I buy & sell bikes for fun money. Make anywhere from $100+ to $50 per bike. Most bikes get stripped down to bare frame & built back up. I'll ride them around for a while, then re-adjust brakes & shifting as needed. If I paid myself minimum wage for all the time spent reconditioning a bike I'd go broke.

I enjoy the process. My mechanical abilities have improved immensely.

The most gratifying sale made was a Univega Gran Rally. The buyer loved the bike, but thought the price was too high, ($250) so he went to look at other bikes. He called later that day to pick up the Univega. He thought it was by far the best value for the money, new or used.