Broken Wrist -> Sell New Bike?
 

I wonder what the brain trust thinks of this one. My instinct is to hold onto bikes forever, but since this bike is as close to new as you can get I wonder if selling it would be a better move since trail riding will not be happening for 6 months, and by then there will be next year’s bikes out.

Very wary of depreciation, I finally bought a brand new 2019 FS mountain bike only to find myself with a career opportunity that would mean 5 months of not riding. I got a great deal, so fine. No big deal right?

An unexpectedly eventful summer had me only ride it twice, and now I’ve broken my wrist in a cross race.

Sell for 60% of retail now? Don’t worry about it because all bike technology changes yearly whether it needs to it not and just shut up and ride the bike in June? ATMO hot dog?

If it is "practically new" it would make very little financial sense to sell it since you essentially absorb all the depreciation and enjoy little of the benefit.
If you truly prefer to purchase a fresh new MTB every year, my advice is the opposite. Go ahead and sell it so your new MTB is ready after wrist heals.

IMO it would make absolutely no sense to sell it. I don't think tech will change that dramatically in 12 months - certainly not enough to offset the hit you will take on the sale.

Just my 2 cents.

I broke my wrist a week before I accepted delivery on my Mosiac gravel bike. I was out for 3 months. Never thought of selling it.

Sounds like the bike didn't turn out to be "the one". Maybe your new career opportunity is producing money-be-damned prosperity. If so sell it and you can get whatever you want when ready to ride again.

Does this new career opportunity require any basic decision making? Maybe an opportunity to practice that.........

I have a fractured hip and clavicle. It's anybody's guess when I'll be able to ride again. I'm not selling any of my bikes.

I've never considered resale value as a criteria for buying a bike. If it fits and rides well I go for it.

when I broke my hand, I actually purchased a new bike during the down time. too much free time spent online... :rolleyes:

I wouldn't analyze it from the viewpoint of your injury, but rather if you like the bike enough to keep it. would you even consider selling it had you not been injured? would you be considering selling it due to the career change anyway? only you know the answer.

sorry about the wrist! heal up quick!

I fractured my pelvis about a month and half ago. I was riding 5 days later.

On my second ride of my dekerf I broke my wrist. Off the bike for 6 weeks. Never did it occur to me to sell, just rode my road bike a bit more during that period of time.

The best way to get your moneys worth out of a vehicle is to keep it; as long as it isn't eating anything.

My record so far is on average ten years for a mountain bike. Granted I don't ride in the woods a lot but still. The tech on my so far 7 year old Cannondale is still up to date enough for anything.

Yeah, I wouldn’t sell it. Who cares if it’s the latest / greatest?

I am amidst a health scare right now where MTB isnt advised. Rather than sell my bike, I am letting it sit this winter and just climbing on in the spring.

It’s (gasp) five years old and I really like the ride . It’s good enough ;)

That's silly. Don't do that.

I'm still riding a 26er! 2002 Moots. Guessing your current new bike will be good for years to come. Unless for some reason you aren't thrilled with it I'd keep it.

Trying to apply fiscal common sense or logic to a hobby like cycling is tough. Virtually all of the decisions we make about our purchases are emotionally based.

Sell it only if you need the loot.

Sorry to hear about your accident.

This or if you got a huge deal on it to begin with and have a line on a newer one for about the same as you can sell it. If you don't have that lined up and didn't get a huge deal on it, then it makes about as much sense as upgrading your phone every 6 months (and yes, I did this once :help:).

Keep it. If you are such a good rider that you can improve your performance by trading a 2019 for a 2020 model you will surely get the latest bike free from one of your sponsors. :banana::)

Bummer. I hope you weren't one of the folks that got to go for an ambulance ride at Woodland GP on Sunday!

Unless you got the bike on deep discount and you buy a new mountain bike every year, keep it. You'd just take a bath on it at this point.

You should send it to me and I'll ride it til your ready so the bike gets some exercise. ;)

So long as you don't need the money for other things and you like the bike, I'd just keep it and ride it when you're ready. You likely won't get anywhere near what you paid for the bike if you sell it, and then you will have to pay even more for another one when you want to ride again so its a financial loss twice. Seeing the bike sitting may also give you a little motivation to get back on when you are ready.

The ground won't know your bike is a year old.
And it sure doesn't know my mtb is even older.

The every six month iphone comment rings true. The rate of change in mtb is so much faster than other cycling genres. It only "makes sense" to get a new bike constantly if your budget allows and you ride dirt a lot. I once knew a guy who budgeted "losing" $50k a year on cars as he bought and sold them. At the time, he had owned maybe 50+ cars. It was a hobby he afforded and enjoyed.

otherwise, plan to have the best bike out there for 9 months, and be old news like the rest of us when the new models come out.

it seems to me though, that if there was a time to have last years model, we are in a period of less change. geometry, groups, tire sizes, etc seem (at least to me) more settled than less settled.

so heal up and keep your bike.

No, jeez, I hope no one was seriously injured there as it sure was greasy when I dropped by during the SS race! Mine was the previous race in Parkland.

I appreciate the thoughts folks. I guess I'm just bummed that I'll have had this bike for more than a year without really riding it at all, something I've never done.

I think one of the things having me worry about mtb tech is that when I first rode suspension forks, they were pogo sticks and flexy and didn't think they were worth it. The next one I rode did something, but for the weight difference vs no suspension it wasn't worth the expense and maintenance. That was when I rode xc only back east.

Now many years later suspension is magic, but it's still something I can't maintain and has the clock ticking on a warranty.

But I'm hearing y'all say, "well, would you pay 40% of the bike's cost twice (since I'd have to buy another bike later) for an extended warranty?" I hadn't thought of that, just my poor bike sitting looking lonely and unloved at me.

What FS mtb model?

After lots of fretting here I got a red Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29 which is an interesting name because if you remove any word it’s different bike.

One for the ages: 4 years later I actually regret not selling the bike either right away or in the early pandemic rush when supply chains froze.

I did learn that what full-suspension mountain bikes are for, I don't like to do, even a little. Good thing I didn't get into rally cars or triathlons or it would have cost a lot more heh.

Different strokes, but for me, depreciation for the things that are selected carefully and that give me so much pleasure is not on my radar.

Oh you have a NEW bike compared to my 2001 Marin Rift Zone that still provides me with fun rides on the rolling trails I prefer. No drops, rock gardens, etc. I was never a shredder even in my youth. Heck shredding hadn't been invented in my youth. Easy single-track in the woods is my ideal ride and we have a few places like that in San Diego County.

I figured out years ago that buying faster cars and motorcycles for a non-racer just meant I would be going faster when I crashed. I knew that logic would also apply to bicycles. :rolleyes: