The solution to too many bikes...?

neeb

So like many of us I have at least one too many bikes. The obvious solution is to sell one, but when I look at the market value of high quality bikes that are more than a couple of years old it is just laughable. For example there's a Scott Foil Team Issue on ebay right now with Dura Ace, deep section wheels and an SRM that's been relisted at £1300 after failing to get any bids with a £1500 starting price.. The SRM alone is worth that! OK, it's the older model and set up with tri bars, but still..

So I tend to think "if I'm only going to get that much for it I may as well just keep it". Which is a false economy of course if I don't need the bike because it doesn't do anything that one or more of my other bikes doesn't do.

It still grates to almost give it away for a pittance, especially as the whole process of selling and potentially shipping a bike is a real hassle and time-consuming. I'd almost rather literally give it away, at least then I could make sure it goes to someone who'd really appreciate it.

I'm thinking that something needs to be organised to make 2nd hand bikes easier to sell. How about weekly bike fairs at two or three places throughout the country where people wanting to sell or buy 2nd hand, high quality bikes could just turn up. It would allow buyers to see bikes up close up and test ride them (after leaving a suitabke deposit..), and as a seller I'd rather put my bike in the back of the car and drive 50 miles than go through the hassle of writing an ebay ad and packaging the thing up. I think it would lead to higher selling prices too as people would be more willing to pay a decent price for something they had examined up-close and/or ridden.

Matthewfalle

rubbish

#n+1

figbat

“Two menny bykes.”
“Toomeny bighcks.”

Nope, you’ve lost me.

PhilipPirrip

Increased buyer choice would lead to lower not higher prices plus at such events you could be competing to sell against stolen bikes that are going far too cheap.

david7m

With the ebay app you can literally write an advert with good pictures in 15 mins max.
Put cash on collection only. Job done. Results not so good depending on location of course.
Weekly carboot for bikes only is going to put prices down and attract stolen stuff as already said.
Dave

neeb

PhilipPirrip wrote:

Increased buyer choice would lead to lower not higher prices plus at such events you could be competing to sell against stolen bikes that are going far too cheap.

Would there necessarily be increased buyer choice? Wouldn't it depend on how many buyers and sellers turned up?

I get the point about stolen bikes though. There would need to be some system to try to filter these out. Maybe a requirement to provide proof of ID and have the bike photographed and put online when you turn up..

shortfall

when I look at the market value of high quality bikes that are more than a couple of years old it is just laughable

What's laughable is that people will pay so much for pushbikes in the first place.

neeb

Shortfall wrote:

when I look at the market value of high quality bikes that are more than a couple of years old it is just laughable

What's laughable is that people will pay so much for pushbikes in the first place.

True. Or that the market doesn't provide competition in the form of bikes of equal quality at much lower prices.

Matthewfalle

neeb wrote:

Shortfall wrote:

when I look at the market value of high quality bikes that are more than a couple of years old it is just laughable

What's laughable is that people will pay so much for pushbikes in the first place.

True. Or that the market doesn't provide competition in the form of bikes of equal quality at much lower prices.

why should it when it can make more money?

#capitalism
#maggiethatchermilksnatcher

mercia_man

A local Facebook group is a good way to sell. For example, I have recently sold three high end bikes - an Orbea Orca, Bike Friday Pocket Rocket performance folder and a Thorn Raven Rohloff tandem - at what I felt were fair prices through Shropshire Bikes for Sale or Swap on Facebook. The buyers were people living less than 30 miles away who were able to visit me, have a test ride and take the bikes home in their cars. Everyone satisfied.

stueys

The real issue is that the premium bike market has gone a bit price nuts which means hefty depreciation. I don’t think any trading forum will solve that.

surfercyclist

Never mind about number of bikes, just don't get into surfing. I currently have 9 surfboards and counting...

gethinceri

You can halve those problems immediately by simply not counting.

neeb

Maybe the solution is to buy another house to put one or more of the bikes in. Then I can justify it on the grounds that I need to have a bike to hand wherever I happen to be.

<<Starts lookng at property prices in Mallorca..>>

Seriously though.. lock-up or small self-storage unit in Mallorca or Andalucia...? Now there's an idea..