[Closed] Bike depreciation

I'll give you 500 quid and a PS one.

its for a bike Im looking to buy, not sell!

I sold my 3 and a half year old, but mint and £8k new, Nomad 3 for £2400 3 months ago so reckon you’d be in the right area at half

*crys*

I once read a thing that said 50% in the first year, the 25% each year thereafter. Seems about right based on above.

As with anything else it has to be desirable and have the right badge on the headtube. Of all the bikes i have owned i got the most amount of money back on a 2013 Specialized Epic, 3 years old and 70% of the purchase price back.

Colour is also very important. Black frames sell well.

I once read a thing that said 50% in the first year, the 25% each year thereafter. Seems about right based on above.

I work on roughly 50 the first year, then 10 a year after. Someone will be along in a minute to say that’s bollocks and that they only sell bikes for 150% of rrp

Getting half your money back two years later is a bit optimistic I think.  Maybe at more like a year old?  A lot depends on how badly people want to buy it though. If it’s something that is rare as hens teeth and extremely desirable then it’ll sell for more than if it’s something someone else is selling every week.  ‘Customisation’ and ‘upgrades’ unles they’re genuine improvements like a better model fork etc aren’t likely to increase SH value.

Being a desirable brand has a big bearing on depreciation. Myself and a work colleague bought 2 bikes at similar times, mine was a Mondraker, his was a Santa Cruz, both similar in terms of price. We both work in the trade so got decent pricing on them, but after we both sold them a few months apart he made his money back and I lost over a grand. Both were in damn good condition and similar spec so it just goes to show how much of bearing a certain brand can have on second-hand value. From what I see these days, unless you buy a Santa Cruz or a Yeti, any high-end bike will end up being sold for a lot less than the seller thinks!

I don't think there's such a thing as a bike so desirable that it holds its value. I'm afraid that, financially at least, bikes will always be a terrible investment.

My only recommendation is to try not to pay full-whack in the first place if you can possibly manage it. Shop around and don't be afraid to ask for a deal.

Post a link and we'll all say low prices, if that helps?

I work on roughly 50 the first year, then 10 a year after.

I've always worked to that, it's a decent rule of thumb, but no more.

It differs massively though, some brands hold their value well, Santa Cruz (yeah them again) are hard to place, what with their two-tier models. I wouldn't buy the expensive 'frame only' ones, they don't seem to be worth any more than the 'ready made' ones, but I think that's a decent rule in general.

YT right at the other end of the cost scale seem completely impervious to depreciation! I've seen 2 year old bikes being offered for near as dam it what YT were selling them for at the end of the season when they were new and I think "they'll never get that" only to find they're sold a week later.

The mainstream middle-ground seems to be the worse, Spesh, Cannondale, Trek etc, probably because they change models more frequently, a new frame design every 2 years with a new colour every year doesn't help.

I guess you are mostly talking about full suspension bikes, I would say a decent hardtail with boost spacing that could accommodate 29 / 27+ wheels would hold the best residual value.

TBH it's really just a middle-managment, new golfing, ****ers game innit?

"How much will this toy be worth when I inevitably lose interest in it?"

You buy it for the same reason you got the M-sport rather than the regular 5 series for your last company car; because the finances allowed you to, and because you're special and feel like you deserve nice things...

If you're already worrying about whether or not you can afford the depreciation hit, the answer is already No....

“How much will this toy be worth when I inevitably lose interest in it?”

I dunno, wheeling and dealing bikes are be part of the game for as long as I remember, It's more to do with the fact that people will spend far more than is probably sensible on a bike and want to at least hope they can buy the next greatest thing in 2/3 years time.

buy cheap to start with and then you'll lose less, my sc chameleon D spec after selling off the bits cost me £609 for the frame, wheels, tyres, headset, stem, BB and crankset

when the frame was £599 to buy in the UK,

the top spec full bike with the fox rhythm 120mm forks was a ridiculous price,

bikecomponents had them at £188 (130mm)

Thanks for the advice It’s for a 2 year old bike I’m looking at putting an offer on.

[[ Thanks for the advice It’s for a 2 year old bike I’m looking at putting an offer on ]]

check out LTMracing17 on ebay if you want a cheap santa cruz

a lovely tallboy Carbon S Spec for £2.5k with fox performance suspension

The mainstream middle-ground seems to be the worse, Spesh, Cannondale, Trek etc, probably because they change models more frequently, a new frame design every 2 years with a new colour every year doesn’t help.

Not true, these brands are the most desirable with mainstream audiences who are the people that tend to pay over the top prices for second hand bikes. No matter how good they are a Vitus or On One is never going to get the resale of a Specialized or Trek.

I’ll give you 500 quid and a PS one.

That's just an example of the messages you'll get on Pinkbike 8 minutes after you post an advert for your one year old 6k bike.

Like so many of these things - "it depends".

The brand, the model, if it was a good bike or not, time of year, wheelsize, etc etc.

The last bike I sold was about 18 months old & went for ~70% of retail, the one before that was just over 2 years old (although frame was replaced under warranty) and that was about 60% of retail.

Frames & components seems to be a bit more of a lottery, mostly driven by other stuff for sale I find. If there is comparable out there & it's cheap, i'll just sit & wait until it's gone. Not giving stuff away just because others are. Although it's nice when it's something you are looking to buy!

Santa Cruz does sell well. I recon you may well get 50%, if the bike is in very good condition with hardly no marks, is a common size (ie medium or large) and the colour is a black, white , grey ...... nothing flashy or fluorescent.

I’ve always seemed to do ok selling road bikes but less well on mountain bikes.

Giant Ocr2 I got £250 back after 3 years va purchase price of £500

Cannondale caad9 I think was £1000 new and I got £500 for it after 3 years.

Boardman Team Carbon was £1000 new and I got £350 after 7 years. None of them had fancy upgraded parts either - the boardman had mavic aksiums as replacements for the Ritchey wheels it came with as I wore them out.

Mtb wise I had a boardman pro fs which was £1350 (although I lucked out and got it for £1k) and I bought much better tyres / went 1x etc. After about 2 years I sold it for about £600 I think it was.

With an mtb I’d always think they have a harder life with crashes so I’d be reluctant to pay a lot for one secondhand - especially with a carbon frame.

To add, all of the above were in bike to work before you had to pay a lump at the end so I did even better than those figures suggest.

Wish someone would even send me an offer on my Santa Cruz! As I've found out over the years, they are never worth as much as you think 🙁

Selling 2nd hand can be a minefield. The dealer needs to make 40-50% on new bikes, so I expect to lose that even before I use it, unless you direct buy.

I just managed to get £1k for my two year old Scott Spark which cost £3k.  It was mint as mint can be, but I was lucky to get even that amount.

The problem with buying bikes is when people buy a new bike at rrp, say £3000 as its just come out and all the magazines say its the best bike ever and you just need it!

Shortly after you buy it, there's a sale and it's now £2000.

You try and sell yours a year later for £1800 but you can't sell it as I can get a new one for £2000 with warranty but you paid £3000 for it just a year ago and you've only ridden it 5 times according to strava and you need the money for the next bike as the magazines have told you your bike is out if date and you need a new one.

If you are worried about the sale price then make sure you buy wisely in the sale or buy 2nd hand.

Just bought a 2016 enduro bike. £5.5k new for £1400. And I didn’t have to fight anyone for it.

the issue may be that a lot of new bikes are getting financed and there isn’t any hard cash to support the second hand market?

YT right at the other end of the cost scale seem completely impervious to depreciation! I’ve seen 2 year old bikes being offered for near as dam it what YT were selling them for at the end of the season when they were new and I think “they’ll never get that” only to find they’re sold a week later.

I bought a second-hand YT Jeffsy 20 carbon frame/forks. In very good nick, but I'd agree, do hold their price surprisingly well. Not selling it anytime soon though. Love the thing. Lol

TBH it’s really just a middle-managment, new golfing, **** game innit?

“How much will this toy be worth when I inevitably lose interest in it?”

You buy it for the same reason you got the M-sport rather than the regular 5 series for your last company car; because the finances allowed you to, and because you’re special and feel like you deserve nice things…

If you’re already worrying about whether or not you can afford the depreciation hit, the answer is already No….

Are you OK hun ?

The stereotypes you use and assumptions/generalisations you make say more about your insecurities than anything else.

Most people's ballparks that have posted here seem to be roughly what I expect as well

So how come so many sellers advertise on e-bay or other sites as "New" .. or "New Other" and they all seem to have been given a £2000 bike as an unwanted gift that they've put together and never ridden (or if they have it's to the end of their drive and back) and are asking £1850 like it's bargain of the century.

I think I take the view it doesn't matter how long they they've had it ...  it's 2nd hand ... if it really genuinely hadn't been used they could return it to the store so approx 60/65 % of original value at max ... the rest depends on how old / condition.

Things are also changing in the market so quickly ... last years bike with 105's will be the older version ... this year coming will probably have the newer 7000 so that'll possibly push down last years value a bit quicker than a year without an upgrade.

Gravel bikes / CX have gone from approx 35mm tyre clearance to 700 x 45 or maybe 50 with 650b so again will quickly push down the value of older models as wider tyres seem to be the current trend with cabling routed through the tubes.

Just paid 33% retail for a 2016 cx bike.  (Trek Crockett 9)

Good spec but bought blind, waiting for it to arrive. Bit of a gamble

It was an eBay buy, had been on for a while with the price reducing week on week.

CX bikes really are an oddity though, they usually are hanging and cheap, because if they are raced they get jet washed multiple times on race days, and there are lots of races!

I sold a 1 year old giant defy for half what I paid for. It. I wanted more the guy wanted to pay less so we met in the middle. I was not unhappy with that I suppose!

Matt black carbon avoid the bright ones , although I do love that mint green bronson, although next year I’ll wish I’d got the black one

If I was buying a properly expensive bike second-hand, I'd check chain wear, all the bearings I can easily spin, etc. And I'd want receipts showing the suspension forks, shock, dropper and pivot bearings have been recently serviced. If the seller can't provide that, it's scarcely worth anything in my opinion - even if it's only 2 years old.

CX bikes really are an oddity though, they usually are hanging and cheap, because if they are raced they get jet washed multiple times on race days, and there are lots of races!

On the flip side, loads are just minced around tow paths and the like. Wouldn’t say there’s much of a middle ground (as an example I’ve worn out a NW ring in 5 races, only 3 of which were proper muddy)

Like I said, bit of a gamble, but would be a good price if ok.  Ok price if well used as the bones of it are high quality.  Looks fine in the pics and he had 40mm tyres on it for bumbling around.

Hoping the cards are stacked in my favour.

Either way, it’s going to feel fast compared to my 2009 Roadrat.

I think there’s probably a value people are willing to pay for a used bike.  Either to try a new discipline or for something to commute or ride with friends.   Mid spec bikes with brand, drop to just below or around that price and top spec end up dropping to just above that price where a few are willing to stretch too it.

I did well on my fat bike last year too, ended up showing me fat bikers aren’t just freaks but normal guys having fun.

If it's from a shop with warranty as an old model, secondhand or ex-demo then it'll be more than a private sale. Third off typically for an ex-demo of a year or so old, for example.

Private sale secondhand, very much depends. As said it'll take a big drop in the first year. Brand, model, condition, age, the kit it comes with, and even then it's mainly worth whatever people are prepared to pay for it.

Wish someone would even send me an offer on my Santa Cruz!

£4.76

I bought my Nomad as an ex demo from a shop. They replaced everything which was over 50% worn (aparently about 800 retail on all the bits). For £3k. It was just under £6k new.

It had done 14 demo days and bearing in mind a lot of demo days are on not that hard routes, I thought I was getting a good deal.

Compare that to buying one second hand, that if ridden properly will have had a hard life and with probobly well worn tyres and gearing.

Any more than 50% retail would be expensive if you ask me.

Just look at some bargains to be had here

https://www.tweedvalleybikehire.com/product/ex-demo-yeti-sb5c-enduro/

Sold my 2015 carbon Bronson few  months ago, all receipts from Tf  for susupension servicing, replaced all bearings , drivetrain couple of months old and not a bad build,I tend to keep on top of things so pretty well cared for, originally told it would sell for around £2000 ( 50% for what I paid) which I thought was optimistic tbh, I thought around £1700 would be a fair price, still no one would bite, it was the green one so probably halving the interest right away, ended up letting it go for £1450 just to get it out the way, really only worth what someone is willing to pay.

The second hand market seems pretty skewed at both ends to me.

I agree with the point above that the availability of finance seems to be supporting the sales of high end bikes. When I was buying my last bike shops appeared almost surprised that you were buying outright rather than on finance.

At the other end I think there are some unrealistic expectations on second hand values. I was looking at a second hand Santa Cruz on the classifieds here a few months back and the price was only a few hundred pounds off what I could buy a new (old model in sales) one for.

I guess most people don't have the ready cash and if they do they find price expectations unrealistic.

Its a hard one I am sure there is no firm rule for me I try and get the best deal I can and certainly would never pay RRP, recent purchase I got cashback £240 and 11% off clearance price from dealer.  I find that the groupset can be expensive and good forks so focused on this with last purchase, will I get a good return when I change one day only god knows - The only thing I can say for sure is I am going to try and get my moneys worth and use bike as much as possible.

Sold a ‘97 Saracen Havoc for £30 cost me £699, both robbed me thinks. ’01 Stumpjumper enduro for £100 and a ‘16 Fuel Ex 8 for £900.