Originally Posted by
Dave Mayer
Yeah: that's about right. The bike loses 30% of resale value the moment is goes out the shop door, and is worth 50% of retail 3 years later.
Keep in mind that nobody pays full retail; you can buy essentially the same bike stuff direct from Asia for half the price of first-world country retail. This is partially due to retail and wholesaler mark-ups, but also due to first-world pricing fixing/enforcement by the big bike makers and component manufacturers. So US residents pay more than residents in say E. Europe, for no other reason than they can.
Another factor: bike chains last 2-3,000 miles no matter how you take care of them. Most bike owners, even of high-end gear blissfully ignore servicing requirements, until the chain and then the entire drivetrain is prematurely and hopelessly worn out. Assume that your average 3-year old bike need a new chain, cassette and chainrings: a $250 bill, plus labor.
I would argue that. Not the cost, but the need. I enjoy rebuilding bikes from the 80's and often find drive trains in excellent condition. It's not the age but the use. Most 2-3 year old bikes don't even have 2-3000 miles on them to wear out the first chain.