How are we finding used prices?

[SkipdiverJohn]

One problem with onlne sites is that there are always so-called "vintage" items being flipped by chancers who may have bought them at a sensible price, then doubled or trebled that price and quickly relisted them - In most cases without actually adding any value to the object by cleaning it up and sorting out any problems.
The time when the flippers could get away with doing that has now passed, but it's going to take a while longer, and a lot of late-to-the-party overpriced stuff will have to remain unsold, before sanity is fully restored to the market.
Prices are certainly heading earthbound now, although a lot of vendors clearly still think it's 2021, not 2022 with 11% inflation and falling real incomes.

 

[vickster]

I have always gone by the idea that used price should be half the new price minus £10/year. In the case of a £3000 bike that's fair because to be fair they aren't designed to last long. Mind you there are still people riding MTBs with "single season only" components 30 years later.

eBay is out of touch with reality. The best stuff in great condition will always be worth a lot, but there are a few bikes that aren't particularly special that seem to be considered priceless. Muddy Fox Couriers. I'm astonished what people are asking for those. I don't think I ever paid more than £30 for one in the past.

Why isn’t a 3k bike designed to last a long time?!!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It will be interesting to see what the trend for the Savings Ratio is over the coming months. My belief is any remaining hoarded furlough cash in many cases is going to get pulled out of bank accounts to spend on rising utility bills and transport costs, rather than non-essential toys. Spending priorities will be revisited.

 

[PaulSB]

I have always gone by the idea that used price should be half the new price minus £10/year. In the case of a £3000 bike that's fair because to be fair they aren't designed to last long. Mind you there are still people riding MTBs with "single season only" components 30 years later.

eBay is out of touch with reality. The best stuff in great condition will always be worth a lot, but there are a few bikes that aren't particularly special that seem to be considered priceless. Muddy Fox Couriers. I'm astonished what people are asking for those. I don't think I ever paid more than £30 for one in the past.

What's your basis for this assertion?

 

[chris667]

Why isn’t a 3k bike designed to last a long time?!!

What's your basis for this assertion?

Of course a £3000 bike can be designed to last a long time.

But most £3000 bikes aren't designed to last a long time. Technology moves on and most cycling enthusiasts are foolish enough to care.

 

[PaulSB]

Of course a £3000 bike can be designed to last a long time.

But most £3000 bikes aren't designed to last a long time. Technology moves on and most cycling enthusiasts are foolish enough to care.

Can you define a long time please. I ride a five year old Cervelo. It was £3000 when I bought it. I fully expect to get another five years out of her.

 

[chris667]

Well done if you do, but much as you might be proud of it that isn't what was in the minds of the manufacturers when your bike was new.

Modern components are not generally designed to be rebuildable. Frame standards have changed too, and will be different again. There's no decent reason for most people to follow this, but it's what we've got.

The cycling industry's all about the upgrades, and "beyond economical repair".

Myself, I will be sticking to my old mountain bikes and hybrid. The newest is 30 years old this year.

 

[vickster]

My Condor Ti is probably 10 years old, classic design

 

[chris667]

Spring chicken!

I was using a Raleigh Lenton as my daily ride for about ten years. The original owner was probably long gone as it was built in 1951.

Now there's a bike that was meant to last a long time. Grease ports on everything. Rebuildable components everywhere. It's not beyond the manufacturers to offer such machines, but who'd buy them nowadays?

It's still living with my friend in Sweden. He built me a ukulele as a swap. I like that I was just part of its story. His fifteen year old son has taken a shine to it too. Hopefully he'll be riding it after we're gone.

Here's the ukulele. Spot the bicycle themed inlay!

 

[PaulSB]

Well done if you do, but much as you might be proud of it that isn't what was in the minds of the manufacturers when your bike was new.

Modern components are not generally designed to be rebuildable. Frame standards have changed too, and will be different again. There's no decent reason for most people to follow this, but it's what we've got.

The cycling industry's all about the upgrades, and "beyond economical repair".

Myself, I will be sticking to my old mountain bikes and hybrid. The newest is 30 years old this year.

I'm not sure if I'm proud of my bike but I do love her. For me personally it's the best machine I've had in my life, everything just fits me perfectly which is why we recently stripped everything off and rebuilt/replaced components as necessary. I presume by modern components not being designed to be rebuildable you mean it's not possible to strip a component down, replace a broken/worn part and put the entire component back on the bike. I'm sure you're right but this of course doesn't relate only to bikes, it's present throughout all modern manufacture.

Where I would disagree with you is in the highlighted sentence. My personal experience is whenever I have made a significant upgrade to a bike or purchased a new one I've found my riding improves be it speed, climbing etc. I feel a modern bike can help the rider to get more for his effort though of course it will always ultimately be about the engine. At 68 though I doubt future upgrades would have the same impact and I don't plan a new bike until I need an ebike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The cycling industry's all about the upgrades, and "beyond economical repair".

Rampant consumerism. Convince the gullible punter to buy the latest thing, then six months after they buy it, it's suddenly old hat and they want you to "upgrade" to the new latest latest thing.... Rinse and Repeat.....

 

[Brandane]

Rampant consumerism. Convince the gullible punter to buy the latest thing, then six months after they buy it, it's suddenly old hat and they want you to "upgrade" to the new latest latest thing.... Rinse and Repeat.....

Good for us further down the food chain though. Just think of all the Di2 equipped carbon aero framed stuff you're going to find in skips at some point down the line!

 

[chris667]

Rampant consumerism. Convince the gullible punter to buy the latest thing, then six months after they buy it, it's suddenly old hat and they want you to "upgrade" to the new latest latest thing.... Rinse and Repeat.....

It's revolting. Completely unnecessary.

 

[chris667]

Where I would disagree with you is in the highlighted sentence. My personal experience is whenever I have made a significant upgrade to a bike or purchased a new one I've found my riding improves be it speed, climbing etc. I feel a modern bike can help the rider to get more for his effort though of course it will always ultimately be about the engine. At 68 though I doubt future upgrades would have the same impact and I don't plan a new bike until I need an ebike.

There's too many variables.

I'm sure if I felt like I was doing all the "right" things for speed I'd go faster. I'm not convinced how much of that is in my head though.

The other week, I was on holiday in Lincolnshire. I went for a bike ride for about half a mile with an owl sweeping through a field alongside me. He wasn't threatened by me, but obviously clocked me. After a couple of minutes he saw the next thing and was off! That's the kind of riding I want to do now. I don't really care how much I spend, I want that sort of experience more than the knowledge that I'm riding a bike that's somehow optimised.

Each to their own of course! I am not throwing stones at anyone's choice of what they spend their cash on, and fair play to you for fixing your bike rather than chopping it in because all the new bikes have disc brakes.

 

[wafter]

Good for us further down the food chain though. Just think of all the Di2 equipped carbon aero framed stuff you're going to find in skips at some point down the line!

[In three pieces with knackered batteries and loads of broken bits that can't be replaced because they're some weird propriatory standard that went out of fashion 10 minutes after it was introduced..]