Hybrid Bicycles - Question of Market Value

I've been trying to sell my 2011 Fuji Absolute 3.0 for a couple of weeks now, but I can't quite seem to figure out what it's actual market value is.

I paid $550 for it in April. Put bar ends on it, it has a new rear tube, lights, and it's been tuned up three times at the shop. It has a faulty front shifter that will need to be replaced after a while, but it still works for now. The paint is not in perfect shape, but it's not horrible. I was originally asking $425, but have dropped the price down to $300 and still no bites. Does a hybrid that has less than 200 miles on it lose 50% of its value?

http://i53.tinypic.com/2jfhjlh.jpg

Also, does anybody have any tips on how to sell used bikes? Should I lower the seat, take the barends off, take the rack off?

Thanks for any advice.

I recently went through this myself. Here's what advice I have to offer:

People generally don't want to buy into a problem or an item that isn't working properly. Replace the shifter if it truly is defective. As the original owner of a fairly new bike, this should be a warranty item at the LBS.
Clean it up well, if you haven't done so already.
Remove the add-ons (bar ends & rack). Get the bike back to it's original stock configuration. While your add-ons may have enhanced the bike for you personally, they're possible detractors to a prospective buyer. You can sell the items seperately or use them to sweeten the deal if a buyer shows interest in them. But leave them off the bike and out of the pictures.
The pictures. If using craigslist, those little pictures don't show well. Link your ad to a photobucket, flickr or similar account. Take plenty of pictures, showing the whole bike from various angles as well as close-ups that buyers like to see. Include photos of the various dings and scrapes.
Open your ad with positive statements. It's a 2011 bike, can't get much newer without being off the shop floor. It has low miles. You're the original owner. No accidents/incidents? Say so! Good for general fitness, handles paved and smooth unpaved surfaces, great choice for commuting, etc.
Point out the cosmetic flaws, noting that they can be seen in the photos. No one expects a used bike to be cosmetically perfect, and the right prospective buyer just might be swayed by your forward honesty.
Pricing. On everything I've sold in recent years, I've set a fair price, stuck to it, and been paid my asking price. I set the price at the lowest reasonable price I'm willing to accept and simply turn down counteroffers. I don't like to dicker around the bargaining table over smaller transactions, and I tell interested parties that my price is firm beforehand. It keeps me from wasting time with bargain hunters. If you prefer to interact with counter-offerers, then price your item accordingly. Regardless, I don't think it's a good idea to continue lowering the price; either you priced it at the lowest amount you're happy to accept, or you've set a reasonable asking price and are open to offers.
You've now made a good ad, linked it to a full set of photos, and set your price. Now let the ad work for you. Around here, c-list ads seem to get more attention with early- and mid-week postings than they do on Fri/Sat/Sun. By Saturday, people have their weekend pretty much figured out or are already involved in activities. Re-list your ad as necessary, not more than twice in one week. Once/week is fine on my local c-list which is undoubtedly much smaller than yours. When I see people re-list their item day after day, it just looks bad. Also, when you do re-list the ad, be sure to delete the old previous ad. I see people leaving trails of ads on c-list, sometimes where recent ads have higher prices than older ads.

I had a couple things working against me on my most recent bike listing. One is that I was selling a high-end hybrid in a market that is dominated by road bikes. The other is that a large amount of locals that comprise the recreational cycling population have money to blow, and *new* is frequently preferable. Fixies and downhill bikes have to be the toughest to unload here, though.

Two weeks isn't a terribly long time to allow. Bikes are peculiar; they've got to both fit and appeal, and your ad has to be visible to a motivated buyer with cash. That's a lot to put in place for a bike placed at anything near fair market value. It's not a highchair or a lawnmower. Try a better ad and give it more time.

I hereby nominate desertdork for the price of "most helpfull member of the hybrid forum 2011".

I recently went through this myself. Here's what advice I have to offer:


People generally don't want to buy into a problem or an item that isn't working properly. Replace the shifter if it truly is defective. As the original owner of a fairly new bike, this should be a warranty item at the LBS.
Clean it up well, if you haven't done so already.
Remove the add-ons (bar ends & rack). Get the bike back to it's original stock configuration. While your add-ons may have enhanced the bike for you personally, they're possible detractors to a prospective buyer. You can sell the items seperately or use them to sweeten the deal if a buyer shows interest in them. But leave them off the bike and out of the pictures.
The pictures. If using craigslist, those little pictures don't show well. Link your ad to a photobucket, flickr or similar account. Take plenty of pictures, showing the whole bike from various angles as well as close-ups that buyers like to see. Include photos of the various dings and scrapes.
Open your ad with positive statements. It's a 2011 bike, can't get much newer without being off the shop floor. It has low miles. You're the original owner. No accidents/incidents? Say so! Good for general fitness, handles paved and smooth unpaved surfaces, great choice for commuting, etc.
Point out the cosmetic flaws, noting that they can be seen in the photos. No one expects a used bike to be cosmetically perfect, and the right prospective buyer just might be swayed by your forward honesty.
Pricing. On everything I've sold in recent years, I've set a fair price, stuck to it, and been paid my asking price. I set the price at the lowest reasonable price I'm willing to accept and simply turn down counteroffers. I don't like to dicker around the bargaining table over smaller transactions, and I tell interested parties that my price is firm beforehand. It keeps me from wasting time with bargain hunters. If you prefer to interact with counter-offerers, then price your item accordingly. Regardless, I don't think it's a good idea to continue lowering the price; either you priced it at the lowest amount you're happy to accept, or you've set a reasonable asking price and are open to offers.
You've now made a good ad, linked it to a full set of photos, and set your price. Now let the ad work for you. Around here, c-list ads seem to get more attention with early- and mid-week postings than they do on Fri/Sat/Sun. By Saturday, people have their weekend pretty much figured out or are already involved in activities. Re-list your ad as necessary, not more than twice in one week. Once/week is fine on my local c-list which is undoubtedly much smaller than yours. When I see people re-list their item day after day, it just looks bad. Also, when you do re-list the ad, be sure to delete the old previous ad. I see people leaving trails of ads on c-list, sometimes where recent ads have higher prices than older ads.



I had a couple things working against me on my most recent bike listing. One is that I was selling a high-end hybrid in a market that is dominated by road bikes. The other is that a large amount of locals that comprise the recreational cycling population have money to blow, and *new* is frequently preferable. Fixies and downhill bikes have to be the toughest to unload here, though.

Two weeks isn't a terribly long time to allow. Bikes are peculiar; they've got to both fit and appeal, and your ad has to be visible to a motivated buyer with cash. That's a lot to put in place for a bike placed at anything near fair market value. It's not a highchair or a lawnmower. Try a better ad and give it more time.

I totally agree 100%, especially about removing add-ons and returning to stock. Most of the time you will be in a better boat when it comes to unloading everything separately rather than bundle it all together.

I recently went through this myself. Here's what advice I have to offer:

Re-list your ad as necessary, not more than twice in one week. Once/week is fine on my local c-list which is undoubtedly much smaller than yours. When I see people re-list their item day after day, it just looks bad. Also, when you do re-list the ad, be sure to delete the old previous ad. I see people leaving trails of ads on c-list, sometimes where recent ads have higher prices than older ads.[/list]


Please don't do this, post the ad and leave it be. Not only does it get annoying to see the same posting show up day after day, if someone is looking for a bike and sees the same ad reposted every few days, they know they are dealing with a seller who really wants to sell. You are guaranteed to get a lot of low ball and non serious offers.

My rule for most used things; if they are still available new is a maximum of 50% of the new price that the buyer can find it for. In the case of the 2011 Fuji Absolute 3.0 that is $499/2 - it does not matter what you paid for it. That is assuming like new condition. They buyer is giving up the warranty, free initial service, and the ability to return the item.

If the bike is special, and no longer avaiable, I might go higher. Set reasonable expectations for yourself. As noted above, remove the accessories.

Being tuned up three times in three months sounds like there is something wrong with it - an on-going chronic issue. I put 120 miles a week on my commuter and the only thing done to it this year is lubrication, wipe down and air in the tires. (San Jose is great for riding year round - moved here from Belle Plaine MN 3 years ago)

I've had my Fuji Sunfire 2.0 on eBay 3 times over 3 weeks. Each time it get 8-10 watchers straight away but 0 bids.

Its 3 months old, with original receipt.

Its worth $749...I paid $600...I put it on for $300...no bites.

Might be a Fuji thing?

Please don't do this, post the ad and leave it be. Not only does it get annoying to see the same posting show up day after day, if someone is looking for a bike and sees the same ad reposted every few days, they know they are dealing with a seller who really wants to sell. You are guaranteed to get a lot of low ball and non serious offers.
Not at all. Renewing your ad weekly is not a sign of desperation. Doing so just keeps it visible in the last seven days of postings. In a market like Minneapolis (1700, 2700, and 3500 listings in the last three weeks), that is not unimportant. Sure, you really want to sell - that's why we advertise goods.


Bikes are peculiar; they've got to both fit and appeal, and your ad has to be visible to a motivated buyer with cash.

Good merchants that want to move inventory promote it by keeping it visible without the customer digging through a pile. If you're confident that a prospective buyer will scan through 3000 listings to reach your ad, that's your call; however you're expecting the buyer to not lose interest before then and to not be attracted to more recent listings. If someone sees relisting an ad every Wednesday as a invitation to lowball you, so be it. You can't stop someone from making a low offer, but you can reduce the odds. You state that following my suggestion is "guaranteed" to generate lowballers, but I get zero. How?


On everything I've sold in recent years, I've set a fair price, stuck to it, and been paid my asking price. I set the price at the lowest reasonable price I'm willing to accept and simply turn down counteroffers. I don't like to dicker around the bargaining table over smaller transactions, and I tell interested parties that my price is firm beforehand. It keeps me from wasting time with bargain hunters.
The above quote was in item #7, which is immediately before #8, the item from which you pulled my statement out of context.

My rule for most used things; if they are still available new is a maximum of 50% of the new price that the buyer can find it for. In the case of the 2011 Fuji Absolute 3.0 that is $499/2 - it does not matter what you paid for it. That is assuming like new condition. They buyer is giving up the warranty, free initial service, and the ability to return the item.

If the bike is special, and no longer avaiable, I might go higher. Set reasonable expectations for yourself. As noted above, remove the accessories.

Being tuned up three times in three months sounds like there is something wrong with it - an on-going chronic issue. I put 120 miles a week on my commuter and the only thing done to it this year is lubrication, wipe down and air in the tires. (San Jose is great for riding year round - moved here from Belle Plaine MN 3 years ago)

This bike has been absolute crap. I will never buy another Fuji. It came to the dealer with a broken bottom bracket, which is a common occurrence, but should have given me a hint as to the quality of the bike. The components are slightly worse than it's comparables. Two weeks after riding it lightly, the left crank arm fell off. Two weeks after that the rear brake came loose and kept rubbing my rim randomly during rides. The "adjustable" headset should be called a "easily loosened" headset, and often loosens during a ride and begins squeaking. The paint scrapes at the slightest nudge, the decals invited dirt underneath them.

The bike was also too small for me from the get-go, but having never ridden non-mountain bike, I didn't know what a ride was supposed to feel like. I wish that my LBS had taken the time to tell me that entry level Fuji's were crap, that if I rode more than 5 miles a day, it'd break down on me, and that I should have saved my money and bought a higher end model from a better company. Oh well. I think I've learned my lesson.

I've had my Fuji Sunfire 2.0 on eBay 3 times over 3 weeks. Each time it get 8-10 watchers straight away but 0 bids.

Its 3 months old, with original receipt.

Its worth $749...I paid $600...I put it on for $300...no bites.

Might be a Fuji thing?

I think it comes with most entry level models. People searching for entry level bikes are usually entry level riders and would much rather buy an older bike for cheap or a brand new bike from a store complete with warranty.

Nobody that I've talked to seems to like Fujis though. So maybe it is a Fuji thing.

I totally agree 100%, especially about removing add-ons and returning to stock. Most of the time you will be in a better boat when it comes to unloading everything separately rather than bundle it all together.


I hereby nominate desertdork for the price of "most helpfull member of the hybrid forum 2011".


I recently went through this myself. Here's what advice I have to offer:


People generally don't want to buy into a problem or an item that isn't working properly. Replace the shifter if it truly is defective. As the original owner of a fairly new bike, this should be a warranty item at the LBS.
Clean it up well, if you haven't done so already.
Remove the add-ons (bar ends & rack). Get the bike back to it's original stock configuration. While your add-ons may have enhanced the bike for you personally, they're possible detractors to a prospective buyer. You can sell the items seperately or use them to sweeten the deal if a buyer shows interest in them. But leave them off the bike and out of the pictures.
The pictures. If using craigslist, those little pictures don't show well. Link your ad to a photobucket, flickr or similar account. Take plenty of pictures, showing the whole bike from various angles as well as close-ups that buyers like to see. Include photos of the various dings and scrapes.
Open your ad with positive statements. It's a 2011 bike, can't get much newer without being off the shop floor. It has low miles. You're the original owner. No accidents/incidents? Say so! Good for general fitness, handles paved and smooth unpaved surfaces, great choice for commuting, etc.
Point out the cosmetic flaws, noting that they can be seen in the photos. No one expects a used bike to be cosmetically perfect, and the right prospective buyer just might be swayed by your forward honesty.
Pricing. On everything I've sold in recent years, I've set a fair price, stuck to it, and been paid my asking price. I set the price at the lowest reasonable price I'm willing to accept and simply turn down counteroffers. I don't like to dicker around the bargaining table over smaller transactions, and I tell interested parties that my price is firm beforehand. It keeps me from wasting time with bargain hunters. If you prefer to interact with counter-offerers, then price your item accordingly. Regardless, I don't think it's a good idea to continue lowering the price; either you priced it at the lowest amount you're happy to accept, or you've set a reasonable asking price and are open to offers.
You've now made a good ad, linked it to a full set of photos, and set your price. Now let the ad work for you. Around here, c-list ads seem to get more attention with early- and mid-week postings than they do on Fri/Sat/Sun. By Saturday, people have their weekend pretty much figured out or are already involved in activities. Re-list your ad as necessary, not more than twice in one week. Once/week is fine on my local c-list which is undoubtedly much smaller than yours. When I see people re-list their item day after day, it just looks bad. Also, when you do re-list the ad, be sure to delete the old previous ad. I see people leaving trails of ads on c-list, sometimes where recent ads have higher prices than older ads.



I had a couple things working against me on my most recent bike listing. One is that I was selling a high-end hybrid in a market that is dominated by road bikes. The other is that a large amount of locals that comprise the recreational cycling population have money to blow, and *new* is frequently preferable. Fixies and downhill bikes have to be the toughest to unload here, though.

Two weeks isn't a terribly long time to allow. Bikes are peculiar; they've got to both fit and appeal, and your ad has to be visible to a motivated buyer with cash. That's a lot to put in place for a bike placed at anything near fair market value. It's not a highchair or a lawnmower. Try a better ad and give it more time.

Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna bring it back to stock, save the bar ends and rack for winter riding. I'm going to see if I can have a friend, mechanic, fix the shifter on the cheap, and try to get the bike sold for $275, with a $250 minimum. It seems the way that most things work is that if you make a large investment initially, the money you get back will be substantially more than if you make a small investment initially.

Thanks again.

Nobody that I've talked to seems to like Fujis though.

I certainly don't...and I speak from experience here. Rough ride...

I tried to replace some brake pads on it and I tried no less than 9 stores in and around my area...finally found out there was a production problem with tektro novela pads...the end of a few bad experiences with that bike...

...but the start of a series of wonderful experiences on my beautiful Scott Sportster 20!

I don't know the technical details of bikes, but I've been a consumer for many many years. With all the trouble you've had with that bike, TAKE IT BACK to the bike shop!! It sounds like a lemon from day one, and they should do something to remedy that. You've dealt with them the whole time so these are on-going problems from the beginning. They should be covered by the warranty. But they really should take it back or at least offer you a very good trade in on another bike!
Also, if you bought it with a credit card, they may be able to help you with a remedy if you get nowhere with the bike shop. But I'd be working with the bike shop for now. Good luck!

This bike has been absolute crap. I will never buy another Fuji. It came to the dealer with a broken bottom bracket, which is a common occurrence, but should have given me a hint as to the quality of the bike. The components are slightly worse than it's comparables. Two weeks after riding it lightly, the left crank arm fell off. Two weeks after that the rear brake came loose and kept rubbing my rim randomly during rides. The "adjustable" headset should be called a "easily loosened" headset, and often loosens during a ride and begins squeaking. The paint scrapes at the slightest nudge, the decals invited dirt underneath them.

The bike was also too small for me from the get-go, but having never ridden non-mountain bike, I didn't know what a ride was supposed to feel like. I wish that my LBS had taken the time to tell me that entry level Fuji's were crap, that if I rode more than 5 miles a day, it'd break down on me, and that I should have saved my money and bought a higher end model from a better company. Oh well. I think I've learned my lesson.

Your LBS should have taken the time to put the bike together correctly. No bike, no matter what the brand, should have given you these issues. By in large, Fuji makes good bikes. The bike being too small for you is also the fault of the LBS. At the entry level there is very little difference between all of the brands.

Your LBS should have taken the time to put the bike together correctly. No bike, no matter what the brand, should have given you these issues. By in large, Fuji makes good bikes. The bike being too small for you is also the fault of the LBS. At the entry level there is very little difference between all of the brands.

Do you think that it would be worthwhile to make fuss to Fuji directly about the bike?

Personally, I would try to deal with the bike shop first. They bear the responsibility to you, and then they can deal with Fuji or their supplier. They should make this good. In my experience, "nice but firm" seems to work. Calmly explain that the bike has been defective from day one, and that you expect a refund or credit toward another bike. They know your experience is not what it should have been. You are on solid ground here so stand your ground.

If that totally fails, then pursue other steps. I think the bike shop will make it good, though. Best wishes for an acceptable resolution to this mess.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/bik/2480012668.html

How does that look?

Personally, I would try to deal with the bike shop first. They bear the responsibility to you, and then they can deal with Fuji or their supplier. They should make this good. In my experience, "nice but firm" seems to work. Calmly explain that the bike has been defective from day one, and that you expect a refund or credit toward another bike. They know your experience is not what it should have been. You are on solid ground here so stand your ground.

If that totally fails, then pursue other steps. I think the bike shop will make it good, though. Best wishes for an acceptable resolution to this mess.

The biggest problem I'm facing is that the local bike shop is 3 hours away now. There is a fuji dealer in town that said they could fix any problems with the frame under warranty, but that all of the components weren't warrantied, because they were not the Fuji brand.

As you can see in the pictures, this bike's paint scrapes off at the slightest touch. The bike has never crashed.

Shouldn't everything on the bike have some kind of warranty, either with Fuji or the component manufacturer? It's your call whether to pursue a remedy with the bike shop or not, but it really sounds like you have a lemon. To me, it would certainly be worth a few phone calls, at the least, to the bike shop to see what they are willing to do.

If the bike is still giving you problems, other than the incorrect size, or still has defective parts it would be good to let any prospective buyer know that. Yes, buyer beware, but still. A second owner won't have the recourse that you have.

Bike sold for $275 after having the front derailleur cable replaced. I had the shop that replaced the cable give it a brief once over and they said the price was fair. Thanks for all the advice.

The wonderful part is that last week I had the bike on CL for $300 with the rear rack, a double-panniered expandable bag, and the bar ends. Sold it for $25 less and still have those parts.

So glad it all worked out well! What are u going to get for its replacement?

209548
Replacement's already bought.
Unknown (supposedly) GT Road Frame
Fizik Arione Tri 2 Flex and Fizik White Grip Tape
Shimano 600 STI Shifters/brakes
Shimano 600 Brake Calipers
Shimano 600 Hubs
Shimano 600 Cassette w/ an Ultegra Bolt
Shimano 600 Crankset
Shimano Deore XT Headset
Shimano 600 Front and Rear Derailleurs
Sun Ringle Venus Rims w/ DT Swiss Spokes and currently Roadmaster II Tires
GT Cro-Mo Fork
3TTT Bars
Currently Origin8 Platform pedals

"3TTT" sounds like a time trial with a team of three ... wouldn't wanna do one of those one them bars though ;)