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Used Bikes

1K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  D3DO 
#1 ·
Are used bikes really worth more these days?

I am getting a friend into the sport and it seems like it is very very hard to find a decent used Full Suspension bike for less than a grand. Why would I spend $650 - $900 bucks on a used V-brake bike when I can get a brand new bike for around $1200?


Whats the deal? Are more people holding on to their bikes these days? have Gas prices created a demand in the used full suspension MTB market?

I bought my bike new back in 2002, so I have not been watching the prices, but they seem out of control.
 
#3 ·
Why don't you guys ask for a lower price?
When I sold crap I would ALWAYS post my prices a little higher than I though it would be worth. Why? Because I would ALWAYS have people low-balling, regardless if the price was fair or not.

Hell I got my used entry level bike for $80, advertised for $200.
 
#5 ·
Yeah, obviously if its something you are interested in, then yeah . . . ask for a lower price.

I bet though that there are a lot of people out there who are delusional about how much their bike is worth.
 
#6 ·
If you watch CL regularly you will see the same bikes over and over. The reasonably priced bikes don't last long, thats the only reason everything you see seems so outrageous. My friend picked up an Intense 5.5 with a full XTR build for $900. There is a Fisher Joshua that has been posted off and on for over 2 years with an asking price of $1000. Once I saw a nice like new Giant NRS carbon for $50 dollars. I called and ofcourse it was already gone.
 
#7 ·
UEDan said:
Why don't you guys ask for a lower price?
When I sold crap I would ALWAYS post my prices a little higher than I though it would be worth. Why? Because I would ALWAYS have people low-balling, regardless if the price was fair or not.
+1. I currently have my Ex 7 priced over what I would take but that's to keep lowballers away (though it didn't keep a guy from offering $750). Any reasonable offer and I'm down to talk turkey.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/bik/2308212637.html
 
#8 ·
Think of shopping for a used bike like shopping at a swapmeet. You NEVER pay the asking price! People need money more than ever and they are willing to deal!

When I see an auction on eBay for an item I want, I look to see if anyone has bid on it or not. If not, I ask the seller what the lowest buy it now price is and 99% of the time, they agree to sell it directly to me for less than you'd think.

Men can be "professional shoppers" too, ya know...
 
#10 ·
Klurejr said:
The funny thing is now, I think I have convinced my buddy to just buy new since the price jump is not that big, and now he is looking at spending 2grand on a new Kona Coilair... lol.
THose come up on ChainLove very often for great prices . . . it seems like a funky bike, but whatever . . .
 
#12 ·
I have bought most of my bikes used, but I think there is a limit to saving, a price barrier sorta-speak.

For instance- I have bought several really expensive frames ($2000) retail for 1/2 off.
And a complete bike for over 1/2 off ($3800 for $1500).

However if you are shopping in the shallower end, a guy who drops a $1200-1500 on a bike is not likely going to let it go for $500-700 bucks.

So if you are looking in that area, you have to be more picky and more patient, or buy a new bike a model year or two older.
 
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