Fireselling bikes

[belopsky]

Anyone here struggle with having many bikes, some unridden, and find some sort of satisfaction /refuge in fireselling to clear the consciousness and “start over “?

[bigbill]

I have bikes that aren't ridden but they're a collection of classic bikes. Two Nobilette fillet brazed GT's, a Merckx MX Leader, and a Big Leg Emma. Emma gets ridden, just not that often. I'm getting a MTB in the coming months. Having them has no negative impact on my life.

[45K10]

Definitely, I have worked my way down from 5 bikes to just one, hardtail 29er, over the past couple of years. I am glad I did it.

I didn't do it "Firesale" style though. I sold one then sold another one a couple of months later and so on. I also parted out some of them. In my experience there wasn't much of a market out there for cross and road bikes with rim brakes but it felt good to simplify things.

[pjbaz]

I'm currently, slowly, reducing my stable. I'm planning to get down to about 5-6 total.

I've had as many as 20 roadies at once and over time well more than 100 BMX (thankfully not at the same time lol). Right now I'm at like 13 total but several can easily go, the others I'm not willing to take a bath on so no firesale, per se.

Spring will be here soon and the swaps will begin again :banana:

[Hilltopperny]

I have a habit of buying way more bikes in the winter to build up due to lack of being able to ride much. I typically end up offloading some in the spring/summer at what I'd be willing to let them go for.

I have fire saled a couple to forum members to justify buying another bike I desired, but honestly if you have the space and time parting them out usually nets a higher amount of money. I usually like to sell mine complete at a significant discount.

The stuff I was unable to move along here has gone to either Craigslist or eBay. I've had better results with eBay no reserve auctions that I started well below market value. The trick is to set the auction up to end on Sunday evenings as this is typically when you have the biggest audience of potential buyers.

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[saab2000]

Fire selling and not starting over. Trying to get to a more manageable fleetlike two or three.

[belopsky]

I’m just not in love with canti brakes. I have two bikes with them. I my convert one to braze on center pulls and then sell the other

[NHAero]

I have a hard time owning things that I don't use. I have 10 bikes at the moment, a record high, and could divest some but they do get ridden.
Least ridden to most:
- late 60s Raleigh 20 folder - best use is when I need to lock a bike up somewhere for a while, like at the ferry, or, leave at one end of a through hike or paddle to ride back
- '96 Klein MTB, set up with big studded tires, for when it gets really icy here
- the Bilenky tandem I got this year from Steve - will get a few rides/year with my wife, not attached to this
- '72 Bob Jackson - keep fenders and rack on it, for wet days, some errands, some longer rides
- Nagasawa fixed gear road trainer - gets several rides a year
- Big Dummy - errands shopping taking our stuff to the beach - dynamo lighting, and studded tires for winter season
- '99 Litespeed MTB converted to drop bar 1x10 - transportation around the Island when the route is on and off road - gets the bulk of commuting miles
- CAAD10, to have a light skinny tire road bike for group rides
- Pivot FS MTB, used for the Sunday group ride, and occasional solo rides, and occasional commuting to work through the woods
- Anderson all-rounder, my main road bike

Could I get down to fewer? Of course. Would the bikes I use the least garner much cash? I don't think so. If I had to get down to 2, it would definitely be the Pivot and the Anderson. I've had the Jackson since it was made for me 46 years ago, my only road bike for decades, hard to imagine selling it. If some had to go, they would be the folder, the Klein, the CAAD10, the Litespeed, and the tandem. The Dummy is so useful, and the Nagasawa is such a beautiful object, and I love the occasional fixed gear outing. So at this point I think five would be as low as I would want to go.

[jlwdm]

I ride on the road only and have the most bikes I have ever had - three. I have had all three for 9 years though. It made sense when I had each bike in a different state, but in reality I did not ride much when I went to the locations away from home.

Now my CSI is on permanent trainer duty. I have had new H Plus Son Archetype polished silver wheels for this bike for five years and they have not been ridden. It is a custom for someone else but fits me really well.

My Serotta Nove is custom for me and in over 11 years I have never thought about getting rid of it. I love this bike.

My custom Spectrum Ti is at my home location and needs to get some miles now. In nine years it has been ridden 50 miles. This will be its year.

So clearly I don't need three bikes, and in general I like to get rid of things I do not use, but I could not get rid of any of these bikes.

Jeff

[buddybikes]

Have 3 - Order of importance:
- Firefly #257 road
- Geekhouse Cross
- 26" Fatchance Ti

All I would want is my FF to take 32's (28's what it takes comfortably) and others would be gone.
(wife has 3 also)

[54ny77]

And here I thought this thread was highlighting a new brand called "Fireselling."

;)

[pjbaz]

I typically end up offloading some in the spring/summer at what I'd be willing to let them go for.

I have fire saled a couple to forum members to justify buying another bike I desired ... I usually like to sell mine complete at a significant discount.

A good guy to keep an eye on as he has some sweet rides at good prices. My first Peg came from him and at what I consider a very good price.

[Hilltopperny]

A good guy to keep an eye on as he has some sweet rides at good prices. My first Peg came from him and at what I consider a very good price.Thanks man! I'd rather see them get ridden then sitting most of the time!

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[harlond]

My problem is that I buy frames and then spend way more to build them up than I could get selling them. Even the idea of selling bikes I built up from a bare frame seems wrong. Maybe that's an inescapable problem if you buy frames. So maybe I should stop buying frames. But tell that to the 1986 Rockhopper frame I just bought.

Thankfully, it's only five bikes.

[5oakterrace]

I have 5 bikes: 2 road bikes at different locations. Both gets many yearly miles. 1 road bike geared for very steep climbs. That gets lots of use as well. Then we moved next to a State Forest, so I added a gravel bike which can handle wider tires. Then I won a new steel bike for raising funds at an event. Very sweet bike
I should have told them to give it to one of the other fund-raisers but did not think it through. I also did not know there was such a prize much less that I would win it. That frame/fork goes. Firesale guess. If I am not going to ride it much, no point in keeping it. I also find it expensive to keep these bikes in riding condition. Adds up

[Luwabra]

I’m just not in love with canti brakes. I have two bikes with them. I my convert one to braze on center pulls and then sell the other

I wish your gunner was just a touch bigger holy hell I love that. I’d love to help you move that into my house :)

[timto]

I think what you are proposing is very healthy and important - and would describe it as 'editing'. I feel with most things, the more you edit, the more refined the end product. You're editing out useless objects, and refining your relationship with cycling.

Sell it all!

I used to be terrible with and endless stream of stuff coming and going. I've improved a bunch and seek to streamline further. The reduction in buy/sell energy has resulted in a refocus - feels nice planning rides / training/ experiences instead of planning bike builds and purchases.

Good luck with it all!

[jamesdak]

Hmmm...well I am downsizing a bit or at least changing my focus. I've got a few listed locally for good prices but I doubt they'll go until spring. I've got a few more to move along too when I get around to it.

[pcxmbfj]

I've given FS mountain bikes to my grandkids.

Just keeping tubeless wheels inflated is a constant upkeep.

I don't like hanging by suspension forks so keep in racks although never heard or read that it was detrimental.

[Tickdoc]

Anyone here struggle with having many bikes, some unridden, and find some sort of satisfaction /refuge in fireselling to clear the consciousness and “start over “?

I have hoarding tendencies, so no. I figure if you have room for them and ride them then they are keepers. You know that good feeling you get when you purge, clean, or get rid of something? I don't have that very much. Not sure where you acquire that, is it genetic? Is it learned?

[sparky33]

bikes at different locations.

also tackling this lately after acquiring the second location.
What is the rule on that?

It's great having bikes live where they need to live...for the different terrain and for convenience.

[5oakterrace]

Steve, in my situation I go back and forth between locations almost every week. Schlepping the bike like that - just too much of a hassle.

[pjbaz]

also tackling this lately after acquiring the second location.
What is the rule on that?

It's great having bikes live where they need to live...for the different terrain and for convenience.

I had so many bikes at one point I left one at my brother's house the next state over - literally 60 miles away - that was ridden once a year, if at all.

No shame in having a few bikes if you have a second location

[Jaybee]

I was getting ready to do some "editing" as Timto says (great concept, btw) when some jackass broke into my garage and did it for me. The insurance settlement let me turn 4 good bikes into 3 that were perfect for where I am and the riding I do right now. Worked out in the end, but maybe not the recommended path. Regardless, I strongly encourage moving along things that you aren't really using and living a less cluttered life in general.

[smead]

Compared to keeping a large lot of motorcycles in the garage (I used to have over a dozen), I find hording many classic road bicycles to be a much easier gig.

[fogrider]

I currently have 5 road bikes and a gravel and all get ridden. One bike is at work and gets ridden twice a week at lunch. Three are on rotation for a big Saturday rides, the rest are on rotation for Sunday rides. I also have a track bike that is my dedicated bike for the turbo trainer. I have a project bike that will be rebuilt in the coming months. If it's not being used, it should be sold or given to someone that will ride it.

[5oakterrace]

I echo your sentiment that if it is not being used, sell it or give it away. We just downsized selling a 4 bedroom house with in-law aptmt. (kids are gone and in-law in heaven) and sold seasonal cabin we had for 35 yrs.. I am embarrassed over all we accumulated. What a hassle getting rid of stuff. As we approach retirement and as I consider post retirement, I shudder to think of the hassle I leave the kids when they look at Dad's bikes. If I am not riding it, it is gone. Maybe I am contributing to someone else's life and I am minimizing the headaches for my family. They will have enough to deal with.

[saab2000]

I echo your sentiment that if it is not being used, sell it or give it away. We just downsized selling a 4 bedroom house with in-law aptmt. (kids are gone and in-law in heaven) and sold seasonal cabin we had for 35 yrs.. I am embarrassed over all we accumulated. What a hassle getting rid of stuff. As we approach retirement and as I consider post retirement, I shudder to think of the hassle I leave the kids when they look at Dad's bikes. If I am not riding it, it is gone. Maybe I am contributing to someone else's life and I am minimizing the headaches for my family. They will have enough to deal with.

My folks have done the same. Letting stuff go is tough. But when it’s gone we don’t miss it. I barely remember stuff I had and hoarded for years.

Less is almost always more.

[oldpotatoe]

Fire selling and not starting over. Trying to get to a more manageable fleetlike two or three.

Mee too..I'm a big fan of 'purpose driven' stuff, from shoes to bikes to drills..to what I take to the range.

I don't like to have to 'decide' which of essentially 2 identical 'things' I want to use. 1 Corded drill, 1 cordless drill, 1 wet weather bike, 1 dry day bike..type thing.

I have also sold off a lot of bike stuff I know I'm never going to use also. Hopefully whomever bought that CRecord rear der or DT retro friction shifters, will use them.:)

[RobJ]

I would have to say I found pleasure in my recent offload of bikes/frames/parts. It's nearly complete. I thought I wanted to collect/hoard some classic frames (Colnago, 7-11 etc.) but then realized they would just hang there 99.5% of the time, so moved them onto forum members to appreciate. Most often at a loss but I enjoyed putting them together; became a project/hobby for a good period.

I focused now too on ones that I am going to ride and trying to do more riding than building. A few dedicated ones; 29er, TT bike, dedicated go-fast and then custom steel...