Does anyone else think the used market is weird right now?

[rePhil]

There are some great deals out there right now. For instance,Jimcav has some very nice bikes with great pricing. Lots of looking going on, but little buying.
Other stuff like Campy 10 cassettes will disappear in minutes.
The single speed I listed has generated zero interest. Maybe it's my tastes,timing or whatever. I could probably strip it and sell everything separate, but I think I'll just end up keeping and riding it.

I'm sure the time of year has something to do with it.

[Smiley]

I think most folks don't want to be stuck riding something that does not fit them perfectly. I have had a few forumites consult me on some of the used deals here and quite frankly it's not a good deal if it does not work just perfectly. It becomes the new buyers burden to unload that great deal. Some here won't admit to such a mistake.
I see the deals but even when I look for a deal here I am aware of what my fit needs are 100%. So I pass on the deals.

[thegunner]

a corollary to what smiley said, but components are easier to transfer than full bikes are.

[rugbysecondrow]

I think there are some deals, but there are some others that are asking above market now, maybe market prices from 2 years ago. Of course, people want to sell their stuff high, and buy other stuff low but that is not really working as well these days. Components are consumables and you need them to ride at all, so they are more predictable imo.

[rePhil]

Smiley,

I agree, sort of. I can tell by looking at the numbers if a frame will fit. Whether or not I like the ride is a different animal.
I bought one of the two bikes I will never willingly part with from this forum. It was posted for a few days before I saw it. I almost missed it as I had been away from the forum for a few days, and it made it's way to page 2 of the classifieds.I found it by googling. I feel it's the best deal I will ever find.
The bikes I have sold here were not a burden. I would've been happy to keep them all if I had the room.


I think most folks don't want to be stuck riding something that does not fit them perfectly. I have had a few forumites consult me on some of the used deals here and quite frankly it's not a good deal if it does not work just perfectly. It becomes the new buyers burden to unload that great deal. Some here won't admit to such a mistake.
I see the deals but even when I look for a deal here I am aware of what my fit needs are 100%. So I pass on the deals.

[Lifelover]

It's the economy stupid! Joking about the stupid part.

Although a great number of us have not had our weekly income impacted by the down turn, it still creates an atmosphere of conservative spending.

I won't replace my carpets but I will get them cleaned. I'm not moving to a bigger house but I'll spend some money on the one I have.

I won't commit to a new bike but I will spend money for some new parts for the ones I have.

ATMO of course.

[cnighbor1]

Back before the web and ebay and craigslist you couldn't even sell bicycles.Newspapers were very poor for finding items for sale. it is only with the above that you can find these for sale in volume. Keep in find a few years back was a very big bubble in prices for all sort of used items. If you had treid to sell all those used items at height of prices, prices would have collased. So to use prices at their height has a guide is meaningles exerise
Charles

[akelman]

No, I don't think the market is all that weird, it's just very soft. It seems to me that sellers who take that softness into account when pricing their items can count on quick sales. Sellers who don't, can't. And big-ticket items, unless they're incredibly desirable and rare, have to be priced even more attractively, or they'll sit and sit and sit and eventually grow stale. I mean, nobody wants to eat a stale frame. They're very hard to chew.

[Z3c]

I think it will always ebb and flow to some degree and sellers will remember the good times when prices were high and buyers will recall when they bought something low.. The simplistic way of looking at: what the market pays is what it is worth when you are selling it. That is why while I do sell things here, I prefer Ebay to some degree because it offers exposure to so much more of the market..

[Pete Serotta]

Buying is always stronger after a LONG cruel winter.

- - Throw in an economy that is not seeing large salary increases, rising housing nor major stock increases,

- - And then include that it is SEPT (which for many parts of the US is soft and getting softer because of folks interest in other things with the changing weather and we have a SOFT used market (and new) unless it is a lucky day.... and there we are :confused:

just my warped view......PETE

[bobswire]

In realty they say ,location, location ,location.
For frames it's timing,timing timing.

I'm talking about well made desirable used frames.

Two frames I had been wanting came up for sale in the past few months at a price I thought was fair and at a time I happened to have funds from selling other bikes and components.
Otherwise who knows they could of still been available?
I feel I have two frames now that I really like and enjoy, fit me to a T for less the price of what one would have cost me new.
Serotta CDA and Seven Axiom.

I sold a Della Santa in immaculate condition for what I thought was below what it was worth but in reality I didn't lose that much considering I owned and enjoyed it for 6 years prior. I also have the satisfaction of knowing it went to someone who knows and appreciated well made steel.

[DHallerman]

I see the deals but even when I look for a deal here I am aware of what my fit needs are 100%. So I pass on the deals.

+23

Not being certain of the fit is why I passed on buying a lovely stainless steel bike.

Dave, who needs another bike like he needs [you fill in the blank]

[dd74]

I've heard now is a terrible time to sell. With that said, I sold two bikes, and one frame which came at a tremendous loss. But at least I have enough for a new custom frame that will fit me perfectly (I hope), while the three I sold didn't really fit at all. So in the end, I figure I'll be ahead.

I know this: I'll most likely never again buy a used frame. Used frames and me have been a long two-year experiment that quite frankly, I'm glad has ended.

[bobswire]

One more thing, "size matters". I think being 5'9" at 150 lbs makes it easier to find something that fits than someone 4'9" or 6'5".
There is more for me to choose from but at the same time there is more demand for frames within 53cm-56cm.
Folks my size really don't need a "custom" fit , IMO.

[bicyclego]

People are very conservative these days with their money. They'll spend it, but they're not willing to risk it. I've purchased any number of bikes, including a really nice CDA, that were wrongly sized. This was mostly due to errors on my part (I didn't really understand my requirements), but I'm far more cautious now than I used to be.

Is that awesome deal 0.5cm too long/short in the top tube? Forget it.

Folks are keeping and maintaining bikes, hence the components go quicker.

[MattTuck]

I wish it were cheaper.

I'm looing to get a Ridley Crossbow with fender mounts to turn into a race bike.

The ones I've seen don't seem that much cheaper than new.

[zray67]

I recently purchased an Atlanta with a 9 speed Dura Ace group for $720.00. Bike appears to be in excellent condition (a couple of thousand miles of riding will hopefully confirm my opinion). There are no bidding "wars" of yesterday. Money is too tight. It is a buyers' market.

[tuscanyswe]

I find that frames go for far less than before (atleast abit more highend). What suprises me is that carbon wheels or rims are still holding their value pretty good or atleast the sellers asking prices seem very similar to those of a few years ago.

[rnhood]

I've been keeping my eye open for a Moots in my size but, I don't see any softness in pricing with these on the used market. Heck, its hard to even find one for sale.

[rice rocket]

How about this....

~$300, 2 bids. I'ts been up for 3 or 4 days already.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260666066292&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[gdw]

The economy has tanked so lots of folks are unloading toys they no longer can justify owning. Desperate folks needing quick cash have caused the market value of most high end toys , including used bikes, frames, and components, to tumble just like they did when the tech market collapsed during Clinton's last year in office. The next couple years are going to be a buyers market and those needing to sell gear are going to be fleeced.

[bironi]

Yes.

For the last couple years.

People are holding on to their stuff.

What is for sale is over-priced.

When things are good, the market is open and more is available as everyone wants to move up.

Maybe things have changed at the very top, but I would not know. :beer:

[bigflax925]

I think it's pretty weird right now. Not just for bikes, but for all things. I collect watches, and for the past two years, the watch market has been pretty soft. Watches that three years ago would've brought and easy six to seven thousand dollars are selling in the threes... if they sell at all. In most cases, they are luxury items like bikes.

I keep hearing about the economy, but I'm not so sure that's it, but I'm not an expert. Maybe it is, maybe people are unsure of what'll happen next?

Maybe it's that people don't have a disposable income anymore? I buy and flip to support my habit/s, and try to rarely take out of pocket.

However, like gdw said, it is a buyer's market right now. As for me, I'm going to hang on to my valuable gear until the market picks up or until I need to sell.