Buyer beware trek demo sales



Outdoors888

New Member
Oct 10, 2016
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Hi all,

Just want to put it out there my recent experience with dealing with Trek Customer Relations Manager (TCRM).
I purchased (what I thought) was a Trek Madone 7.7 through my local bike shop (complete bike). This was in September 2015 replying to Trek's "Demolition" Sale!

You would expect that that the bike being sold was current stock i.e. 2015 Frame and Groupset.
Well, to my amazement, I found out recently that the frame was a 2013 Madone 7.7!!!!
My Local Trek Bike store didn't realise this little MINOR detail!!

On contacting Trek, the TCRM said he had know issue with the campaign as the email did not specify the year of manufacture of the bike frame. Apparently, Trek Head Office leave it up to your local bike store to wear the sale with no support of the local bike shop. The TCRM further stated that the line item of the invoice to my local bike store had the year of manufacture in the item "skew". My local bike store was none the wiser as the line item of purchase was just a string of numbers.

We only found out later Treks "skew numbering" format....last 2 digits being the year of manufacture - nowhere else in the line item description of the bike given over to the local bike store.

So, the dilemma is this, If you bought the frame in 2013, its RRP was $4700. If you bought the frame in 2015, its RRP would also be $4700, as the frame had not changed but for the paint finish. What would you value a frame that is 3 years old compared with a frame 1 year old??

Any thoughts??
 
FYI ...

The particular components which MOST "new" bike come with are typically a clue to vintage of MOST-but-not-all NOS bikes you will find in an LBS ... particularly if the bike is equipped with Shimano & SRAM components.

Campagnolo components are rare on ready-to-ride bikes (Bianchi is an exception).
As you noted, the paint scheme on your frame is different from that on the more recent bike you were comparing it with. Consequently, your LBS should have been able to tell you the date of the bike based on the paint scheme on your bike. IMO, there are NO excuses unless you were dealing with someone who just started working at the shop a week-or-two prior to when you bought the bike.

Bike depreciation is horrendous ... generally, ONLY rare Campagnolo COMPONENTS depreciate at a slower rate than other cycling components AND/OR some Campagnolo components may actually be valued for MORE than they were when new ...

MY observation is that a 2016 (currently, a YEAR OLD BIKE!) should be 70%-to-75% of the MSRP ...

It is NOT uncommon for current-year bikes to be sold at a discount to the MSRP ... it depends on the local market.​

A NOS 2015, IMO, should currently be 60%-to-70% of the MSRP ...

A NOS 2014 would be 55%-to-60% of the MSRP ...

A NOS 2013 would be 45%-to-55% of the MSRP ...

et cetera ...

With the preceding in mind, if you paid something in the range of $2800 +/- for your bike when you received it from the shop, then I would consider that a fair price. Others may disagree.

If you paid a lot more, then (in the common vernacular) your LBS screwed you ...

If you paid less OR received other considerations, then you probably got a pretty good deal ...

Regardless, I reckon your bike (if it is in very-good-to-excellent condition) has a value in the $2000-2300 ...

Specifically, what component group came on your Madone 7.7?

So, what did you pay for the bike last year?
 
IMO: Regardless of the purchase price the product was misrepresented unless NOS was clearly spelled out in the advertisement. Something along the lines of: "We're up to our elbows in various model year production TREK's we just found in a warehouse in Bangalore!".

As far as 'value' is concerned...are you selling it or will you be selling it?

If not...the value is the same as the specifications and time in service have not changed according to your post. Only TREKophiles would know the year by paint scheme. If they say you have an 'old' 2013 model, lie to them and tell them you liked the old paint colors so well you bought a Project One custom!

If a sale is in your future there are several things that influence the 'value'. Foremost is condition. Second is vintage and features. Most of us don't pay for the story that goes with the for sale item. i.e. "I bought this 2013 frame/bike, but did not use it until 2015.". If that's the case your frame will be valued about a year or two less depreciation to most buyers.
 
FYI ...

The particular components which MOST "new" bike come with are typically a clue to vintage of MOST-but-not-all NOS bikes you will find in an LBS ... particularly if the bike is equipped with Shimano & SRAM components.

Campagnolo components are rare on ready-to-ride bikes (Bianchi is an exception).
As you noted, the paint scheme on your frame is different from that on the more recent bike you were comparing it with. Consequently, your LBS should have been able to tell you the date of the bike based on the paint scheme on your bike. IMO, there are NO excuses unless you were dealing with someone who just started working at the shop a week-or-two prior to when you bought the bike.

Bike depreciation is horrendous ... generally, ONLY rare Campagnolo COMPONENTS depreciate at a slower rate than other cycling components AND/OR some Campagnolo components may actually be valued for MORE than they were when new ...

MY observation is that a 2016 (currently, a YEAR OLD BIKE!) should be 70%-to-75% of the MSRP ...

It is NOT uncommon for current-year bikes to be sold at a discount to the MSRP ... it depends on the local market.​
A NOS 2015, IMO, should currently be 60%-to-70% of the MSRP ...

A NOS 2014 would be 55%-to-60% of the MSRP ...

A NOS 2013 would be 45%-to-55% of the MSRP ...

et cetera ...
With the preceding in mind, if you paid something in the range of $2800 +/- for your bike when you received it from the shop, then I would consider that a fair price. Others may disagree.

If you paid a lot more, then (in the common vernacular) your LBS screwed you ...

If you paid less OR received other considerations, then you probably got a pretty good deal ...

Regardless, I reckon your bike (if it is in very-good-to-excellent condition) has a value in the $2000-2300 ...

Specifically, what component group came on your Madone 7.7?

So, what did you pay for the bike last year?​
Yeh, you make valid points. The bike came complete with Dura Ace 9000 groupset and current Bontraeger RXL wheels. All seemed current. Price was $5800. As I said buyer beware....I got screwed by Trek as they made out that the bike was current and they made no apolgy for it. That's the way they roll when selling demo bikes. They mix and match what they have lying around. LBS didn't pick it up either and they have been a Trek seller for years.
LBS said to me though that they seldom sell demo bikes. I can see why now.
 
I would think that any company selling a product older than the current year needs to be disclosed, failure to disclose the fact that your bike was older than the current year (at the time 2015), and in this case 2 years older would qualify for misrepresentation of material facts, as well as false representation. I think you could get your money back if you researched the legality issues of what happened and took it to small claims court.
 
1) I would think the buyer at any ""Demolition" Sale" should come to the table assuming it could be old stock.
2) LBS not knowing the color sckeme was from 2013 is not a very knowledgeable bike shop, I think they are fooling you.
3) LBS not knowing last two digits in skew was the year is again fooling you.
4) If bike was new (not a demo bike or a return), and less then price of current model, I'd say you should be happy. You were when you bought it, unless there were BIG changes between '13 and '15 models.
Keep your reciept to show any buyers you bought it in '15.