"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Prodeal goods etiquette?

What's the etiquette on selling items that you've purchased through a team's prodeal?

I know that reselling is frowned upon and usually grounds for removal from a team, but what about an item that you've only used once or twice and has since been sitting around for a year? I ask because I have a set of impulse-buy HED3s that I rather regret buying; they've been sitting around with <10mi total use because I prefer running 58mm zipp rims instead (which allow for a disc cover and soon a powertap hub).

I'd ask my LBS/team, but I don't think they're going to be happy about it. On the other hand, if I sold them without asking, and the LBS found out, I'm not sure they'd be too happy either. Ugh.

Anybody have words of advice or experience dealing with something like this? I could sure use some help. Thanks :)

Can you sell it to someone else on the team?

Try someone on the team first. After that, talk to the manager, explain the situation
and see what he thinks. They can't really expect you to keep stuff forever.

When I buy stuff through my shop via pro-deal (or whatever you call it, I'm an employee so maybe employee purchase is a better term), the unwritten rule is that after a year anything is fair game to be sold. Although it is frowned upon to ask for more than you payed.

I had been thinking about going the team route, but the issue is that I know everyone else on the team also jumped into a disc/h3 combo of some sort when the prodeal came around last year. My only chance with this option would be to wait for some new people to be recruited, but I'm looking for immediate funds to cover powertap expenses =)

When I buy stuff through my shop via pro-deal (or whatever you call it, I'm an employee so maybe employee purchase is a better term), the unwritten rule is that after a year anything is fair game to be sold. Although it is frowned upon to ask for more than you payed.

Right . . . I was definitely going to sell it for no more than I originally paid. The idea was that somebody on craigslist (or on the team) would get my wheels for slightly less than I originally paid ... being ever so slightly "used" and all. And if I weren't able to sell it locally for some reason, then I can't be at fault if it sells for more than I paid on eBay right?

imo team contracts are a year long. Plenty of pros and elites sell stuff they don't use at the end of the season. They can't expect you to keep it if you're not using it. The one catch is if you're still sponsored by that manufacturer, you really should do them advertising by sporting the product you got a deal on, but I don't think that's a big deal in amateur racing.

What's the etiquette on selling items that you've purchased through a team's prodeal?

I know that reselling is frowned upon and usually grounds for removal from a team, but what about an item that you've only used once or twice and has since been sitting around for a year? I ask because I have a set of impulse-buy HED3s that I rather regret buying; they've been sitting around with <10mi total use because I prefer running 58mm zipp rims instead (which allow for a disc cover and soon a powertap hub).

I'd ask my LBS/team, but I don't think they're going to be happy about it. On the other hand, if I sold them without asking, and the LBS found out, I'm not sure they'd be too happy either. Ugh.

Anybody have words of advice or experience dealing with something like this? I could sure use some help. Thanks :)

If you've had them for a year, arent using them, go ahead and sell them for whatever you can get. I know that "flipping" stuff (selling new or shortly after purchase with no or little use) is considered bad form, but a "season" seems like a good statute of limitations to me.

If I sell anything that I get on the team deal and get more than what I paid orignaly, I just pass that money on to the shop.

tough situation.

typical prodeal is no resale within a year but i'd still say you have to go to your sponsor first even if it is over a year just so you don't burn any bridges. given that they've seen less than 10mi of use, offer to sell them back to the shop for what you paid. or i can take the front off your hands given the right price (=

Thanks for the responses everyone. Given that I've had the wheels for quite a while, I'm just going to suck it up and ask the LBS if they'd mind me selling them. We'll see what happens from there =)

Put em on ebay, most shops dont want you to compete directly with them for parts or bike sales when you dump your stuff.

the unwritten rule is that after a year anything is fair game to be sold.

For me, it's a written rule. The shop owner actually encouraged it somewhat (for whole bikes).

For me, it's a written rule. The shop owner actually encouraged it somewhat (for whole bikes).

yeah. when i worked at a shop and prodealed anything, the purchase form always had the 1 year term contained in it

Donate them to the team and write it off on your taxes for the full retail amount.

I don't think any of these suggestions are any good. Send them to me and I won't say anything to anyone and your problem will be solved.

I buy and sell my prodeal/sometimes free mountain bikes every winter. Otherwise I'd have half a dozen unused bikes sitting in my basement.
I usually try to sell them to someone local, for a ridiculously good deal (spreading the sponsor love, so to speak). I'm not in it for a profit, just need to get rid of the old stuff. Team manager has never cared.