Making Money Selling Bikes/Parts

[Sam Kennedy]

I was wondering whether it would be possible making money by fixing up old bikes and selling them on, or selling the parts separately.

How hard is it to sell bikes? I don't want to be stuck with an old bike no one wants.

Would I make more money selling the whole bike, or the individual parts?
How much should I mark up the price?

I really want to make some extra money, but want to make sure I can actually make anything out of it before trying.

What do you think?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

doubt it. when i bought a steel frameset s/h from my lbs, he reckoned there was no way he could build it up and make a profit on it…

 

[fossyant]

The only way would be older 'specialist' kit....i.e. high end.... but you'll be lucky to get it cheap anyway, unless you have a stash...

 

[swee'pea99]

I think there is money to be made, but you need real knowledge, some mechanical ability, money, and patience. Mostly by spotting badly-listed good old British steelframes and selling them to overseas buyers - the weakness of Sterling helps. But I don't think it's easy money.

 

[Hilldodger]

You also need a huge amount of space and even then you'll not make a lot.

Do it as a bit of a hobby and enjoy the money it brings in but don't try to do it to earn a lot.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

In my area I have a chap who sorts folks bikes out for FREE

He takes in donated old stuff and does them up and gives them away too.

It's his hobby.

 

[Rob3rt]

OR spray them luminous colours, refuse to put brakes on them and sell them as "fixie's" on ebay! *Not a serious suggestion*

 

[Crankarm]

There are people who already do this - bike thieves who make max profit as they pay nothing for the bikes or parts. There are people who also buy them as well.

If you've ever spent a long time brousing at bling in well known bike shops particularly in London, you can't help but notice the large number of cyclists that go in with real jallopies only fit for the scrap heap that expect the bike shop staff to repair there and then for £2 .

I suspect you would make very little money. Those into bikes wouldn't buy as they would prefer to do the work themselves and anyway would be looking up market. Bike virgins I hazard a guess would prefer to go to a bike shop/Halfords to buy a cheap bike as they are so cheap or buy one out the back of the Daily Express for £60 .

 

[kishin]

This bloke seems to do okay at it www.racingbikeswales.co.uk

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I looked at it years back when I was young enough to get a grant to set up on my own, but it was never going to be a good earner for a full-time job.

I used to "dabble" as a part time pocket-money earner, did it for the love of it more than anything. I enjoyed it, and I think I read you mentioned school and GCSE results..so guessing you're in lower 6th or something - which was when I used to do the exact same thing.

In which case go for it. It makes some extra cash whilst you are still not having to fund the roof over your head and I found it rather satisfying.

I used to source my bikes from auctions that handily for me, started every Weds at 10am, just when I didn't have any lessons until 11:30, so I'd pedal over from college, do my buying (and selling, since I sold the re-con'd bikes back at the same venue) and pedal back to college just in the nick of time, then go back in my mum's car in the evening to pay for and pick up the bikes for refurbing, and of course, pick up my cheque for those sold

 

[Globalti]

You'll never make a living out of it. I once considered it and after I'd laboured over restoring some hopeless wreck for someone who wasn't prepared to pay decent money, the pain in my back told me I was better off sitting at a desk making money.

If you went into it full time buying all the bits would absorb all your working cash before you even began to sell anything. Even then you would be wasting time trying to sell your work while you should be doing the work and unless you had such a great reputation that you could add value and charge lots your revenue wouldn't amount to a few pounds a day for a huge effort.

 

[ASC1951]

I was wondering whether it would be possible making money by fixing up old bikes and selling them on..

You would be very lucky to make even minimum wage. Do it for enjoyment, but almost any other casual work is going to be better paid.

 

[CyclingCat]

I just enjoy making new old bikes for friends and giving them as a gift.

If you take bikes out of skips, take a photo of it in the skip before you take it out so you have proof of source.

Get involved with a local bike recycling initiative and as an organisation you might be able to get given them for free, bikes that have been with the police for a length of time. Though some constabularies destroy them. Won't even sent them to Africa!

 

[Will1985]

Joe1983 seems to do up quite a few old bikes. Unless they are classics (as Joe does) it's unlikely you'll earn very much as others have pointed out.

 

[e-rider]

Unless you can source decent parts very cheap there is no easy money to be made I would say.

However, there are bargains on ebay that can be bought and sold for a small profit - I've done it a number of times but it's pocket money really. £5 -£20 per item. Would need to invest a lot of time and money to make a living from it - like 80+ hours a week!