Keep or sell?

[Time Waster]

An old model HPV Streetmachine gt, steel framed touring recumbent needs boom lengthening with a new chain needed. The chainrings, cassette and rear derailleur jockey wheels are worn and the bike mechanic doesn't think a new chain would work without these being replaced at the same time. False economy to not change them. £300 for that and new rear brake. Bike cost me £500 3 or 4 years ago secondhand.

What are these bikes worth now? Is £300 repair bill reasonable and worth spending?

My trouble is I'm not a committed recumbent rider. I bought for a tour in France and it didn't suit our family due to practicality. However year after we toured in Belgium where it would have been OK but I used an upright instead. My aim is to get it right for the occasional ride to get back into recumbent riding in case we get to go back to Belgium touring next year as a family. It might not get much use.

I think sell on in current state, mothball until I'm OK with spending on it (perhaps when I'm certain I'll use it me) or just suck it up.

A potential sell then get another one later on as another option.

Any advice?

PS I'm not going to do the work myself even though I could. We simply prefer to use our time other than fettling bikes beyond the basic stuff.

 

[DCLane]

We had exactly the same thread about whether it's worth doing yesterday, covering an MTB: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/bicycles-life-cycle-and-beyond-economic-repair.281936

Basically the labour cost here will be the biggest element, along with an LBS mark-up.

Are you able to source the parts and do the work yourself? If so, and not in a hurry, then sourcing parts from various retailers (online and offline), plus eBay / forums will make it a lot cheaper.

Chainrings - £5-20, jockey wheels - £3, cassette - £8-20, chain - £8-15 each. That suddenly makes it a lot less than £300.

And if you're not going to do the work, as you've put, then it's probably not economical to be done unfortunately. Chains, cassettes, chainrings and jockey wheels are really easy to do however.

 

[grldtnr]

I'd say keep it , if you have the slightest interest in laid back cycling.
Recumbents here in Britain are not very common, and conversely not sought out.
No guarantee you will easily find one without work required.

 

[Time Waster]

Kept it and got it fixed up. £200 parts and £110 labour. I'll not get another recumbent as good for £310 so worth it. That mtb is nothing like a several thousand pounds new bike like the bent is. I bought mine for £500 a few years ago possibly market value is more now.

The mtb was probably at most £600 in UK prices back when bought, less where it was bought in the country put together in. Now it's whatever the market will pay but less than repair bill. The mechanic said mine read special and worth fixing but the mtb wasn't. Said we could buy a Halfords hybrid or other bike from another chain for less than the repair bill and get something good enough. He was not a fan of the mtb. He's going to work on it though he just hasn't been told. There's issues meaning we need that mtb up and running for now. A pain but necessary.