 years?) but has spent most of its life stored.

Needs a handle bar shifter replacing (not unreasonable, I had to replace both Alivio shifters on my regular hack), and the rear mudguard has become brittle so the front clip to the frame had broken off.
However it is nearly all original, still got all the frame stickers etc.

When new it was around £450 so not a cheap bike, and at that time Alivio was quite an upmarket groupset.

So what does the team think? Are bikes this old in the £25-£40 category regardless of original build quality?
Is there any online resource for guestimating resale values?

I plan to give it a wash and brush up and advertise it later in the year, probably on here and with my local CTC, but it would be good to have some idea of possible value.
For example, if it is worth about £25 it isn't really worth me replacing the mudguard, or doing much else.

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

LGC
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horizon
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by horizon »

It isn't worth the time and trouble of posting it and it isn't worth anyone travelling far to collect it. This kind of bike appeals to people who just need to get to the shops, commute to the station or pop down the road (despite the fact that it could do a lot more). They are good bikes (and very useful) but hopelessly undervalued by most people who feel that resources are better spent on Sky subscriptions.

I would suggest you do clean it up, take a couple of nice pics and sell it locally, either on-line (Gumtree) or an ad in the newsagents. Also ask around and at the LBS and any bike activity organisers. You are local, could offer some advice, easy to get to and honest - these are big plus points.

I would try for £100 but that may be pushing it - maybe £75 is top.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
gregoryoftours
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by gregoryoftours »

I'd say you might get a little more than £25 to £40 once it's all working ok, but not much. £450 back in the day doesn't really mean too much unfortunately. Alivio has always been a middle spec groupset, 501 is not bad but nothing to shout about. It's a good solid bike, if decent condition a much better bet than a £200 current similar style bike from the likes of Decathlon or Halfords, but unfortunately that doesn't mean anything in terms of what you can get for it.

Definitely agree with horizon on a local sale. Even standing around a bike can degrade quite a lot, cables and chain can get seized, shifters gummed up (incidentally it's worth trying some spray lube inside a shifter, often it can revive it as the old grease can gum it up and stop ratchets/springs working freely).

Tyres are likely to be perished at that age. Maybe grease in headset/hubs a bit dry. If you can do the work yourself it might be worth it but costs add up very quickly if you have to take it to a bike shop. Scrub up, clean inner cables, lube and sell as is. If mudguards can't be rescued I'd take them off, better to have none than broken or lose money fitting new ones.

I guess the best thing is that someone will get quite a nice bike for a low price that they'll hopefully end up enjoying more than a cheap new bike.
Last edited by gregoryoftours on 13 Feb 2016, 3:07pm, edited 2 times in total.
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gaz
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by gaz »

LittleGreyCat wrote:That is, if you can't find an equivalent for sale online?

I fully understand that you won't find the same model for sale on line but you may find something similar to guide you.
e.g. Dawes Easy Street, Dawes Sterling, lots more.

When advertising the Dawes name does tend to carry a premium. Noting Reynolds tubing in the title may also increase interest. Even so £75 may be around the ceiling price and it may take a while for the right buyer to come along.

In some cases sale of the bike's parts may achieve more value than sale as a whole bike but it takes more time and effort. Equally the value of the bike or its parts as spares for your own use should be considered.
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LittleGreyCat
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by LittleGreyCat »

Thanks for all the replies - sounds worth a little effort but not a massive amount.

[Oh, new tyres and tubes because the old ones were crumbling, so one plus points.]

Cheers

LGC
greyingbeard
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by greyingbeard »

sell as-is. Let the buyer have the expense of changing bits.
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horizon
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by horizon »

greyingbeard wrote:sell as-is. Let the buyer have the expense of changing bits.


Depends who buys it. You might get some moral satisfaction from selling it in good order to a newbie cyclist - may be a mature person trying out a new lifestyle. They might become your friend for life ....
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Almost certainly worth more broken for parts, and then for someone who would use those parts on their own bike.
I have purchased some 25 or more bikes in the last 2 & 1/2 years ranging 3 - £20.
Some of the individual parts are worth £25 all day.
But as a whole bike £25 - / 40 every where in the local press irrespective of quality/ condition, to the likes of those who seek a bike for such an amount.

Its not worth the effort you would put in unless you plan to profit at £1-3 an hour.
Add some tyres and another part and you will be out of pocket.
Sell as is or break for parts.
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Manc33
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by Manc33 »

Less than the sum of its parts. :)
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LittleGreyCat
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by LittleGreyCat »

I can't bring myself to strip it for parts - it is a really nice bike.

I'll try and sell it to someone who will benefit from an easy riding quality bike.

I am grappling with the concept that someone would buy all the bits including the frame but not the whole bike.
Or do you strip down the group set, wheels etc. and just throw the major stuff like the frame away?

I have vague memories of stripping bits off a car and selling them but there was always a pile of metal left over to be carted to the tip.
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Sweep
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by Sweep »

horizon wrote:
greyingbeard wrote:sell as-is. Let the buyer have the expense of changing bits.


Depends who buys it. You might get some moral satisfaction from selling it in good order to a newbie cyclist - may be a mature person trying out a new lifestyle. They might become your friend for life ....


What a nice post horizon, though am intrigued by the ....

Are you implying that bits of old bikes can buy sexual favours :)
Sweep
gregoryoftours
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Re: How do you value a used bike?

Post by gregoryoftours »

LittleGreyCat wrote:I can't bring myself to strip it for parts - it is a really nice bike.

I'll try and sell it to someone who will benefit from an easy riding quality bike.

I am grappling with the concept that someone would buy all the bits including the frame but not the whole bike.
Or do you strip down the group set, wheels etc. and just throw the major stuff like the frame away?

I have vague memories of stripping bits off a car and selling them but there was always a pile of metal left over to be carted to the tip.


What people tend to do selling as parts is list everything separately on ebay, for example, or maybe list related bits together eg groupset or drivetrain, wheels, frame/fork etc.

Ah, unless you really need to get as much money as you can for it I think that stripping it and selling what bits you can would be really unsatisfying, and like you say I bet you'd end up having to ditch loads of it.
Sell it as a complete bike, and although it's not guaranteed you might make someone really happy.
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