Bikes for sale, not selling

[deejayen]

To me, £940 seems a good price for a bike that cost £1600 new, assuming it's in immaculate condition and had little use (so that drivetrain won't need to be replaced). I'd be happy with that sort of saving over the new price. There's probably a wee bit of haggling room, too - maybe down to £900, or £800-ish on a good day.

I think £500 is on the pessimistic side - for that price I'd expect a bike to have a few battle scars and for some components to need replaced.

Perhaps you just need to be patient and wait for the right buyer to turn up.

I'd agree that when buying\selling, many will negotiate using PMs etc.

[fastpedaller]

To me, £940 seems a good price for a bike that cost £1600 new, assuming it's in immaculate condition and had little use (so that drivetrain won't need to be replaced). I'd be happy with that sort of saving over the new price. There's probably a wee bit of haggling room, too - maybe down to £900, or £800-ish on a good day.

I think £500 is on the pessimistic side - for that price I'd expect a bike to have a few battle scars and for some components to need replaced.

Perhaps you just need to be patient and wait for the right buyer to turn up.

I'd agree that when buying\selling, many will negotiate using PMs etc.

I don't make you wrong, but it's a buyers' market (with anything these days) and I'd suggest most items go for about 1/3 of their new value, regrettable though it is.

[cycle tramp]

I purchased my last two 'whole' bicycles from this forum, the first was from Crossy, the second from Willee...
....I think the forum is not a particularly strong place to sell bikes which have out lived their usefulness to you...in the words of my accountancy teacher, you are likely to find that any sale is a contribution , rather than a profit, to your household income..
...after all you are selling to people who probably already have a shed load of spares, including frames, forks and wheels sets... and to this end we are somewhat reluctant to purchase any more unless it's something we really, really, really like...
...eBay and the like is probably a stronger market place as it is open to more potential customers.
...

[mattsccm]

I would agree with most of the above plus the fact that the Elan is attractive to a fairly small niche market and one where many people will already have much the same bike. It isn't a big name , nor is it carbon fibre. It doesn't have full hydro brakes and looks a bit weird with that tall steerer (although that's actually a bonus when you think about it). All of which will hinder its appeal to a larger market that wants a "named" manufacturer and "standard" components. I am in much same boat, although my investment is smaller, trying to shift several bikes .

[Pneumant]

As others have said selling on forums is difficult unless the price is low, the risk there is that you lose financially. I also think the Spa will sell on eBay with maybe a couple of relists. It is early season and people are now thinking about cycling trips and your bike is as new and good to go. Listing on eBay with a fixed price 'buy it now' listing is straightforward , half the job is done as you have a good description and the picture count can be as many as 40 pictures.

[rareposter]

A sure fire sale killer is 'Collection only' - So many sellers are not prepared to box up a bike and sort a courier.

No chance. If I send something by courier, it remains my problem until the seller has it and confirms. Too many potential scams where someone could claim it wasn't delivered, wasn't to spec, wasn't as described or where it gets damaged or stolen in transit. If it's a cheap item that I'm selling then yes but a bike - not a chance. I want the seller to see it, talk through it, address any issues there and then. That way we're both protected and if they decide to reject it, they're not saddled with boxing it up again and returning it.
If someone wants it enough, we'll work together to arrange that. I sold a recumbent once (belonged to a family member) and the buyer got the train from Scotland down to Manchester, we did the sale in a car park out the back of the station and the buyer loaded it onto the next train north.

I would put one caveat on all of this. I completely accept that there has never been a time in history, when there were so many people who were prepared to waste your time and mess you about for no good reason.

Which is why I want a serious buyer, not someone who's going to start with "can you courier it...?".

I accept that selling in person also has risks like if the buyer turns up with a bunch of heavies or a knife but that's less likely in my view.

[Tiberius]

A sure fire sale killer is 'Collection only' - So many sellers are not prepared to box up a bike and sort a courier.

No chance.

I rest my case.

....and we're back at post #1.....

[mig]

think that an issue with selling here is that most/all people are well informed about bikes and see even tiny potential issues with any bike for sale......size, reach, groupset, brake type, tyre type etc etc...and wouldn't be prepared to live with the consequences unless it was absolutely 100% spot on what they wanted.

generally people looking for a bike on ebay when the sun comes out wouldn't see such issues necessarily and maybe not even notice if they bought and rode it. lots of people i see riding bikes are doing so with seat right down and knees around ears types and would put them in the latter group. sadly i doubt they are looking for such a quality bike though.

[Carlton green]

....I think the forum is not a particularly strong place to sell bikes which have out lived their usefulness to you...in the words of my accountancy teacher, you are likely to find that any sale is a contribution , rather than a profit, to your household income..

...eBay and the like is probably a stronger market place as it is open to more potential customers.

On reflection I think that your accountancy teacher was ‘spot-on’ with that particular comment. In general to buy an item I usually have to pay more that what I want to and to sell an item I usually have to accept less than I think it’s worth. On rare occasion I might sell an item for what it cost me to buy - or even slightly more - but it’s only because the item was significantly improved / repaired under my ownership and the hourly return on my efforts was minimal. So yes, I almost always find that any sale is a - smaller than desired - contribution , rather than a profit, to our household income.

My general philosophy is to buy at a reasonable second hand price and then use the item until it’s worn out - so rather than by resale get your money’s worth via use.

Virtually all of my second hand buying and selling is done on eBay, it’s not perfect but I’ve found it better than the alternatives.

[rareposter]

Virtually all of my second hand buying and selling is done on eBay, it’s not perfect but I’ve found it better than the alternatives.

Same here and as I said a page or so back, you're opening it up to a much wider set of potential buyers, most of whom won't be anywhere near as picky about exact spec as the folk on here!

[roubaixtuesday]

On pricing, you also need to remember that many people have the option to buy through the cycle to work scheme, which gives nearly half price bikes.

So 1/2 of the new price is the absolute max you're ever going to get even for a pristine recent model bike, and probably 1/3 even in excellent condition.

For older bikes, in less than perfect nick, reduce accordingly.

[cycle tramp]

Post script, on the plus side, I've found that this forum is a very good place to find new owners for those things that have brought you joy but no longer need or use, on the understanding that you're not going to charge too much, if anything for them....

Just before Christmas I sent a box of O.S maps to a forum member in the knowledge they he will get as much joy from them as I did...

Passed on a set of hard-to-find oval chain rings to another member....

And it pleases me no end that one set of handlebars that I used to tour with was bolted to a Moulton and ridden across Switzerland - a far cry from when I used to ride them around Devon and Somerset..

..don't ask what your forum can do for you ask what you can do for your forum... and so on snd so forth...

[TrevA]

On pricing, you also need to remember that many people have the option to buy through the cycle to work scheme, which gives nearly half price bikes.

So 1/2 of the new price is the absolute max you're ever going to get even for a pristine recent model bike, and probably 1/3 even in excellent condition.

For older bikes, in less than perfect nick, reduce accordingly.

But quite a few of us are retired and no longer have access to the Cycle to Work scheme, more’s the pity! I wish they’d introduce a Cycle to the Cafe scheme, a sort of Cycle Out to Help Out. Cyclists are a big part of keeping the rural cafe economy going.

[roubaixtuesday]

But quite a few of us are retired and no longer have access to the Cycle to Work scheme, more’s the pity!

Sure, but the effect on second hand prices applies regardless.

Subsidised cyclist cafes OTOH sounds like the best policy ever...

[PH]

On pricing, you also need to remember that many people have the option to buy through the cycle to work scheme, which gives nearly half price bikes.

Spa don't offer that, so it's unlikely someone who wants an Elan will be comparing the secondhand price with the C2W price.
Someone who isn't fussy about which particular bike as long as it fulfils their requirements, is unlikely to need to spend £940. Someone who is very specific about what they want, isn't going to spend £940 unless it's a good match. IMO it's an awkward price point, too expensive for the casual buyer, but for someone about to give Spa £1,600 for the same thing, it's a bargain. How long you can wait for such a person...