Let’s say I’m in a market to buy a bike $2k-$3k USD range. Why would I be interested in getting a used bike when knolly /forbidden/yt/ibis are discounting their NEW ones with full warranty??
I scoured through pinkbike used marketplace. The prices listed at insane. For example, Who wants to buy this
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3688415/
When they can get an uncaged 10 cf for $2800??
The reason why people should avoid buying used is because these sellers purchased their bikes during the height of the pandemic. And they are expecting suckers to pay for their mistakes.
If you are in the market for bikes, buy new. People post deals all the time on this sub. Don’t be a sucker and buy used.
by throwmiamivelvet
26 Comments
This is how everything is right now. Bikes, cars, RVs, boats, homes etc. things will come back to normal over time, for now, just buy what you think is best or wait for better deals to become available.
I’ve bought used bikes my entire life, except I recently finally wanted a full suspension carbon bike. Before they just released the new models, a Canyon Lux Trail Carbon was under $3K. Anything similar used was over $3K. Anything new was like $5K. People want way too much for used mountain bikes. Some people hate on the direct to consumer brands, but they’re the only ones charging sane prices and they’ll slowly drag the big brands back to normal.
He’s got Chesters on it, surely that adds +$500 to the asking price!
Ya that’s how the cycle goes when a bubble bursts. People who were impatient and bought at the top refuse to take a wild amount less for their property even tho new inventory is borderline the same price now as their used item. Once reality really sets in and the start to see the new norm is drastically less for a new bike then they cave and take 70% off the original price.
People have kinda figured it out around me.
It will take a little while for everyone to realize that their bikes are worth 1-2k less though.
Not all people that purchased bikes during the pandemic are suckers. Many of us are die hard riders and we just happened to be rotating in a new rig at that time. I’ve been trying to sell a top of the line Nomad since spring and am currently haggling with one potential buyer from out of state. I’ve never had to haggle or sell non-local but the bike manufacturers overproduced after underdelivering for years. Now they are dumping bikes cheap. Turns out though that X build is not equal to Y build, even with a new bike vs. a used (well cared for) bike. So, if you want a crappy build, buy cheap and don’t worry about what its got on it, but if you want a top of the line build spend a few hundred more and get the better set up, even if its from a reputable person selling used.
Even Turner introduced the Scrum on sale. The industry is in a self-made collapse and it’s not just about the overpurchasing post-COVID. They’ve been seeding lots of negative feelings for years now, particularly the new standards that arose after the last industry collapse, and now we’re all waiting for them to pull that shit again, now that we’ve settled in a good place with the headtubes, Boost, and bottom brackets (although t47 won’t really replace what we have right now).
From 2020-2022 bike prices on the used markets were nuts. I looked for a Karate Monkey frame for like two years until I found one that was more than reasonably priced and not 1.5x the new price. I then spent nearly two years sniping used stuff in that dip between and I’m glad I did. I got a couple thousand in new and used bike parts, built two bikes, and have a basement full of spares, including wheelsets, for around 35-40%.
Also part of the problem is that normal, non-E-bike manufacturers started trying to inflate the prices of parts to more closely align with e-bikes, which was nuts, and that’s why we began seeing the huge inflation in non-e-bikes that no one could understand where 10000 Euro/USD MTBs were normalized. And now the market is collapsing again which I am ok with because I’ve seen it before and there will always be choices and companies will fight back to build the business up, leading to pricing designed for cash flow.
A 2022 bike wasn’t purchased during the height of the pandemic. The manufactures are clearing old stock to make room for their 2024 bikes. These sales will begin disappearing in Jan and be gone by mid Feb at the latest. And then these used bike prices will be look reasonable again. If you’re selling a bike… don’t drop the price until the sales are done (unless you need to to).
Many of the sales right now are specific to old models and limited in sizing.
I sell my bike every year and have been doing so since 2018. I have a bike for sale right now for too much money on purpose. Second week of Jan I’ll drop it closer to what I expect to eventually sell it for.
There are also idiots who will eventually clue in that their price is too high. This year I’m selling my bike for about $1k less than I sold my couple of bikes for (last year and year before).
I agree, got my capra uncaged 10 for 2500 with gx eagle, fox 38 fork fox dhx coil.. 170mm enduro bike… for 2500 brand new. Even all the little stuff is high end, cane creek headset, DD maxxis tires, renthal bars and stem 200mm code r brakes ect its all quality top to bottom
the equivalent on fb markplace is like 4k minimum lol people are smoking PCP, I even see people trying to sell 2021 YT Capras for more than the 2023 version is selling new right now
I’m still finding new bikes priced extremely high as well, despite hearing over and over there is a glut of bikes in stores with amazing deals to be had. Both used and new prices are astronomical right now in my area (Toronto). For example, importing a Canyon and paying close to 30% in import fees and taxes on top of the price of the bike is still cheaper than similarly-spec’d bikes here.
A lot of the bike stores here are struggling post-pandemic, but that means they also can’t afford to reduce prices and are hanging onto their inventory instead. I hope it balances out soon, I’m looking to upgrade after owning my current one for a decade.
If you’re buying used, you have to “lowball”. Many sellers are looking to sell to get into something brand new while the sales are still going on.
I got a 2022 carbon transition sentinel with xt drivetrain for $3k
The used market for everything someone bought 2 years ago is awful. I saw a guy selling a turbo levo I would have liked to have, he was asking about $500 under the price of a new bike, although his asking price is about $4,000 less than what he paid. I tried to make an offer gently but it’s offensive when someone says the $4,000 hit you took isn’t enough.
I’m in the same situation on a car I have. It sucks.
My “lowball” price is close to what that bike will eventually sell for. I won’t be the one to buy it, but no one is going to pay these high asking prices.
Buy new on sale last year model right now. Used people still expect COVID prices and new bikes have already been heavily discounted since they need to get rid of last year’s inventory.
It’s because exactly for the reason you have mentioned. I have bought both my bike and car at the highest peak during the bubble and now when I want to sell them I refuse to lose so much money. I’d rather keep them. But I still list them and hope an idiot will buy it. That’s really it, it’s not a secret.
The carry costs on bikes is fairly cheap so people aren’t forced to sell. It usually takes about 18 months for supply chains to fully adjust in most markets so you could see people eating a long time to accept reality.
Disagree, I’ve recently bought two used bikes and there are plenty of deals to be had you just kinda got to be patient. Yes some people will be unreasonable in what they think the value of their bike is. Yes, some will list it high but usually in hopes they will meet in the middle will a buyer. But the two bikes I bought I got for under blue book and blue book tends to undervalue imo.
Buy new, but buy now. The crazy deals online and in-store for the overproduced 2023 models isn’t going to last into 2024.
I often find riders in the k ow priced their used bikes accordingly if it’s grossly overpriced it’s usually some dude who hasn’t got a clue
People keep paying these prices though. Why should I drop my prices when I have no problem selling for the same price as a new one?
Yep, in my country you can still see some crazy people listing their bikes for that much but you can also see great bikes for less than half their retail price .
yep, just bought an SLX ripmo AF new at 25% off…
saved over a thousand bucks
Just bargain with them. All you have to do is tell them exactly what you said and ask them if they’re willing to negotiate. Then give them your price. It works.
I got a 2023 Turbo Levo Basic that was upgraded to an expert for $5200. Still has warranty left that transfers.
You’re neglecting survivorship bias. The post you linked has been up for 5 months. The properly priced bikes get sold in weeks or less. The ones that are way overpriced stay listed for months.
I just bought a 2023 Santa Cruz Bronson Carbon R in near mint condition for $2100, someone wanted a gravel bike instead and thought they wanted to mountain bike.
I don’t know if people are waiting for suckers they probably have some value for it so not worth selling it a extremely low price. I should sell one of the bikes I bought since the price crash but not going to list it for under 2500 cause I may as well keep it
New bike prices are finally coming down as the greed and high inventory bring a little sanity. The 12,000-14,000 bike is now $9 k and the $8,000 bike is now $5500