Originally Posted by
LeeG
other folks here must have a good distribution system because I tried to sell a '85 Bottechia with Campy Record Brakes and misc. Shimano 600 running gear with Campy Tipo hubs and couldn't get anyone to look at it for $400, sold it for $250. Non-index road bikes don't sell for much unless it's in pristine condition.
How did you market it? A lot of getting full market value for a bike is the marketing effort put into it. It is actually pretty hard to get full market value. Takes a great ad, good timing, and a buyer in your area looking for that kind of bike at that time. And depending where you live, selling locally makes it a lot harder to get anywhere near full market value. Older bikes around here at the $300 price or higher sit with very little/no action. There is a sweet spot around $250 for vintage bikes. But that is here in Hooterville.
JYB's ad above is an example of superb marketing. And it still is not selling. In my area, touring bikes are not selling well this year at all. In the past, they enjoyed a hefty premium over similar era racing bikes. Just is not happening here this year.
So as a buyer, over $300 can be where a lot of deals are found. A crappy bike can sell quickly for $150, while something special at $350 sits. Modern bikes are a different story. Lots of buyers looking for used modern (STI) bikes.