Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Brucey
Posts: 44522
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by Brucey »

I don't know the market value of such a bike but I do know that if you are selling to certain types of loony collector then 'condition is everything'. This being the case, if the bike is unridden at present, the one thing you can't do is expect to be able to ride this bike and then sell it for a decent wadge; a good part of it's 'specialness' probably resides in the fact that it hasn't been ridden. At all.

I'd certainly take a second opinion on its value before either selling it or riding it.

If you are basically just starting out again, riding-wise, I wouldn't necessarily suggest a bike like that anyway, so it may not be the most suitable for you. Bearing in mind that only a clairvoyant is likely to say with certainty at this stage what kind of bike will suit you, I'd suggest you get something (almost anything really, provided it works and it fits you) and see how you get on with it, pending a decision about using the bike you have or buying a new one after you have got a few miles under your belt.

Worst case is that you destroy the value of your bike by riding it, only to find out it doesn't really suit you anyway....

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
eileithyia
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Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by eileithyia »

Some good advise there Brucy.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
rmurphy195
Posts: 2199
Joined: 20 May 2011, 11:23am
Location: South Birmingham

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by rmurphy195 »

Mud-Plugger wrote:There are a lot of people riding Seventies/Eighties bikes around and enjoying them. 18 years is still 'young.'

Anything 'rubber' may have started to degrade, so new tyres, tubes and brake pads at the least.

New cables as mentioned, is a good idea, especially if there is any corrosion. You won't be able to see inside the cable outers so changing both inners and outers might be useful. This might not be needed if the bike has been stored indoors. Shed bikes tend to get condensation everywhere you can't see.

Any competent mechanic will be able to check over bearings at the bottom bracket and wheels, while the bike is in the shop for the other work.

All of this stuff is an easy DIY if you want to learn how to do it your self. Everything you need is on YouTube.

As to prices: there's one on GumTree for £200. :-)


I would add - see if you can get smaller chainrings and larger rear sprockets fitted to lower the gears!
Brompton, Condor Heritage, creaky joints and thinning white (formerly grey) hair
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
Postboxer
Posts: 1929
Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by Postboxer »

Contact Trek and see if they want it back to see how it's lasted?
Chalknewton
Posts: 7
Joined: 22 Jul 2018, 5:20pm

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by Chalknewton »

We would be interested to know what condition the parts are in after 18 years, what needs to be replaced?


Took the Trek into one of the bicycle shops in North London that is one of three outlets run by the same owner (Shop name begins in M).

Verdict, after getting the bike up on the rack and inspecting wheels, tyres, bearings, brake cables, gears, gear cables and a whole host of other bits, was that everything is in perfect nick with no deterioration at all.

However, they said bike in that nick could easily fetch £2000 – £1k for the frame and £1k for all the other bits – to a collector.

I wish I could meet this collector...

(Actually they said best to contact a vintage broker.)
Chalknewton
Posts: 7
Joined: 22 Jul 2018, 5:20pm

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by Chalknewton »

Contact Trek and see if they want it back to see how it's lasted?


That's not a bad idea at all. Sounds like a joke, but could be useful for them. I might even allow them to use it an ad as a way of marketing how long their bikes can last. 'Looking for longevity, Trek this out...'
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Chalknewton wrote:
Contact Trek and see if they want it back to see how it's lasted?


That's not a bad idea at all. Sounds like a joke, but could be useful for them. I might even allow them to use it an ad as a way of marketing how long their bikes can last. 'Looking for longevity, Trek this out...'

It could be displayed beside an identical machine that had been ridden for 18 years, new wheels, gears, sprockets, chains, tyres changed many times, saddle, bars, broken fork replaced, resprayed a different colour..

You could offer it to the National Cycle Museum (Amgueddfa Cenedlaethol Ceffyllau Haearn) in Llandrindod Wells
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AMMoffat
Posts: 242
Joined: 1 Dec 2007, 1:05pm

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by AMMoffat »

It's a good-looking bike and presumably you liked it when you bought it. If it fits you then use and enjoy it as you would have done when you originally bought it had you not had your injuries :D
Chalknewton
Posts: 7
Joined: 22 Jul 2018, 5:20pm

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by Chalknewton »

Yes. I'm gonna ride it. It's a shameful first world problem in any case.
hamster
Posts: 4131
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by hamster »

Chalknewton wrote:
However, they said bike in that nick could easily fetch £2000 – £1k for the frame and £1k for all the other bits – to a collector.

I wish I could meet this collector...

(Actually they said best to contact a vintage broker.)


Honestly, the shop is talking out of the back of their head. Your skepticism is totally right.

Treks are generally non-collectable, Trek being the Kraft-Heinz of bikes, not Colnago, Hetchins, Gios, Pinarello etc. There are lots of complete Colnagos around £1000. The only possible exception is the Trek 5200 OCLV, but they are somewhat tarnished by the Armstrong connection.

Yours is a nice rider, but Ultegra (while nice) is not a collectable groupset adn aluminium frames are generally not sought-after either. Put it up on retrobike.co.uk for a second opinion.
djnotts
Posts: 3037
Joined: 26 May 2008, 12:51pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by djnotts »

"....well known chain sellers...." And that's clearly all they are good for - selling chains! As above - 400 quid tops. But better than you'd buy new for that money, so a keep and use IMO.
fastpedaller
Posts: 3435
Joined: 10 Jul 2014, 1:12pm
Location: Norfolk

Re: Keep unused 18-year-old road bike or sell?

Post by fastpedaller »

If you keep it and ride it, then great. If you decide to sell it it may be worth a trip back to the shop, stating "I don't know bike brokers, and don't want the selling hassle - do you want it for £700?" They could see a huge profit coming :lol:
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