Used Market Opinions and Experience (entire bikes)

My experience as a seller this past fall was as follows:

 - listed a 12-month old carbon downcountry bike for what I thought it was fair, approximately 65% of replacement value [not a scratch on it, Factory suspension, carbon wheels, spare unused fork and rear shock], still well under the best sale price for just the bike alone

 - immediate extreme lowball offer for just the frame [rejected]

 - dropped the price by several hundred dollars after three weeks and no interest

 - dropped the price by $100 per week for 6 weeks, no interest

 - offer came in for $500 under my asking, which I accepted, but had to drive 3 hours to drop it off

About 2 months from first posting an ad to final sale. Pre-pandemic, I would have sold this bike in the first week it was on the market for close to asking. During the pandemic I would have faced a bidding war [LOL]. These days, I think I did pretty well. I routinely see local bikes in good shape sit on the PB buy and sell for 6+ months. The worst is if you have a bike that's full 27, they simply don't go. Even recent [2023+] 29 and MX bikes don't move quickly despite being priced very aggressively. 

Great time to be a buyer for used and new. Basically pro deals for all on new bikes, and far deeper discounts than that on used. Not so great to be a seller, but big depreciation when there is an oversupply is to be expected. In the last 5 years it seems everything has gotten more expensive (sometimes a lot more) except bikes. I have three kids. It's crazy what we spend on food in our house! 

great time to buy new bikes at a good deal or used bikes for almost nothing.  I've been lucky to sell some stuff, but I have been taking a hit for sure.

My opinion...  Used ebikes have the re-sale value of a pringles can left out in the rain for 4 weeks and full of water.  Any real mileage on them (over 300-500) and there will be practically no interest, even at 50% under msrp.  Not a shocker, but it's a turn in the market where your ownership decisions are now impacted by that.  Previously, the move was either get a new ebike every year before the depreciation got gnarly, or just hold onto it and run it into the ground.  Now the answer is clear, run it into the ground and fire sale.  

Pedal bikes are a mixed bag.  Values are down for sure and it takes a while to sell... but if you have the right size, right build you can still expect to get 50% of msrp without too much headache (think enduro/trail bikes in size medium or large that are desirable, nomad, yeti sb140 etc).  Also, cheap af bikes are a mixed bag but can still sell.  For example, 1500 dollar bikes that are now worth 500 (giant fathom).  Anything in the middle (1,500-3,500) range when new, you might as well just part out or donate.  

Seriously tho, consider donating.  I donated a gravel bike last year to a bike coop.  the 2,500 value I was able to claim on my taxes, which was legit btw for donation/write-off value, was more impactful to my overall financial situation then selling the bike for 1,000 would have been.  

I listed my 2023 giant trance X 3 (base model) for $1200 on facebook marketplace and sold it within 1 week. Had a lot of interest in it. Guess i priced it to low...

It's a shit show...

You can get really good deals these days so it's hard to sell anything. I have a 23' Trek Fuel EX Gen 6 carbon frame with Factory shock with basically zero miles and full warranty, which is normally 4k in the shop and getting lowballs around $1k...

This has been my experience regarding eBikes. I have a $10k  2022 Giant Trance X Advanced with live valve that didn't even get an offer when I listed it for $5k. 

I also have a 2021 Intense Tazer MX expert model that didn't go anywhere for $1750. 

I figure I'll just keep them and use them to coax friends out to ride with me. 

I also have a 27.5 DH Intense M16 that was a $10k new bike that didn't move at $3k. It's now a wall hanger.

In France, so different market, but not too different story occuring on the online marketplaces. I just sold my Giant Reign e-bike bought for 6k in 2023 with 2 batteries, sold for 2.8k with both batteries. Bike went in 2 weeks, I looked on the local equivalent of craigslist, people were trying to sell their 2020 version for 3-4k for months, so I asked for the same price as the lowest 2023 bike I could see, knowing mine was in better condition and got 3 offers, sold at asking price.

I think some sellers have a distorted view of their bike's value because they bought it for X so it must be worth some percentage of that based on yearly depreciation. The reality is I replaced my bike with a better bike, similarly specced, brand new 2025, latest electronics and components for $4.3k. The original cost of my bike is meangingless when you can buy a new firesale 2023 or 2024 model at 50% off. 

I've been in the market as a buyer and private seller.  Deep discounts are there in both new and used for the motivated parties. Unfortunately that's not everyone and many are still hanging on to  pandemic market conditions or custom build sentimental values. Over the summer I made multiple offers for downhill bikes (Gambler, Phoenix, V10, Session etc) or enduro bikes and many buyers were glued to MSRP levels despite some models being just refreshed or were about to...and/or the listing have been sitting there for over 3 months.  

That's to say that your bike's value in your hands is higher than what it can fetch in the market. I don't think there are that many people in dire need to sell so there is a bit of a lul. That might change if the economy continues to dip. What I can tell you is that there are plenty of asking prices that are disconnected from reality and plenty of buyers eying the rock-bottom pricing. Anything reasonable and closer to the lower pricing makes the item move, otherwise the market sits at an impasse. 

I’ve had a great condition Size Medium GT Force carbon Frameset listed at $900 since September. High Pivot frame with a fox X2, headset, MRP High pivot specific lower guide and a spare set of linkage bolts, derailleur hangers, etc and haven’t had a single serious inquiry. I paid $2500 for the frame at a shop employee discount in 2023 (MSRP was $3700) and rode it for a season. Probably going to lower it down to $750 soon.

Yea, I'm in a similar position as you are with the GT frame. I am trying to sell my barely used Cannondale Jekyll frameset with 2 shocks no success. 

Guess I'll just have to drop a whole lot more money and build it up as a freeride bike instead. I feel like complete bikes are easier to sell than framesets but either way the market is in the crapper these days bigtime people. 

For me, there is a point where I'd rather donate or give away the bike instead of taking such a big hit on the depreciation value. Good call on the tax redemption value of @ebruner!! 

There are some kooks out there with insanely unrealistic expectations of what their bike is worth, especially when it's a "cUsToM bUiLd".

If you need a good laugh, check this thing out: https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bik/d/alpharetta-trek-9800-custom-re-built/7820365600.html

Dude has had this bike listed for well over a year. Initially he was asking $2,000+. No low balls, I know what I've got! 😂

Maybe if they pay me $2K to ride it...

That would buy you a lot of lemonade. 

The used market is really painful for selling, but great for buying right now. 

Back in 2014, I had a 2009 Commencal Furious VIP frame for sell. It had scratches and dings, but nothing that would hurt its performance. I sold it pretty quickly for $1,000. 

In 2023, I had a 2021 Commencal Meta AM 29 frame for sale. It was in really good shape, I can't think of even a scratch, let alone any dents. I had put together a list of all the similar age and condition frames that were for sale at the time, and priced the Meta at around the 75th percentile, fully expecting to be haggled lower. I don't get any interest at that price. 

By the time I had lowered the price enough to get some offers, the frame was priced in the 25th percentile, and the offers were for half or less than half of what my listed price was. I finally sold it on Superbowl Sunday for $500 to a guy who was traveling through my area on his way to a family party. At that point, it was the lowest price frame on PB, only parts of frames were listed for lower prices.

This will not end well...

that is, uh, more expensive than a brand new one from ibis. poor guy doesn't know yet does he.

This old grumpy guy in your neighborhood accidentally built a super hip restomod bike packing bike with tall bars. Which (importantly) is still worthless on the used market, but hats off for the dumb luck. Just needs a front rack and/or bandana.

It's a pretty tough market to sell in for sure. I was trying to sell my wife's XS tallboy for around $2k but there was no takers for quite some time. Ended up just selling to TPC for 2.1k in cash which was surprising. Sold my old sb130 frame that had a couple of nicks on it for slightly less than $1k. Have realistic expectations and it will probably sell eventually, if you're on a more common size (M/L). People trying to sell a "custom built" bike for more than $5k-6k are a bit delusional, in this market at least imo. 

And a Ti mug dangling from a carabiner on the saddle rail. 

Also, guilty myself but I ain't trying to sell the thing. 

Im curious if this is your experiences with mountain bikes only or all bikes.  Ive got a gravel bike ive been meaning to list.  Im hoping gravel is still growing and. I can fetch a decent deal in it.  I let a friend borrow it last year and he put more miles on it than i did.  Lol

I'll throw in another anecdote... Locally [touristy mtn town], I'm still seeing people posting up their used mountain bikes for, let's be honest, too much money. I'm also starting to see bikes being sold with all the owner's kit - i.e. bike+helmet+shoes+pack+vehicle rack. In some cases it's resort workers heading back to their point of origin as their visas expire, but I think there are people who got into riding during the pandemic and are now just over it completely. 

I have sold my Benno Boost and a BMC AMP ebike during the pandemic and made $$ on both.  Now I have Bianchi E Omnia (Bosch Mid and Deore components) thats been sitting for almost 2 months (CL and F priced way below market.

I'm also active in watch forums.....same....DEAD.  Unless you are selling at lowball prices, your watch will sit (under $1500 range).  However, when I posted a $9k+ watch it sold in a few weeks and had it priced fair market.  I think only the rich with disposable income are buying things and they would prefer a new bike over preowned.  Watches are a different story because you can't just walk in and buy certain models like the one I sold.

My W2 gig is fleet sales for a Mercedes Sprinter Van Rental company I work for.  Used to get $28k+ for them, now it's in the low $20's.  We are pricing them near wholesale, so near lowball pricing.

Finally I'm in a vintage leather jacket forum too and that has completely dried up.  Jackets sit there forever these days.  

New president, people are waiting to see how things go plus the news just loves spreading and throwing wood into the FUD fire to get their views and clicks.  If you have the $$ now is the time to buy.  

I saw this and thought it would fit into this thread nicely.

On sale for almost two years. Hmmm. How much is a NOS bike?

I know there's sales tax on the new bike, but still...

You pretty much have to give away used bikes right now... Its to the point that im just going to get a new frame and swap parts and just accept the loss. 

Yea I just sold a megatower 2 C frame for 1k… no bueno but happy to get something back.