Cycling UK Forum

My old friend and neighbour died a while back, and I have the chance to buy his old Brommie off his son. He's no cyclist, and a bit clueless with money, so I suspect he'll let me have it for whatever I tell him it's worth. I like a bargain, but I'm absolutely concerned not to rip him off, so need to get a good idea of its value.
It's an old bike, that my friend bought second hand, maybe fifteen years ago. Kept it mostly outdoors, but under cover. In that time, I know it's had very little use, and absolutely minimal maintenance. The paint job's sound, the chrome's quite pitted, but after I hosed it down and lubed the chain, it rides ok. Needs a thorough spruce-up and service. Three-speed SA hub, with two rear cogs that shift on a derailleur. The shifters feel plasticky and horrid, but may ease with a bit of TLC. Otherwise it seems generally sound. What's it worth?

On eBay, £800. Maybe £600 if it looks rusty. Prices are stupid.

Find a comparable sold one on Ebay, there's plenty to choose from. Show the seller as a sign of good faith and if you're feeling cheeky, ask if they'll discount it by the commission and to save the postage hassle. In reality, having been able to try it before purchase probably increases the value over an Ebay gamble.

rogerzilla wrote: ↑19 May 2022, 11:46am On eBay, £800. Maybe £600 if it looks rusty. Prices are stupid.

It is stupid, you can buy the base model for £850 from Halfords and there's sometimes a way to get a discount on that.

At least 15 years old and not in mint condition.
£400 maximum.

I'm inclined to suggest that the price should be the sum mutually agreed on between you and him - that way balance is achieved. The hypothetical market value of the bike is academic.

rogerzilla wrote: ↑19 May 2022, 11:46am On eBay, £800. Maybe £600 if it looks rusty. Prices are stupid.

Sounds right. The six-speed you're looking at is not a base model. I agree with others, look at eBay, but there are a fair range of models and features, so you need to compare like with like. Also whether it has the rack, whether it's one of the "lightweight" ones with titanium (probably not at that age, but the comparator could be), etc. Brompton shifters, in my experience, do tend to feel plastic, which they are, but they also tend to work.

simonineaston wrote: ↑19 May 2022, 12:19pm I'm inclined to suggest that the price should be the sum mutually agreed on between you and him

Of course it should. The point is though, that he has no idea what it's worth, and would quite likely accept fifty quid if I offered him that. I don't want to pay over the odds, but I want to offer him a fair price.

drossall wrote: ↑19 May 2022, 1:45pmBrompton shifters, in my experience, do tend to feel plastic, which they are, but they also tend to work.

Yeh, the shifters have been much better since I opened them up, took all the dead spiders out, and gave them a drop of oil!

My neighbour died about 15 years ago, he had a Brompton. I knew the executor of his will. I mentioned that the bike "was expensive so don't sell it for £20" - in case she though it was "just a folding bike".
For various reasons sorting the will was very slow. Months later my partner needed a Brompton to commute to a course in London, so I told her to offer the executor (my partner also knew her) £300, which was accepted, and saved the executor the donkey work of valueing/selling it.
At the time £300 was probably a bit under half price. Bike was sound, a few rust spots, it was 6 speed with Sram 3 speed hub (which dates the bike to when SA went down the pan). £300 might sound generous, but used Bromptons for sale are extreamly rare (and quite possibly stolen - buying from your neighbour avoids the stolen risk (I'm assuming your neighbour was honest!).
I'd say generally used bikes (Bromptons or otherwise) rarely get over 1/2 price, usually less.

^ Fair points made. Must consider that it is third hand and was stored outdoors. If bikes sell at half price second hand they sell for less third hand.

Beware the prices on some well known sites. The bikes are marked down heavily. There is a reason they are nicked. I bought my folder new coz I did not want the risk of buying a stolen bike. Also so many of my bikes have been stolen I want to carry it with me. I love going to restaurants in my cycle gear and folder. They do not like it but no one (as yet )has thrown me out.
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I ride Brompton and a 100% British Vintage.

I use a Brompton the same way here in Bristol. I don't know if we dine across different social strata but I've always found my (folded) Brompton welcome.
Thank goodness.

The Brompton of that vintage stored outside will likely need a thorough service, including the hub gear. I too have a 3-speed SRAM model bought in 2004 and used for commuting since then. The shifter is horrid and needs too much tension to reliably engage 1st gear. You will probably have to dismantle the gear, clean out all the dried grease and then re-grease and oil it. It is a daft design that can't just be oiled like a Sturmey-Archer or Rohloff. If you can't do this yourself, you may want to factor in a workshop visit in the price you are willing to pay. Also, if it was ridden much in the rain or over dirt and the chain was not cleaned much or replaced you may have to replace the chainring, which also likely means the cranks on an old model - Bromptons pick up dirt in the chain as it is so low and make grinding paste to wear away the transmission.

A few months ago I bought an M6R Brompton for £750. A 2008 model but immaculate and barely used, still with rubber "pips" on the original tyres. The vendor also included a virtually new B17. Based on this I'd say perhaps £400 is a reasonable price for the machine you describe.