New and used bikes; hard to find this year.

[Brandane]

BBC news report.

The BBC report linked above is interesting reading. New bikes are hard to come by, resulting in values of used bikes soaring but also the inevitable rise in thefts. Lock those prized possessions up with a good quality lock, folks. I'm sitting on a collection of 6 bikes just now, all of them good, but can't bear to part with any of them despite the possible drop off in value after summer. One of them (Specialized Tricross) is already out on long term loan to my brother anyway. Couldn't bring myself to sell it despite him pestering me to do just that.

 

[BigMeatball]

long term loan? are you charging your brother? kudos for that

 

[Brandane]

long term loan? are you charging your brother? kudos for that

He charges me storage; I charge him rental. They cancel each other out . His wife is quite good at putting on the occasional Sunday dinner for me too .

 

[DSK]

Petty thefts from cars/sheds/garages etc have increased since lockdown in our area and I understand this is across the board.

As for bikes, I can see the £300-£1K joe public stuff selling out and this pushing people to into the £1500 to get something for themselves but, beyond this price, joe public would give themselves a reality check as the bikes become more specialist as well as the buyers.

 

[MarkF]

I've bought 2 bikes recently, after many weeks of looking day after day both ended up coming from the CTC forum sales section. You wouldn't believe how many "excellent" condition pieces of junk I have viewed. 6 bikes now in my garage with the car parked up right against the door.

 

[DCLane]

I've sold everything I had for sale this year by early March, apart from one last week I picked up and turned around quickly. Just collected my old GT MTB from storage and that'll be on sale this weekend.

There's a shortage of supply at the bottom end of the market currently, not just imports.

 

[Garry A]

If anyone breaks into my shed (not difficult, doors hangin off) all they will find are some slugs, a bit electric cable and a mouse skelton. All my bikes are inside the house till I can convince the wife that an Asgard is money well spent.

 

[netman]

Sell now, buy in a few months when the coronacyclists have gone back to their cars - should be some good bargains around when the rain starts in earnest!

 

[Alembicbassman]

I started the year with 6 bikes, now down to 2 keepers (my Dahon folder and CF road bike), both kept in the house. People are going crazy, seems too good to miss the opportunity to raise a bit of cash for some winter build projects (hopefully all those newly purchased bikes will be back for sale by then). I have soooo much space in my 2 sheds now.

 

[Wookee]

I sold my nearly new road bike in less than 8 hours on ebay for the full asking price. 6 enquiries and 12 watchers. I sold it to the only bloke who bothered to phone me and have a civil conversation instead of sending me hopeful messages.
I bought it just at the start of lockdown because I discovered irreparable damage to my hybrid, but I just couldn't get on with the drop bars and geometry. I picked up an old Raleigh Pioneer in good condition a couple of days ago so this will now be the replacement....just as soon as I can get the brakes to....err...brake!

 

[Rusty Nails]

I volunteer at a community bike workshop, temporarily not allowed to work due social distancing issues. I am still in touch with the employed staff there who say that virtually all their time is taken up with repairs, much if it from people digging their old bikes out of the shed/garage and trying to get them ready to ride, and there is little time to fix bikes up for selling on.

There has been a huge drop in bikes being donated, either from individuals or from our arrangement with the council recycling centre, as they have been closed through the lockdown, so we are well down on our normal sales. In addition the employed staff spend all their time on customer bike repairs.

I have suggested to the boss that if he can assess a donated bike and the parts needed to fix it I will be happy to collect it and the parts, fix it up at home and take it back for him to pdc it ready for sale. He has said this could be possible if it looks as if the workshop semi-lockdown is going to go on for much longer.

On the wider point of bike sales, I went for a walk around Cardiff Bay today and was amazed at the number of people, especially women, I saw riding obviously new middle and low range bikes.

I suspect that next year, after a Welsh winter, our bike donations will be at or above previous levels.

 

[cyberknight]

Just sold my drop bar mtb as mrs ck is allowin me a new steed on c2w , the bike was £300 new and got my asking price of £150 on facefluff makrket place even though its a few years old .In fact it was getting into a bidding war and if i had played the game i reckon i could have got more .

 

[carlosfandangus]

I was at work on Wednesday and 2 cyclists stopped to use the loo (retail park) I knew one of the riders as he has worked for a LBS for many years, anyhow their shop is a large one, they only have 4 electric MTB's left, all above 4.5K and a couple of non assisted bikes for sale, all high end, they usually have a stock of about 50 mixed bikes in, all repairs are halted, they are just too busy at the moment putting sold bikes together, they have 40 on order from Giant, 30 of these are already sold, they do not envisage them being delivered before September!!!!

 

[Saluki]

I have 2 that I am selling. When I get home and get a bit of sleep, I will clean, fettle and advertise. I hope that they sell as I have no room.

 

[screenman]

I have a 1989 mtb with a bit of XT gear and cheap bouncy front forks, the bike was about £700 new back then. I raced it for several years but it will have to go and this post may just have kick started my desire to list it somehere.