[Closed] Where do all the bling £2.5 / £3k frames end up ?

Mine will be three in October or is that not old enough?

I have a 6 year old SC Blur XC Carbon in the garage that gets occasional usage. Resale value would be pants (straight steerer etc) so I'm just hanging on to it. As long as replacement forks are available it'll ride as well as it always did.

Maybe that's the thing - folk spending that sort of money on a frame really are keeping them for a long time and that's why you're not seeing them second hand (other than from sponsored racers)

Rode my Mojo sl to work this morning. 2008 vintage. Still a great bike but doesn't get used much these days.

Maybe that's the thing - folk spending that sort of money on a frame really are keeping them for a long time and that's why you're not seeing them second hand.

Sold my 4 year old ibis mojo HD frame for £750 a couple of years ago.

They don't fetch much second hand,so maybe people are happy to keep hold of them rather than sell?

I suspect that despite the 'new golf' reputation that:
1) There's less £3k+ frames sold than those afflicted by inverse snobbery would like to believe. Even Swinley, the trail center at the epicenter of the Audi Driving, Santa Cruz riding stereotype, is still mostly people on £500-£1000 aluminium hardtails.
2) That most expensive frames are bought by keen MTBers, and probably ridden until they snapped. Rather than cheaper n+1 bikes wheeled out a few Sundays a year.
3) Carbon full suspension wasn't that mainstream in 2010, mostly just the very highest end models of the big brands who could afford the upfront R&D and tooling costs. Loads of carbon Enduro's for example on ebay.

They don't fetch much second hand,so maybe people are happy to keep hold of them rather than sell?

I suspect this has hit the nail on the head!

folk spending that sort of money on a frame really are keeping them for a long time

That's what they think when they buy them anyway, not the reality in many cases though.

Sold my 4 year old ibis mojo HD frame for £750 a couple of years ago.

You did well!

3) Carbon full suspension wasn't that mainstream in 2010, mostly just the very highest end models of the big brands who could afford the upfront R&D and tooling costs. Loads of carbon Enduro's for example on ebay.

And this.

I've got a 2012 Santa Cruz Blur LT Carbon you can have for a lovely price!
Sat in my garage as a 'spare' bike.
Mainly because its 26'' nobody seems interested in buying it.....

Well yes - we have an admittedly 11 year old s works fsr stumpjumper in the garage which my wife's friends sometimes use - worth bu@@er all to sell

To date I have bought £1000 - £1500 ally frames and got roughly half my money back after 3 / 4 years; not sure that would be the case with £3k of carbon

Maybe the question should be - where will all those 3 / 4 / 5 year old nomads / bronsons / sb66's / carbines etc end up??

I've just retired a 2011 Yeti frame (suspicious crack in the paint around a shock mount) so not going to sell it.

I've got a 2012 Santa Cruz Blur LT Carbon you can have for a lovely price!

All too small for me tho 👿

2012 scalpel still in use. Best frame In the world, ever ever ever.

Is there much of a market for second hand 'super bikes'? I personally wouldn't consider paying over a grand for a 2 or 3 year old frame when you can get something brand new for that.

Sure it wouldn't be as light, or as blingy, but it would probably have more up to date Geo, will come with a warrenty, you know it aint going to break on first ride, and it'll still be a damn good frame.

That of course soesn't particularly answer the OPs question, unless others think the same and realise that they won't get anything like the 3k back they spent, and as such decide to just keep them..

I'm reluctant to sell my ASR5 frame, it was 'only' £1800 so not at your end of the scale, but it's not going to go for much even though it's in good nick and an amazing ride. Stupid 650b!

I've got a couple of carbon S-Works frames in my loft, an Epic & a SJ HT. Doesn't really feel worthwhile selling them.

Is there much of a market for second hand 'super bikes'? I personally wouldn't consider paying over a grand for a 2 or 3 year old frame when you can get something brand new for that.

Sure it wouldn't be as light, or as blingy, but it would probably have more up to date Geo, will come with a warrenty, you know it aint going to break on first ride, and it'll still be a damn good frame.

What I hope doesn't happen is 'normal' keeps getting more and more expensive until it puts off new people to the sport (as happened in Sailing and windsurfing, the plethora of carbon and n+1 boards just elevated normal to the point where the average participant couldn't afford it and would rather go kitesurfing than be below normal). Hopefully the market will mature and consolidate with development slowing down and mid range offerings improving. Remember when the Pike came out, and all of a sudden the best fork on the market was also <£300, it was great, everyone had one. I suspect/hope that competition for the mid-range will force manufacturers to trickle down the good stuff quicker and TBH I can't see things like dampers making another leap like they did with things like Fox RC2, RS Mission Control etc because those are pretty dam good.

My 2009 Scott Spark 10 Carbon is still my only mountain bike. Gets used every week - still brilliant, although I appreciate designs have moved on since then

I've wondered about this. I came to the conclusion that those types of frames get sold on to friends. My conclusion was not based on anything in particular. My other conclusion was that if you can truly afford an expensive bike frame, you may not need to sell it to buy another.

I think my conclusions are actually assumptions.

TINAS - The 'normal' has already risen to a level where people are put off.

The industry has left a lot of people behind in the rush to chase monied newcomers.
I won't be too sad if some of those involved get bitten when the bubble bursts.

Hora's shed?

"The 'normal' has already risen to a level where people are put off."

Has happened to me. Have a 4 year old 5 that's due for replacement, but decided last year to just rebuild it with loads of cheap new 26" parts and have it powdercoated. Total cost was £1k where any replacement would be £2.5-3k to keep a similar level of kit. A similar new 5 would be £4k+ 😯 Nearly bought an Aeris but the difference between the two was not enough to justify £2k+ to change.

Last MTB I sold was a 2010 Top Fuel 9.9 SSL, cost £5k new, I tried to sell it after a year and found the problems people expect - no one wants to spend big money on a second hand bike. It went to France in the end for £3000, he grumbled it wasn't in showroom condition (it wasn't a million miles off!). Decided after that id give up changing MTB so often.

Replaced with a 2011 Top Fuel which I kept for 3 years until it cracked, replaced that with a Superfly I still have. Prior to the first Top Fuel prices were slightly more sensible - I had (and sold) a 2006 S-Works Carbon HT, then 2007, 2008 and 2009 S-Works Epics.

The only 'super bike' I've sold was my 2006 S-Works Epic, sold in 2009 as a complete bike. Got half the new value for it, so really, just in line with anything else at that point in its lifecycle.

My current S-Works Epic... I guess selling it now, at four months old, I'd lose absolutely shed loads, but I suspect the depreciation curve will flatten out after about the three year point assuming it's looked after, which it will be. But I can't see myself getting rid for a long time, it's the perfect bike for the ride I do, and always have done. And I didn't buy it for its resale value, I bought it to ride it.

I also have a theory that people don't like to spend more than 2k on a secondhand bike irrespective of what it was new.

2008 mojo here, is/was that a top end bike? I bought it 2nd hand from here, the previous owner bought it new but it was barely used and ended up hanging in the shed. He certainly didn't 'need' the cash I paid. I suspect that people who can afford such stuff new don't need to punt it on to fund the next bike. Seems to be the case from a couple of responses above ^.

The bike? It's out of date, living on past glory and looking a bit worse for wear. So am I, so we get on well.

2012 Yeti Asr5-c here. Built up from secondhand bits in 2013... Coming in around that magic 2k mark (okay, so it may have been nearer 2.5 built with separate bits). Will never part with it - cos it's ace!

I also recently built up a 2010 Mojo Sl, coz I'd always wanted one. Top spec build with nearly new bits came in just over 1k

These things are such great value! Why get rid of them when new bikes either look a bit work-a-day, or are insanely expensive (for something you might actually be proud to own)?

Just retired a 2005 6-pack. I say retired, it's still built up and will be ridden from time to time. Two point above are pertinent.

I keep my bikes for a long time.
No one would offer my anywhere close to half decent money for them.

Rusty Spannner - I would love it if the MTB bubble burst. I started riding BMX in the mid nineties after the 80's BMX bubble HAD burst - although I didn't know it at the time BMX was really dead, a lot of the big manufacturers had given up and there was no money in the sport. So riders started to ride how they wanted, where they wanted and had to develop and make a lot of their own parts. This was good as it wasn't the manufacturers dictating to you what to buy - maybe 27.5 is a good example of this!

We have a 2010 Zesty 917 Carbon - bought cheap from neighbour/fellow STW'er, as it had BB glued back in.

Now waiting on a helicoil, as eldest_oab rode it for too long with iffy rear bushes.

Just retired a 2005 6-pack. I say retired, it's still built up and will be ridden from time to time. Two point above are pertinent.

I keep my bikes for a long time.
No one would offer my anywhere close to half decent money for them.

I would love it if the MTB bubble burst. I started riding BMX in the mid nineties after the 80's BMX bubble HAD burst - although I didn't know it at the time BMX was really dead, a lot of the big manufacturers had given up and there was no money in the sport. So riders started to ride how they wanted, where they wanted and had to develop and make a lot of their own parts.

The flip side of that is a legacy of disused BMX tracks which unless there's an active club maintaining them won't draw kids in. Ditto sailing clubs struggle for members. Back when boats were wood there'd be a waiting list, since if went polyester, then epoxy and now carbon numbers keep dwindling. Apparently the number of people learning to sail has remained fairly constant, but they're not then getting involved in racing.

I suppose MTB is different because there's less reliance on clubs and infrastructure, but then neither was windsurfing.

A few guys I vaguely know buy a new such frame every year, sell on the used one. They take a big hit price wise but its their main hobby, I imagine they get good discounts too from the shop. My ex-neighbour is still riding his 2005 (?) SC Superlight

@thisisnot - I don't think construction methods have led to the decline in sailing, its purely economics. Most dinghy clubs are still focused on grp designs like Lasers or the trusty toppers for kids - both available for £500-1000. My mate boight and sold a £5k carbon fibre RA losing only £500 after a years sailing

How much of it is a distrust of second hand carbon with no warranty?

If I'm buying a second hand frame I'd be thinking it could break tomorrow and any use I got out of it was a bonus. That would place a limit on the amount I'd be willing to spend. I'd not be spending a grand and a half on some second hand boutique carbon frame, but if it was silly cheap I might be tempted.

I think the wheel size change has had a big impact. I have two Covert frames, both 26 inch size which will be worth very little. I will get more selling the CCDB shock, Fox 36's, Chris King hubs and Saint brakes than the complete bike.

Lots of small things change so stuff becomes out of date in the eyes of buyers, like handlebar diameters, straight steerers vs. tapered etc.

I have a mate trying to sell his immaculate SC Heckler, hardly used, mint conditions full of top spec stuff, but its 26 inch flavour. Worth 3-4k, but wont sell for much more that 1k if he is lucky.

still have a Merlin Works 4.0 from 2007, light fast not much clearance for wide tyres, no dropper but some days is pleasure spin around on. Also have a Cotic Soda thay I've often thought of selling but never get round to it.

With so much more top end kit around now, it will be interesting to resurrect this thread in 2020, and see what's happening too all the stuff that's been bought from 2014 onwards. Maybe 27.5 will be gone, and they will be gathering dust as spare bikes in people's sheds. Can see it happening a bit already, with boost hubs, and + size compatibility, my 2014 Carbine 29er seems a bit dated.

The last couple of posts have been pretty much bang on. Warranty transferability or lack there of and wheel size has a big hit on values therefore people are more likely to keep bikes or pass on within their local community at mates rates rather than push it out to stroppy buyers on here, eBay or Pinkbike.

How much of it is a distrust of second hand carbon with no warranty?

That is a common distrust I think which could be seen as odd given carbon fibre frames can generally be repaired quite easily whereas aluminium ones can't.

Also have a Cotic Soda

Was tempted by a few SH Soda's a few years back. I guess it's much the same thing with carbon frames these days, that distrust of longevity of material associated with lack of warranty and far from disposable price.

That is a common distrust

I think anyone who was into MTB during the years when carbon was introduced has likely ended up with a nagging distrust of longevity in the back of their minds. As you say, probably misplaced as it is repairable and technology has moved on considerably.

Just about to sell my 2013 Flux - 44mm HT - the pinnacle of that model.

It makes me smile every time I look at it, riding is fun but it's not the long distance tool I need.

I'm tempted to store the frame, HS, forks and seatpost but all that will happen is it will gather dust.

lots of people here talking about selling full bikes, I'm not a big second hand buyer but I'm normally after 1 part not a full bike. Probably exacerbated by the wheel size/standard thing. Splitting it will always get you a better return, but most people CBA.

D0NK - Member
lots of people here talking about selling full bikes, I'm not a big second hand buyer but I'm normally after 1 part not a full bike. Probably exacerbated by the wheel size/standard thing. Splitting it will always get you a better return, but most people CBA.

I'm not convinced about that. I costed out what I'd get if I broke the Orange 5 I sold earlier this year (to partially finance aforementioned Epic). It came out roughly the same, but with added hassles of dealing with many buyers rather than one.

It came out roughly the same, but with added hassles of dealing with many buyers rather than one.

Like I said I'm not a big classifieds user so I dunno but conventional knowledge (which can of course be wrong) is to split it.

Like I said I'm not a big classifieds user so I dunno but conventional knowledge (which can of course be wrong) is to split it.

Still holds true for 29in and 650b I think, maybe not for 26in though.

I think a lot of buyers would just prefer a full bike at the £800 to £1000 level, without the faff of building it up. And obvs prices for 26in wheels & tyres are rock bottom.

I think a lot get ridden into the ground - my Ti hardtail frame will be staying put (unless some f*ckers nick it again).

I bought a second hand Demo 8 carbon without really thinking about it and I've been riding long enough to remember the disasters that were the GT STS's. I'm pretty sure that it'll cope with my mincing just fine!

I know some people riding £6k of bling. Justification is ifs all they spend their money on - no golf etc. Tend to be old guys (like me) 45+, kids moved on etc. Few k depreciation nothing compared to driving a flash car I suppose

I wish somebody would throw one of the 26" 140mm bling carbon full suspension frames my way 😆

I don't generally replace frames when they are X years old. More when they are damaged or I fancy an upgrade and have the funds.

Currently have a 26" wheeled SC Superlight (2007) and a mk2 Soul.

Whilst I fancy a play on a bigger wheeled FS with more up to date suspension technology, I don't think the bikes are holding me back in any way - much more the other way round.

My 2007 look, 9 years old!! was stolen from my Garage. The replacement lives indoors. Got the bike back too, functional but scratched to hell, so its just sat in the garage waiting for me to strip the parts for ebay

If they are anything like my Yeti and various carbon components I've owned over the past 27 years, within 2 years they are full of punched holes and cracks from rocks... There comes a point after a couple of years that it doesn't make much financial sense to keep repairing it. Most of my aluminum and steel frames and components survived though, albeit with some dents.

I've got a 2011 Mojo HD which has been superseded 2 or 3 times now. I hang on to it because I don't think it's worth much second hand being a 26er, and it still rides well.
Would I like a new bike - yes, can I afford one these days - no.

I'm on a 2010 voodoo and keep wondering about what to replace it with, but never do. when all the carbon frames started coming out I wasn't going to be an early adopter (cost, wasn't in the market) but the initial fails didn't put me off, ali and steel can break if you want it to.
the change in wheel sizes, the constant additions of cassette ratios and the shift to proprietorial fittings does put me off because of the endless hype with every bit of new tech and some of the daft price tags, it puts off the self builders and plays to the full bike purchasers (which I understand the economics of)

however I've still not been convinced that there is a big step change out there that is worth changing horses for, so I'll carry on with the one that can be dragged out of the shed and is ready to go.

I sold a 1st gen Scott Scale carbon frame on Ebay for £550 IIRC last year. Must have been 10 years old?

Still have a Scott Spark 1st gen, might sell it if I can be bothered.

Had a 1st gen Al Santa Cruz Blur frame and couldn't give that away.

within 2 years they are full of punched holes and cracks from rocks...

You need 3m helitape!

Check out how shiny my carbon rear end is on my yeti after a few years under helitape

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/68440820@N05/sets/72157659329763163/

[img] [/img]

[i] with boost hubs, and + size compatibility, my 2014 Carbine 29er seems a bit dated.[/i]

So it's reading mags that makes bikes seem out-dated?
How much for the Carbine?

How many £3k frames actually get sold? I suspect there's not many left because there's never been that many of them.

I suspect a lot of people drop out of the sport. Get into it, buy an expensive bike, get married, have kids. Bike doesn't get sold as they'll definitely have more time next year. Time passes. I've had more than a few riding buddies like that over the years.

I personally wouldn't risk a lot of money on something with no warranty.

One of the reasons I prefer steel hardtails is if it cracks I can weld it back up!

Of my last 4 fs frames...
First one 04 s works enduro (super bike at the time in alu) skipped after 6 years due to chain stays snapping
07 heckler cable rub and wheel rub skipped that one back in 11
09 heckler made it until 2014 before snapping.

My blur ltc is happy as day 1 with 3 years hard riding under its belt. By the time I change I'll probably just keep the frame.

I think despite the nay sayers not as many get sold as you think, lots of those go to people who ride a lot. Many are not serial frame swappers. There are plenty of companies coming in with some excellent value bikes these days, across a lot of models/brands there is a stand out entry bike that is great value. Yes prices have risen from the 90s but so have quality and things like working suspension.

Plenty of good value ht builds around if you want to to go like for like.

i sold a 3 ride old blur ltc - don't know why i bought it, knew i should have bought a tallboy, took a 900 quid ish hit on it, but got the tallboy for a similar price, so nothing lost really (justification) - was from explosifpete off here in mid 2012

hardtail itch made me replace it last while i was out injured

wheres the frame? boxed up in my bedroom, not sure of its value

adding to the good value points
Want a start?
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/grand-canyon/grand-canyon-al-4-9.html
http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPW27GX1/on-one-parkwood-275-sram-gx1-mountain-bike

Want a decent looking XC race HT for 1500?
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/grand-canyon/grand-canyon-al-slx-9-9.html

Still riding my Jones Spaceframe 2 or 3 times a week, after nearly 7 years 😉

It's 29 capable, 29+ capable, fat capable, 650b+ capable

Sadly the bike industry and bike shops telling customers 26 is dead and it's all 650b now have cost loyal owners £££ but hey it's commerce, business. Nothing personal.

No I don't have anything against bike shops. I just don't get the 'support' an entity that has a cashtill inside.

Couple of 2014 £3k mtb frames and a £2k road frame here, they will be ridden until they break and sold for spares/repair if the warranty doesn't cover them.

A lot of them are being sold on pinkbike as I type. Lots of Santa Cruz Bronsons and Nomads, all 2015 or 2016 frames. One bloke claiming he spent £10,000 including the Enve wheels and only wants £4800. Bananas.

Fella who was asking me too much for a Kona frame recently was also trying to get £1,600 for a used mk1 Bronson frame at the same time.

When people spend way too much on a "dream bike" and later realise it's too short or too heavy for them, or just get seduced by the latest shiny shiny, they can be reluctant to adjust their expectations in line with reality.

Funny really because I'm looking at buying a 2012/2013 full suss and I'd probably prefer 26inch.
The nice bikes ,(carbon Specialized Enduro, Yeti SB66c etc) still seem to be advertised for around the £2k mark.
As already said, if someone has spent £5-£6k on them new, then they're going to really struggle to let them go for any less than this.

I have an E-120 from 2008 and it is still my main bike. The only thing left that is original is the main triangle and the stem, but obviously it is the same bike. I don't want a new bike as this one is amazing and it does everything I want it to. I also have an original Turner Burner that I built up and took to the Alps last year, that absolutely eat up the trails I was on. That bike must be 14/15 years old and with. New set of 100mm forks it was great. I doubt that it would cost more than £500 now, but that would be more than enough for most people need.

I'll be selling a mk1 2014 Santa Cruz Bronson frame (XL) in tennis yellow over the weekend when I get pictures etc sorted. 😆

Email in profile if anyone is interested..

Heres one.. 😆

Heres one for sale.. 🙄

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs-2014-santa-cruz-bronson-carbon-frame-xl