So I'm looking to sell a couple of my road bikes, one is a very high end Italian steed
I've had one of them on Ebay for 5 months with no takers, the RRP was nearly 13k new, its less than a year old and done 200 miles and is immaculate, I'm the original owner, proof of purchase, warranty card etc.. all present
I'm asking 6k ovno, had a couple of lowball offers of 3-4k
Tried We Buy Cycle and Cycle exchange in Kingston London, they either wont pay more than 5k for any bike or will only take a bike of high value like this on commission which they charge 33% so they would need to sell it for 8k for me to get 6k back
I'm in no rush to sell and I've sold loads of very high end bikes over the years but never struggled to sell one for so long, I'm wondering if the 2nd hand high end bike market is a bit slow at the moment and the fact I'm not willing to post is a reason also (although if I'm spending 6k on a bike I want to view and test before buying so wouldn't want it posted)
Not willing to strip the bike to try and sell as parts because as soon as I do that someone will want to buy the bike complete! (has happened to me before)
So where else can I try? not interested in using Facebook, far too many messers and not the best place to sell high end products
Any good road bike forums to try or any we buy bikes type websites that will pay 6k for a bike?
I've had one of them on Ebay for 5 months with no takers
It doesn’t matter what you think it’s worth, clearly people in the market for a 2nd hand bike don’t like it or think it’s too much
I would never drop that kind of money on a road bike for one, and then sell it a few months later
Maybe see what cycle exchange will offer to buy it off you for ?
Your problem is it's too expensive. I'd expect someone wanting to buy a high end road bike will have a high salary and be able to access a salary sacrifice scheme. Why buy your second hand bike when they can get a new one to their exact specification/size for not much more in total and spread the cost?
This is well above the usual used bike price that most folk would consider. That's the problem, your market for this is incredibly small. Try the road bike mag forums, but I think even then, unless it is in demand, you are well into very high end new bike price territory so why would someone buy used?
Just a quick look on the classifieds here and mostly bikes are on for far less and are older, except for one barely ridden high spec Bronson.
6k buys a lot of new road bike. That’s probably the issue? Did you pay rrp btw? If you didn’t and buyers are aware of how much they were available for a year ago that could be another reason?
Have a search for Yelo Bike Club on Instagram.
They sell high end new kit but they also take in, refurb and sell quality S/H stuff, sometimes quite niche.
I think the issue is as others have said - the market for £13,000 bikes is incredibly tiny anyway; the market for secondhand ones with no warranty (unless it's transferable?) is even tinier. You may find a lot of people are put off with why you're selling such a top end bike after such little use.
It's one thing buying a pro rider's "spare bike" from a WorldTour team at the end of the year with that many miles on it, you kind of have a reason (as well as the cachet of riding a bike once ridden by [WorldTour pro]) but outside of that rareified atmosphere, it's a difficult one to sell, especially for a niche brand - I'm guessing from the price it might be a Cippollini?. Might be a bit easier if it was a Specialized or Trek.
Maybe see what cycle exchange will offer to buy it off you for ?
Already tried that and mentioned them in the OG post
Bike is a Colnago, hand made & painted in Italy hence the RRP price which I didn't pay (I paid 10k) but the cheapest this spec was selling new for was 10k and used similar spec ones are being advertised for 8k
Only selling as need to fund a new car purchase
Have a search for Yelo Bike Club on Instagram.
Will give them a go, thanks
As Yak says,you are pitching at a very tiny market,but at least you are not in a rush so someone may come along.
Do you have any high end bike shops near you that would (for a price) put it on display?
Good luck.
You're basically looking for someone with £6k in ready cash to spend on a secondhand bike and in that size. I'm guessing a very small market and therefore a long wait or a big price slice.
I suspect plenty of new bikes at the £6k price point are bought on finance. So even if you have the kind of person who would spend that on a road bike they potentially won't be able to spend that on one without the point of sale finance option.
There's a local Facebook cycling group here where you do see secondhand stuff come up around £3-4k sometimes although not a lot of active / visible interest.
A friends been trying to sell a high end Madone this year for roughly half RRP with no interest. As others said you're trying to sell into a tiny market and the buyer is probably someone who could buy a "high end" bike for £4k, looking to see how much further that might stretch 2nd hand. the number of people with £6k that go looking 2nd hand will be even smaller.
Personally, I'd keep the bike. You'll never sell it for a price you'll be happy with. And unless it's a classic, the car will just depreciate as well. Buy a reliable old Focus for £500-£1000, in 5-6 years it'll probably not have needed any more maintenance than a newer car, you'll have saved that £6k in depreciation and still have an awesome bike.
I wouldn't rule out Facebook. Yes it's full of tyre kickers and time wasters but it's worth a shot.
I sold my last bike on there within a few days. Granted it was an old NukeProof Mega for £450 so way lower price and wider appeal. I also just sold some tyres within an hour of listing and have sold loads of other stuff relatively easily. All a long way off a 6K road bike but the point is genuine buyers do exist and it's another audience to advertise to.
Or maybe take the 5K from We Buy/Cycle Exchange.
Has the market not been distorted by salary sacrifice?
Someone shelling out £6k on salary sacrifice can get a £10k bike new with full warranty.
Why pay £6k to buy second hand and have to travel to buy rather than using local dealer.
Keeping it is going to cost you the interest on what it might sell for, given that it's going to finance a car, selling it is going to cost you a minimum of 4K if you can actually get 6K for it.
As others have said those wanting 10k road bikes will be higher rate tax payers buying them on salary sacrifice and those who actually need them will be given them by the team 🙂
Maybe ring Colnago and ask them if they know anyone who will buy it?
Clearly there is a market. Just looked at their website and one road bike is listed at £16,882 wtf !?!!
As others have said those wanting 10k road bikes will be higher rate tax payers buying them on salary sacrifice and those who actually need them will be given them by the team 🙂
Very true!!
Clearly there is a market. Just looked at their website and one road bike is listed at £16,882 wtf
I'm not sure they one statement necessarily follows from the other. Just because they list it doesn't mean they sell it. Can't recall the exact terminology, but there an accepted approach that you boost sales of £xk bikes by advertising £2xk bikes alongside them
Just because they list it doesn't mean they sell it. Can't recall the exact terminology, but there an accepted approach that you boost sales of £xk bikes by advertising £2xk bikes alongside them
A lot of the super-high-end kit is made with exactly that in mind. It's a showcase, a sort of "look what we can do" from the brand.
There's a car dealership that we've had cycle race vehicles from before, their main business is very much the Ford Focus / Ford Kuga type vehicle. In the dealer window is some wildly souped up Ford GT "thing" (no idea what) with a price tag of about £195,000.
They'll never sell it. I imagine it's on loan from Ford, probably does a couple of months in various dealer windows. It's just there as a talking point.
Most top end stuff in bike shops is like that too. For the very occasional £3000 MTB that we sold (this is back in the day when £3000 was very much top of the range), we'd sell dozens of £400 - £600 MTBs. They were the bread and butter of the shop turnover.
Assume this a C68. Lovely. I have a Colnago CX bike and have always wanted a Colnago road bike. For me I'm looking at C60's and rim brakes. Still over £2.5k for a 10 year old one. £6k is a good price for a new one.
I very nearly bought a Colnago in the early 90's but I was fitting the latest Dura Ace 7402 to it and Italian/Japanese wasn't the thing. I went with a custom handbuilt UK frame using the same Columbus SLX and a total custom paint scheme. Cost the same.
You are also massively restricting your market by not being willing to post it. Appreciate your view on the reasoning and don't necessarily disagree, but it will not be helping your potential customer base. It would be worth offering it to get someone contacting you at least?
So where else can I try? not interested in using Facebook, far too many messers and not the best place to sell high end products
And yet ironically, Facebook marketplace (and associated groups) is by far the best place to sell high end specialist kit these days...
Yes... You will get the odd messer getting in touch, sadly that's inevitable. But speaking from experience, and knowing people who sell high end 2nd hand bikes for a living, they don't bother with any other selling mediums now except for Facebook, it is by far and away the best place to sell a bike these days...
You are also massively restricting your market by not being willing to post it. Appreciate your view on the reasoning and don't necessarily disagree, but it will not be helping your potential customer base.
I dunno, if someone wants a niche bike like that enough, they'll be prepared to travel (or at least prepared to meet you halfway).
I've sold a few bikes on ebay, always specifying absolutely no postage, don't even bother asking and they've always sold. I think the most niche thing was a recumbent (belonged to my Dad) and although it took a while to sell, eventually someone up in Scotland saw it, bought it immediately and then got the train down to Manchester to collect. We completed the sale in a car park out the back of Manchester Piccadilly station, the buyer took it straight onto the train back north. There was no way the buyer would have found another bike like that, certainly not locally.
It'd be different if it was a basic MTB, but something truly niche and special, I think any buyer accepts they'll have to travel.
And yet ironically, Facebook marketplace (and associated groups)
My aversion to Facebook is that anyone can see what I'm selling and it can attract undesirables, I hadn't thought of joining any specific private cycling groups which should give me a better audience, will go and join some now, thanks
Trouble is Colnago (although very lovely bikes) is niche even among high end brands. I would go on facebook and look for a Colnago owners group or suchlike.
a C68 is a lovely bike. and 700c sold their special edition painted one almost at cost a year ago. Beautiful and rare. but the market is limited. GLWS
