Tandem Cycling - Carbon Tandem - Sell whole or for parts?

Hello, Do you have any thoughts on whether it's more advantageous to try to sell our Calfee Carbon Tandem whole or sell it's parts separately? The tandem was custom sized with a small-medium captain compartment and the stoker compartment was sized to be flexible (as it has the same stand-over height as the captain's compartment). For more of the tandem's details see: www.tandemvail.com We were thinking $4900 OBO. Thanks for your thoughts.

Te frame looks very small. If you are 5'8"... it seems that it was sized as a MTB. The bike is defenetily worth what you are asking .. just finding someone that has the same ideas as you did when you ordered... or that is 3" or 4" shorter than you.

I would think you might have more luck parting it out, if you're willing to put up with the hassle.

As a complete bike, I think the market for a carbon fiber road tandem with straight bars and MTB shifters would be limited, and would decrease your potential take.

Saw it on Ebay... good place for big exposure. Great bike and reasonable price, but as you know you have to find just the right buyer because it it a bit unique in size and comps. .... piecing it out is a lot of work and can be a hassel as already stated...if you have the time, leave it whole for a while and keep marketing it.... it will sell. Good luck.

Bill J.

If you had drop bars and STI levers it might sell better, but only if you had them laying around. It is a pretty bike and if I didn't have a calfee on the way and yours actually fit me/my wife then I would be interested.

Thanks for all your feedback. Great idea to change the shifters and handlebars to see if there is interest in that set-up.

Hello, Do you have any thoughts on whether it's more advantageous to try to sell our Calfee Carbon Tandem whole or sell it's parts separately? The tandem was custom sized with a small-medium captain compartment and the stoker compartment was sized to be flexible (as it has the same stand-over height as the captain's compartment). For more of the tandem's details see: www.tandemvail.com We were thinking $4900 OBO. Thanks for your thoughts.

It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish:


a. If you're trying to recoup as much of your original expense the best strategy is parting it out and selling the frame separately as the sum of the value of the individual parts usually exceeds the value of a fully assembled bike, even when it's not highly personalized the way yours is. The fact that you've got a somewhat unusual configuration and mix of components will definitely limit the pool of potential buyers.

b. If you just want to get it off your hands without taking a bath then offering it whole for an attractive price is your best strategy. Just know that you're leaving a lot of money on the table vs. demanding a higher premium and holding out for "that buyer" who will see the value and pay your price.

Your asking price of $4,900 with free shipping is actually pretty much spot-on for a fair value given the quality and condition and replacement costs.

I think you could probably make the tandem more attractive by updating your photos after raising the captain's saddle and lowering the stoker's saddle so that it sits a little below the front saddle and also lowering the stokers handlebars, both by moving the boom down to the bottom of the seat post mast and by rotating the bull horn bars to a more level position. The latter is based on my belief that the current configuration is making the frame appear to be more unusual than it really is and image is everything. Lowering the stoker's riding position will make the tandem appear to be more 'normal' in proportion front to back and will also make the flat bars appear to be a bit less out of place without sinking more $$ into the bike for drop bars and shifters... unless you have spares sitting around.

If you don't mind my asking -- and feel free to say I'd rather not say -- why did it see such little use and why are y'all selling it?

Thanks for the detailed thoughts. Some great ideas -- will head your advice and redo the set-up and take new photos.

As for the reason for sale: after a long illness we are "back in the saddle" and now traveling more than before and using our other S&S coupled tandem more often.

There is a market for smaller tandems, but as with any used tandem it takes the right sized folks to buy it.
As a 5'7" pilot and 4' 10 3/4" stoker, our custom tandem(s) all took a little time to sell. One took about a year, but sell it did.
Rather than changing tandem out from flat to drop bars now, suggest you advertise it as available either way. No sense changing it now and then have someone tell you . . . 'we prefer flat bar setup.'
The price/condition seems very good as well.
Good luck!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

Thanks - I changed the stoker saddle and bar to reflect a more "typical" height stoker. See attached photos. Great suggestions - thanks everyone.

Hats off to TG lowering the saddle and bars made a huge difference. Will be interesting to hear if interest picks up.

I think with any bike, you have more potential to make more money if you part it out, BUT.... then you've got that many more auctions/postings/customers/packing/shippings to worry about i.e. headaches.

how much is all that time & energy worth? Personally, just sell the bike whole to a happy couple / tandem team.

Yes, we are looking for a nice home for our tandem, for now.

One more point - Parting the bike out may make financial sense, but if you can offer new-to-tandems riders a test ride I think they may be much more willing to commit. Thus keeping the bike whole probably makes sense until you have a buyer able to choose the frame only or frame plus parts.

Thanks for the help to all who responded to our inquiry. Good news: We have sold the tandem to a very happy couple who seem to appreciate the special touches of the carbon Calfee and will give it a good home.
(user CarbonTandem is now TandemVail)

Congrats....but no big surprise that it sold...the price was fair and that level of quality is always appreciated... it was certain to sell. Thanks for the update.

Bill J