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Mine is easy, frame plus parts.
Hers started as a complete bike but the only original parts are frame, shock, stem, front mech and rear mech. Everything else has been upgraded and changed.
So, how do I work out the cost of replacing her bike if I can't get a price for the frame on its own?
If you're on good terms with LBS - they can do you a valuation letter.
- last time I'd spent £800 with them - it was free [some bikes shops charge for this]
If you want to stay on good terms work out all the values yourself, then arrange to email it to them so that they can copy and paste onto their own headed paper.
And photograph the bike.
My bike was nicked recently (shout if you come across an enormous black Titus X) and the insurance co just nominated a direct replacement co who asked for a photo and my own list of components (to fill in on their template) to check against it. They're only interested in providing a comparable bike, not the same bike. So a if your bike isn't available frame only and you wouldn't want the same frame with stock parts then use the value of a comparable frame.
But how does someone come up with a price for a frame that doesn't exist as a frame?
Is it a truely unique and extraordinary frame? Is it so special that you wouldn't accept anything else in replacement than the exact same make and model? Made in limited numbers by a mystic wizzard in a shed? Or is a mainstream frame made by a mainstream manufacture, in a field a similarly specced, similarly manufactured, similarly priced frames?
It'll vary a bit by price point, but generally where bikes are available both as frame only can be your guideline. Lower down the scale the frames a fairly small proportion of the price, around 1/5th to 1/4: An inbred frame only £150 - £200, bike around £1k, higher up the frame (especially if its FS) becomes a bigger portion and as a full bike the frame is sold at about 1/2 - 2/3rds the full bike price - an orange five 1500 bare, 2500- 3000 complete.
It's a specialized stumpjumper fsr. Half to two thirds of purchase price sounds reasonable but really wouldn't know what to replace it with if the worst happened.