Originally Posted by
zukahn1
I'm not sure if this advice helps much but as someone who has brought and sold quit a few bikes on CL. Decent ready to ride road bikes in the $100-200 range don't last long the ones I have sold or brought usually last about a day or so and the nicer stuff sometimes less. If you have to ask take the time to refer to the web do some research and pounder your choice more than likely it will be sold.
+1 Even here in a not as hot market, good bikes ready to ride start at about $200 and go up from there. Projects sell for less, but unless you have the time/tools/aptitude/parts, projects can often cost you more by the time you are done. If the bike is truly recently serviced and ready to ride? HEre's what I do on 99% of the bikes I rehab: true both wheels, new tires and tubes (and probably rim tape), replace all bearings and grease: hubs, bb, headset, new chain, new freewheel, replace torn saddle, replace pedals, new cables and housings. Needless to say, I cannot sell a bike for $100 after doing this work, even if I got the bike for free. Note, some sell bikes as "ready to ride" that are far from it. Caveat emptor.
Now many sellers take shortcuts to reduce the expense, and either make a higher profit, or sell at a lower price.
+1 Anything in a metro market around the $100 mark will be gone, basically immediately (needing work or not).
+1 Small sizes sell for a hefty premium above the amount above.
There are enough knowledgeable people in a larger metro market like Philly, that it is not surprising someone pounced on that Peugeot. Despite all the french bike nuances, mixtes are hot, and Peugeot mixtes are red hot.
The best deals on C/L around here tend to be the higher end vintage bikes. Buyers will buy anything for $100, even pure crap. But a great vintage bike for say, $300? It will sit for several days. As prices go higher than that, they really sit.
Adjust my figures up for a better market in Philly.