What is Going On??? Bike Selling

[wheelhorseman]

Well i picked up a couple of bikes the other day to resell. Only gave 5 bucks each so i figured if i made 10 or 15 bucks profit i would be happy. The Huffy mtn bike is decent but needs a shift cable.

Put it on CL for 25.00...no calls

Relisted for 20.00....no calls

Relisted for 15.00...STILL no calls

How cheap do people want them?? You cant hardly touch any bike on my local CL for less than 50.00. Even junky yard sale bikes are priced around 40.00 or more.

[Gold Street Customs]

Well from experience, if it needs any work at all nobody will mess with em unless its a classic or collectable. There is just too many of that type of bike out there.

[wheelhorseman]

The ad doesnt even say anything about the cable. Have sold several in the past (dirt cheap of course) but always had calls and interest. Now its like no one sees the ad. I am not talking about one CL site. Its on 3 of them in a 40 mile radius. Usaully i get flooded with nosy bodies or plain idiots but now nothing.

[Ratfink1962]

Where you at?

[Chips_Mahoy]

I feel ya..... I've got 25 or so "modern" bikes I can't hardly seem to give away! So I'm starting to strip them for whatever I think might be useful I the future and am adding what's leg to the scrap metal pile. I honestly think I'll get more money for them that way!

[highship]

I think that with as cheap as these department store bikes are (especially on sale/clearance) it's hard to justify spending about a 1/3 or 1/2 on another department store bike that needs work.

[Fahrrad]

+1 that is why I am parting all my $5-10 bikes. The selling of one or 2 parts pays for most of the bike. Then just strip and scrap the frame.

[3barFan]

Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder. Most bike selling/trading/owning/hoarding, is emotionally based. I had a 1988 Jamis Diablo that I bought and rode in the U.K. while stationed there in the 80's. Gave it to a Stepson after a lot of badgering. Claimed it was stolen, not too sure. I would have better luck finding a Gary Littlejohn Fireroad cruiser than that Bio-Pace 18spd purple MTB geared bike. Price them High, they will come!

[Chips_Mahoy]

I think that with as cheap as these department store bikes are (especially on sale/clearance) it's hard to justify spending about a 1/3 or 1/2 on another department store bike that needs work.

That's part of the Wal Mart-itis disease. Why repair it if you can get a shiny new one for cheap? No one wants to make things last anymore. Cheap Chinese stuff is king! NOT!!! I alot like my dad and grandfather with the thought of why replace it if you can fix it!? Proper care & maintenance on any machine can make it last!

[mikesbikes36]

i find cheap dept store bikes dont sell worth a crap ...even if their nice !!!
my brother called me last week ..his buddy wanted a bike 2 put a motor on ...wich im not into but whatever ,u buy a bike from me and its ur so do what u like i guess ...so i dig out a few beach cruiser bikes,he asks about a schwinn wasp ..keep in mind this bikd is in great rat rod shape ...chrome s2s ...i say 100 bucks ..he tries 2 get it cheaper ,nope 100 cash is as low as ill go ..he had just went 2 wally world n bought a bike got it home and the rim was bent so he had 2 take it back ..he spent 100 bucks on it !!
but he didnt wanna spend 100 bucks on a classic that he would still b riding in 20 years ...i dont understand some ppl !!
why wouldnt u buy a nice classic ???/

[outskirtscustoms]

On that type of bike I sell what parts I can, throw everything else on the parts pile and scrap pile.

[yoothgeye]

How cheap do people want them?? You cant hardly touch any bike on my local CL for less than 50.00. Even junky yard sale bikes are priced around 40.00 or more.

Where are you located, this will help us feel your pain and understand your situation better, here's a post for you:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=54099

Around here bikes don't sell online, so I've been thinking of fixing some up in the $5 to $40 range and putting them in the front yard with price tags attached, the cheap ones would also draw in people who might be looking for other stuff.

[jerrykr]

One other factor.

When they take their wally-world bike in to the LBS to get something fixed, the LBS advises them to just go back to wally world and buy a shiny new one.... the LBS repair would cost too much vs just replacing.

I don't blame the LBS for rejecting the repair, it's not easy to get a wally world bike adjusted to work well and work consistantly (in my humble experience).

[yoothgeye]

Another idea, if you can weld, Take another frame and turn that bike into a tall bike. I have had SOOO many offers to buy my tall bikes that one day I might just start selling them.

[Chips_Mahoy]

Do the big stores like Wally, Target, Meijer, etc. send their workers to any kind of sanctioned trainin for proper bike assembly? Or is that why they'd rather swap it out if there's a problem with a bike purchased from them? Less liability?