Originally Posted by
abdon
Your neck of the woods must be more generous than mine. Good shape no-name aluminum bike in good working order, maybe $100 at the beginning of the season. This late in the season? Good luck.
Complete bike sold locally here? $100. Paid $40 for one very similar, with full XT parts. And a more desirable steel frame too. But that was a DEAL IMO. The value is in the parts: $300 or more.
It's sadly gotten to the point if I find a nice vintage MTB like this one for $50 that needs cables, pedals, maybe a new chain, saddle and tires, I can put 4 hours into it, $100 into parts, and lose money. Or I can spend an hour dismantling, and sell the parts, and make $250 or more. The economics of most rigid frame MTBs have cratered, there are exceptions!
And if your market is better, great!