Originally Posted by
NightShift
I don't think you understood what the purpose of the list I was suggesting would be.
Many of us would accept a free bike, or purchase a very cheap bike, for parts, even if the bike itself had little or no resale value. We might build it up and give it away, trade it for other parts, or donate it to a bicycle co-op after talking the parts we were after. But there are some bikes that should not be ridden, bikes that pose an unacceptable risk to the rider. You don't donate cables that you know are likely to break, brakes that won't stop a bike, a stem that cracks under normal use, a frame where the drop-outs may pull out while you're riding, or anything else you have reason to believe is inherently unsafe.
I count Next and Vertical as inherently unsafe. I've seen enough Huffy's that were just as bad that I will gladly avoid them, even if they're free.
I don't consider Murray as bad, but that may just be because I don't have as much knowledge and experience with whatever issues they have.
I know almost nothing about modern/semi-modern Columbias, but after Tom's post I will be extremely cautious about accepting one should I encounter one.
I remember hearing about a brand of bike that had been a give away item with the purchase of stereo equipment, because the importer found out they didn't meet the safety standards to be sold in the USA, but it was still legal to give them away (if someone remembers the brand please post, I've forgotten).
If you know a product that should be avoided, even if it's free, that's what I'm asking about.
One way to find out what bikes are worth in resale is to study the bikes on craigslist. you could make a list of names of bikes that sell for more then $100 or $200. Now start looking for those bikes. Don't bother with the bikes that are worth $50 or less. The tires on a $50 bike will cost the same as a $200 bike so why waste money on something that won't pay you back. When I first started flipping I bought everything I could get my hands on and found i was spending a lot of my time on cheap bikes that didn't make much profit. After 4 years of flipping I now buy bikes that will be worth $200 or more when done. Some take an hour or two to ready for a sale and some take more. I enjoy working on a quality bike rather then cheap Wall Mart bike because they are made to last. I like the Japanese road bikes from the 70's and 80's they were made the best. Study the names of frames like Tange, Champion, Reynolds ect and get familier with high end frames vs low end and that tells you the values of bikes when you buy them. I was given a road bike custom build with a Reynolds frame that I sold for $400 because of the frame. So the brand of bike isn't the key, the frame is and good components help, but you can always upgrade those. Good luck with your research