[KobayashiMaru]

I know with the current shortage sellers think they can cash in on demand, and asking prices are just stupid lately, but looking at used bikes has always been a trip through the looking glass.

I see over and over again how people are asking 1500-2000 on the low end and between 2000-3000 for bikes that are 6-10 years old; before the covid shortage and now. In a lot of cases these bikes are so old they've got quick release skewers and straight steer tubes. Of course they're all in excellent shape and there isn't anything wrong mechanically...

I'm of the mind that anything with the old 135/100 spacing with quick release skewers and a straight steer tube should be asking somewhere between 1200-1400 max with the expectation they'll have to be haggled down to 1000, give or take on parts and condition, of course. That would be for the cream of the crop models or bikes with nice upgrades hanging on them too; stock bikes that were low end to start should be lower.

Bikes that have 26 inch wheels should never be priced above a grand, and should be asking somewhere around 600-700 to start only if they were amazingly awesome in the first place. A run of the mill 26 inch bike should cost no more than 300-400 at best, and that would have to be in tip top shape for the age.

A hardtail should naturally cost less than a full suspension, but it seems people feel they can charge more because "it's crazy light and you can win races on this".

These older bikes all have years and years of use on them... I just don't see the logic in asking so much. I'll never understand the mentality a seller has when they price a bike. I can get asking more at first because you have to haggle with buyers, but when they ask high and don't budge, it makes no sense at all.

Does anyone else feel the same or am I just weird?

 

[Blatant]

No, you’re correct. Reality is, though, the market still favors proper pricing. A buyer can ask whatever he wishes. Overpriced bikes still aren’t selling. An appropriately priced used bike should sell in a day or two.

 

[Cleared2land]

Whatever the buyer elects to pay, creates market value. Supply and demand has always been the rule.

 

[chazpat]

I have no fear of quick release skewers and straight steer tubes, pretty far down the list of concerns for me and they served mtbers for decades. But no way I'd pay the prices you suggested for a 26er. And I would expect to pay more for an older premium steel hardtail than a lower end full suspension. Too many factors to try to fit everything into neat price slots. But mostly supply and demand as C2L mentioned.

 

[Sparticus]

Whatever the buy elects to pay, creates market value. Supply and demand has always been the rule.

I don’t understand why so many people are challenged to understand or accept this reality. It seems obvious.

In the used market, seller is free to ask anything they want. Buyer is free to say yes or no as they see fit. There is no “normal.” Don’t want it at asking price? Then don’t buy it. There’s no gun to anyone’s head. Supply & demand rule. Buyer beware — but don’t complain. Sellers will get whatever they can.

And there’s nothing wrong with this. It’s market conditions driven. AKA reality.
=sParty

 

[Harold]

People are always going to ignore pricing recommendations because they want to milk every last cent out of the POS they want to sell.

Definitely agreed that different things will can sell well above these numbers. Some old mtbs are either collectors items or cult classics at this point, and are desirable in nearly any condition. Not necessarily to ride regularly, either.

All this means that the buyer needs to educate themselves enough that they know what a reasonable price for a specific bike is, and is able to use the condition of the bike to negotiate down.

 

[hoolie]

Have you ever tried to buy a 1960’s house in the Bay Area? Overpriced, Horrible construction, outdated building codes, plumbing and electrical systems need replacement, but people stand in line to buy. Its supply and demand, and the well to do are in no hurry to sell. I listed an old bike 15 times on Craigslist and it never sold. I was asking $1750 for a clapped out 2012 hardtail. The fork, dropper, and drivetrain were garbage, and the bike needed $1200 in oil/ damper service and parts replacement (XTR drive is expensive!). Bike was not designed for tires wider than 2.3 and I use it at Demo and Downieville. When Covid arrived, I listed it ANOTHER 5 times, along with Pinkbike listing. I declined every lowballer, because I was not in a hurry to sell, and wanted as much money as possible for a new bike build. FINALLY sold the bike, and I told new owner of all issues, he paid full price and took the bike. Crazy.
Edit: I probably don't have the stomach to be that stubborn again. I sell most stuff on Ebay at 99 cent auction, and its so much less work!

 

[diamondback1x9]

a bike is only worth what the market will pay for it. my ht is for sale right now that i put over 800 into, for sale for 500. only 2 people have contacted me. my patience is beginning to run out

 

[milehi]

That's why I wont sell this. Custom frame with "modern" geo. CCDB with Ti coil, Marz 44RC Ti, Hope's on 819s with bolt on rear, Gravity Dropper, Magura Free Rides with Danger Boy lovers, On One flats. Every single bolt is Ti...but its ten years old and rock solid.

 

[Sparticus]

a bike is only worth what the market will pay for it. my ht is for sale right now that i put over 800 into, for sale for 500. only 2 people have contacted me. my patience is beginning to run out

It's January.
=sParty

 

[Thustlewhumber]

For the last 5 or so years (maybe even longer) you couldnt get rid of your bike for anything close to what you paid for it, the demand wasnt there. Covid hit and all of a sudden the bike you couldnt get $1500 for you could sell for $2500 all day long. Prices arent going down anytime soon either, because people arent selling their old bikes because they cant get new ones.

 

[diamondback1x9]

It's January.
=sParty

yup... maybe i should relist it in march. one of the people interested in it wanted to trade his size small for my size medium, i need a large b/c i am growing out of it. i said no it's prolly too small for me and now i am waiting till he gathers the 500 and there is a marin san quentin 2 in the mail.

 

[Sparticus]

View attachment 1912274
That's why I wont sell this. Custom frame with "modern" geo. CCDB with Ti coil, Marz 44RC Ti, Hope's on 819s with bolt on rear, Gravity Dropper, Magura Free Rides with Danger Boy lovers, On One flats. Every single bolt is Ti...but its ten years old and rock solid.

A rare Entana with genuine Rubber brand (not rubber band) rear tire -- now this is something worth hanging on to.
=sParty

 

[bingemtbr]

View attachment 1912274
That's why I wont sell this. Custom frame with "modern" geo. CCDB with Ti coil, Marz 44RC Ti, Hope's on 819s with bolt on rear, Gravity Dropper, Magura Free Rides with Danger Boy lovers, On One flats. Every single bolt is Ti...but its ten years old and rock solid.

Terremoto? I have a newer Ciclon (2014 new geometry), a 2009 El Salts and a 2004(?) Terremoto in my stable.

 

[jestep]

Just ignore them if you have a problem with their price. Someone could just as easily respond to your statement with 90%+ of riders don't need anything beefier than 135/100 and >26in wheeled bikes are just a gimmick to sell heavier bikes and components at a higher price...

If they aren't worth the price they aren't going to sell. Complaining here is like complaining on FB that your next door neighbors need to paint their house...

 

[Cleared2land]

Hard Tail For Sale - $850 OBO

Needs some upgrades, but comes with complete drive train and pedals. This won't last!

 

[KobayashiMaru]

I have no fear of quick release skewers and straight steer tubes, pretty far down the list of concerns for me and they served mtbers for decades. But no way I'd pay the prices you suggested for a 26er. And I would expect to pay more for an older premium steel hardtail than a lower end full suspension. Too many factors to try to fit everything into neat price slots. But mostly supply and demand as C2L mentioned.

Funny you mentioned steel in there... I have a steel hardtail (Niner Sir9) with a straight steer tube and quick release skewers. If I wanted to sell it (I don't see ever doing that) I'd think it would be fair to let go at 1400-1500. It's not spec'd with super nice stuff, but it's not a turd, and I bought the frame essentially new only three years ago. People I don't know walk over to tell me how nice it looks even after I've ridden it three thousand miles because I've kept it in good repair and have managed to keep the finish from being too scratched up. And, like you say, it's not a regular old aluminum frame that's been ridden hard and put up wet for the last 10 years or anything. It's high quality steel.

It does, like any bike like it, suffer the issue of what to do if the current fork craps out though. You can find other forks for it, but it's getting harder to find any of quality, and I would consider that in pricing it, because a buyer will have to as well.

Much like how the old threaded, or 1 inch threadless forked mountain bikes might be awesome bikes, the fork issue really puts an owner in a bottleneck for replacements, which sort of makes those old bikes worth looking past, unless you want to ride them rigid.

Wheels with the old standards are getting harder to find too, unless you want to pay more to get hubs that are convertible to allow quick release skewers, but that usually comes at a higher price than you might want to spend for what will probably be an older, backup bike.

Now, another steel hardtail, a 26 inch Trek 970 from the late 90s that will take a threadless straight steerer disc fork, if in the right shape, I'd absolutely pay 300-500 dollars for that, but it would have to be in good shape. I was so close to getting one with the Saturn Silver paint job once, for just 300 bucks, and then the seller backed out because I wouldn't use "friends and family" to send the money through paypal. It was like someone kidnapped one of my daughters...

Naturally a good hardtail, in the right shape with the right spec, would be worth more than a crapped out, nothing special, full suspension, but generally speaking, if parts and quality were the same between bikes, I would think a full suspension would bring more than a hardtail.

 

[Crankout]

Sellers will list whatever they want for an asking price, then sit back and see who bites. The same goes for homes and cars, too. The market and availability will determine the paid price.

 

[Nat]

I know with the current shortage sellers think they can cash in on demand, and asking prices are just stupid lately, but looking at used bikes has always been a trip through the looking glass.

I see over and over again how people are asking 1500-2000 on the low end and between 2000-3000 for bikes that are 6-10 years old; before the covid shortage and now. In a lot of cases these bikes are so old they've got quick release skewers and straight steer tubes. Of course they're all in excellent shape and there isn't anything wrong mechanically...

I'm of the mind that anything with the old 135/100 spacing with quick release skewers and a straight steer tube should be asking somewhere between 1200-1400 max with the expectation they'll have to be haggled down to 1000, give or take on parts and condition, of course. That would be for the cream of the crop models or bikes with nice upgrades hanging on them too; stock bikes that were low end to start should be lower.

Bikes that have 26 inch wheels should never be priced above a grand, and should be asking somewhere around 600-700 to start only if they were amazingly awesome in the first place. A run of the mill 26 inch bike should cost no more than 300-400 at best, and that would have to be in tip top shape for the age.

A hardtail should naturally cost less than a full suspension, but it seems people feel they can charge more because "it's crazy light and you can win races on this".

These older bikes all have years and years of use on them... I just don't see the logic in asking so much. I'll never understand the mentality a seller has when they price a bike. I can get asking more at first because you have to haggle with buyers, but when they ask high and don't budge, it makes no sense at all.

Does anyone else feel the same or am I just weird?

How and based upon what did you come up with your proposed price points?

 

[milehi]

Terremoto? I have a newer Ciclon (2014 new geometry), a 2009 El Salts and a 2004(?) Terremoto in my stable.

It's a Ciclone. 2010 with custom geo. 67*/74*, 24TT, 13"BB 150mm up front 140 in the rear.