Why hasn't this Merckx sold?
 

Can anybody see anything wrong with this Merckx? It's been for sale for a while, but I can't understand why it hasn't sold yet. Am I missing something about this bike? Looks nice to me but I don't know enough to spot details that might make this not so desirable...

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/bik/4064457499.html

Tough to sell any bike for $1000 on CL around here. When I bought my Colnago, it was priced significantly less than that, and had been on CL for over two weeks. Turned out I was the only person that even responded.


Better question is why does this seller think he can sell that bike for $1000 on C/L.

This.

Looks rusty, in the on pic he posted under the top tube. I'd want to see it in person, or have someone I trust completely look at it. Also, the components are not all that great, apart from the monoplaners.

The above is exactly right...it's hard to sell a bike for $1,000 on Craigslist and the parts on this are not especially valuable. It's possible that the seller would clear $1,000 on eBay after fees, but I doubt it. On CL - I wouldn't pay more than $600 - $700.

Thanks all, I've been looking for a Merckx for some time now and it seems that everyone who has one for sale is really overestimating their value. I'm not worried about paying for a good bike, but some of the prices being asked just seem way over the top. A few months ago I let one slip through my fingers, a Corsa Extra, showroom condition, all Campy Record and pantographed, sold for less than $1500.

Because it is overpriced.

Because the market for any bike priced over $300 just...sucks.

If it's what you really want and it fits you and when you see it it's in better shape than the pics indicate, be a reasonable negotiator.

Otherwise, keep looking. I wouldn't sell any of my Merckx bikes for the price he's asking, but that's just me.

But you'd sell them here - or on eBay. This will go for 1000 on eBay, but he doesn't have it there.

Nice looking (and my size), but that rust on the top tube would dissuade me from paying anything near the asking price.

Contact them. Start a conversation. If it isn't selling they'll either come down in price or not sell it.

I've been watching it for a while, because it fits and it's local to me. As for the condition, it's not bad. The seller is honest enough to point out the defects, and I'm guessing it's slightly better than the ad portrays. In my experience, if Syncro's are initially installed correctly, they work, so the group is appropriate and probably nice enough to ride. I'd certainly be happy to show up at a century on it.

However, Thrify Bill knows the deal. There are maybe 100 people in the Triangle who even looked at the ad for more than 5 seconds. Of those, perhaps 5 would be somewhat interested in purchasing an Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra. Of those, perhaps 2 can fit on it. Of those, neither is willing to pay $1000, or even $800, for it. And, of the one or two people who, maybe, would pay $600-$650 for it, I already have an '85 from rccardr. My friend drrobwave pointed out that I'd be in the same boat as I was with 2 Cinelli's....wondering why I have two. In my case, having that yellow gem (and it is a very nice bike) would be a luxury, and $600 for a luxury item, when I need to sell a couple bikes, won't do.

Some black Centuar 10-sp would look pretty nice on that rig, but I'd prefer it as is. I can facilitate if someone here wants it.

I sell in the Charlotte area and sometimes in that market. The staging is everything. The average person who looks will Just go past it as the pictures are poor. As most of use know the picture grabs you or you give it a quick look and leave. Unless it is low priced we pass on it. I look for names not pictures but most buyers on CL get into the good looking bike pictures. I try to always put up uncluttered pictures. I have sold a couple of bikes that were over $1000 on CL but most are in the $300 hot range. Just my thoughts
Ed

No. 1. There is a small market for higher end vintage bikes and that has an impact on the price. Many possible buyers have nice vintage bikes which cuts down their willingness to pay a premium for one. Ebay helps because it expands the market but then as a B you have the issue of being unable to inspect the bike personally.

I saw a beautiful Rossini being sold locally that just wilted. The pics were good and the bike was in almost show room shape. It took a very long time to sell and it sold at a considerable discount to what the S originally wanted.

As mentioned already, staging is everything. At least wrap the bars, jeez.

http://images.craigslist.org/00N0N_3...gP_600x450.jpg

I am a firm believer in the season affecting prices too. It is late in the season, maybe it would sell for this in the spring but maybe not now. I would offer $600 for it, and then wait to see if he changes his mind in a month.

The seasonal thing doesn't seem as relevant with high end vintage stuff...a nice vintage bike is always in season. The commuter bike/college crowd is seasonal and the latest greatest racing scene is seasonal.

Wow, it's beautiful, and it's my size, and I don't remember if I've ever seen that derailleur.

But I don't need another bike, and it's overpriced. Well, that fantasy was fun while it lasted. ;)

This has been my experience as well. The impulse/recreational/college student/triathlete market disappears, but that long term bike afficionado is always looking for that just right Colnago, Paramount, or whatever.

+1.

The framesets worth $450 which means the parts are worth $550. Um no. That's a $650 bike.

I did sell a similar Merckx for $650, frame only (obviously not on CL). I'm not disagreeing with your point obviously, but I do think this could sell for $1000 on eBay. The seller won't clear $1,000.

I've been watching Merckx's on Ebay and CL and the high price/high reserve bikes are simply not selling. Most are from Europe, and those guys are WAY over priced, plus a couple of hundred bucks for shipping. Patience seems to be the key to acquiring a nice vintage at a fair price.

Or your concept of fair pricing is off. If I wanted a Merckx for as long as you've been posting about it, I'd have one. I'm all for being patient, but Merckx are easy to find and it wouldn't take me long to find one priced fairly. The patience comes in that I want things under priced, not fairly priced, and I can afford to be patient because there's no one particular bike I want.

Good point, I am the first to admit that I am being picky. It's not that they are not available, it's that I am being rather particular in the quality of what I want. Finding one isn't hard, finding a nice one at a fair price is. But then, what's fair for something you want?

An excellent point...it's really between you, your accountant, wife and child's college fund ;)

You wouldn't want my Merckx - it has lots of patina, and I'd want a LOT for it.

I agree, I "overpaid" for a bike about a year ago, found a few details on the bike that made the deal a bit better (Super Record pedals, not mentioned) and have had so much fun on it that the price was in hind site cheap.

I've overpaid for bikes that I really wanted - it's a hobby, not a business. I think I overpaid a bit on one of my Cinellis, but I wanted it. Don't regret it at all - it's a super fun bike to ride.

Good point...

OK, I'll be honest. I have...7 Merckx bikes.

They're all wonderful and they all fit me (and they're all too big for you, Broid). But I'm also very willing to buy the right model/size frame and then have it repainted in whatever scheme I want. Not everybody thinks the same way about a respray as I do, but there you have it. I get what I want in the size and color I want, with the components I want ( I have an embarassing richness of groupsets) and the bike is perfect and gorgeous.

You might want to consider this, especially if your intention is to buy and ride/keep instead of sell.

I've willingly over paid for stuff myself, just not bikes. We overpaid for our current house by a lot, and we knew we were doing it at the time. Smart? Of course not. Do we regret it? Not in the least, and would do it again. And overpaying for a house is more than bicycle money, no doubt.

We all have our wants, and paying extra to get exactly what you want can in fact be "a good deal".