Pricing Used Bikes



jwroubaix

Member
Jun 6, 2007
177
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How much off retail would a 3yearold S Worksbike be worth? I'm looking at a bike that $8kwhen new, the owners asking $4k which seems a little steep.
 
You should consider the condition of the bike,things like wear and tear. You should also factor in the mileage and whether the spare parts of the said bikes are readily accessible.
 
Okay, here's what i'm looking at. It's a 2012 S works Tarmac with Sram Red components. About 4,000 miles on bike, no components have been changed out.
 
You should ALWAYS be weary of the condition of the bike. The seller may not be providing the best quality pictures on purpose. Be sure to meet up with the seller in a public place before you even consider buying the bike. 4000 miles seems like a lot, so I would look into the bike more.
 
jwroubaix said:
How much off retail would a 3yearold S Worksbike be worth? I'm looking at a bike that $8kwhen new, the owners asking $4k which seems a little steep.
You could try searching google. The cost will largely depend on its condition.
 
Like everyone else has said in this forum, it depends on the condition of the bicycle. This is the general rule for any used product, though. I would suggest inspecting the bicycle before you make the actual purchase. If the seller is unwilling or hesistant to comply then there is something fishy going on.
 
OGRICHBOI said:
You should ALWAYS be weary of the condition of the bike.
Yeah, the condition of used bikes always makes me weary of being wary.

All kidding aside, also consider that nearly all factory warranties are not extended to buyers from sellers who are not factory-authorized dealers. That means, if your used bike breaks due to a manufacturing or design defect, you're on your own. Lack of warranty significantly lowers the value of anything.
 
jwroubaix said:
How much off retail would a 3yearold S Worksbike be worth? I'm looking at a bike that $8kwhen new, the owners asking $4k which seems a little steep.
FWIW. IMO, $4000 is way too much ...

Think about it ...

With THAT many miles ...

figure $800-to-$1500 for the frameset with that many miles (the cosmetic condition will also affect the value)
$400-to-600 for the components
$200-to-$300 for the wheels

So, I reckon THAT bike with that many miles is only worth about $1400 to $2400 ... split the difference and you are around $1900 +/-.

BTW. I can't believe you are so keen to buy a used bike ...

If you REALLY want to buy a used CF frameset, then I'll sell you my C40 ...

you can put your own components on it OR I can sell it to you with a bunch of unused-and-barely-used Shimano Ultegra & DA components!
 
Have you seen it to determine its quality. Many reasons can someone want to sell whatever they own. If it is in good condition, then you take it. First you must be positive about used bikes. Is it in its original color. Check out wheter he had had accidents before, while riding it. He should approximate the mileage, since all these contribute to pricing a commodity. Ask friends who have used the same brand before, they can help out. Do not buy it if you realize that he is selling it because it has troubled him before either with brake problems.
 
The most difficult thing about purchasing a used bike is whether or not the carbon frame and fork have been compromised in any way, and since the damage isn't always visible you may not see anything to hint that there's trouble, so they may know but buyer won't know till it's too late. So I would have the bike checked out by an LBS just to make sure. Sure you could try tapping the frame and fork with a coin to see if you hear anything odd, but again if you're not well versed on how it should sound you'll miss it.
 
I agree with everyone that's skeptical about the 4000 dollar price tag. That's a tad up there for a used bike with admittedly that much mileage on it. You seem pretty intent on the brand maybe you should shop around before you commit?
 
That's quite expensive for a used bike with a whole lot of miles. Its been used and loved so much that the owner should knock the price down. Haggle and if the owner won't budge walk away
 
When you are Che king the condition of the bike are there any tricks to finding out if its worth it? Any particular parts to check that most people won't think about?
 
Bicyclebluebook lists the price from about 3500 to 3800 based on condition, so his asking price is a bit high, but not outrageous. The seller is probably leaving room for haggling.

4000 miles is not high mileage. that's fairly low for a bike that old. I ride more than that on just my road bike every year and there are riders who put well over 10,000 miles every year on their bike. The idea that carbon frames don't last is a myth.