GordoTrek

So i'm trying to trim the herd a little bit. I'm slowly culling the bikes I don't ride and don't like to ride. I'm decreasing quantity but increasing quality.

So far i've sold my 1975 Raleigh Sports. Right now i'm trying to sell my 1973 Raleigh Super Course, but i can't seem to get a bite. I sold my Sports over a weekend, posted on friday gone by sunday. I posted my super course and it's been up for weeks. I initially tried to sell it at 160 and not one bite. Dropped the price to 120 and got a few nibbles...but mostly just folks who aren't serious. Now, i've dropped the price again just to get rid of it. It's weird because I thought for sure the super course would go quick and the 3 speed would be the one sitting. I guess my market is wacky this time of of year.

The Super Course is in decent shape has a few scratches but has been tuned up. New tires and tubes, ready to go! But that doesn't seem to make a difference.

higgins617

Seems like a great price for a nice bike, I'd say we're a few weeks away from the start of prime selling time though. Around here were predicted to get another snow storm too. But I actually have people who say they're coking to pick up multiple bikes I have posted

Velocivixen

In my area, it was suggested to me that selling on a sunny weekend works well, so I will post on a Thursday. Also not near end/beginning of month, as many people are paying rent.

When I scour CL and see a bike sitting too long I wonder why? Maybe something wrong with it? So I will remove my post for a week or so, choose a different picture to be the "main" photo then repost. People who look at CL frequently will see your new photo and maybe think it's a different bike. I also change the title of my ad a little. Just to freshen it up.

GordoTrek

good tips, i could see if the market was slow, and nothing sold, but selling the Sports before the Super Course doesn't make sense to me. At the coop we have Sports that have sat for years before they are sold. So I fully expected for my 3 speed to be listed for a while. just shows to go ya that CL is not an exact science

roccobike

OP, I'd take down the Super Course ad now. You want to post when the weather gets warm, and stays warm. I'm in NC and have several ready to get listed with four more waiting to be cleaned, tuned and listed. But despite the 50+ degree weather, it's still not warm enough to bring out the casual buyer. We've had a few days in the 70s even one in the 80s. It needs to be consistently in the 60s to 80s to bring out the buyers. I'm probably going to list my bikes over the next week. I would think up north in NY, you need to wait, maybe another month. Also, you want your ads to be fresh. Folks balk when they see a month old ad.

3speedslow

Yes, wait. Here in NC as well. The BMX crowd is buying but the older crowd is not flocking into the bike shops yet.

USAZorro

Bikes at fair prices seem to languish on the Cincinnati CL. It happened all of last year also. Not bad if you're buying. Not good if you're selling.

Bryanjp2

Same in Milwaukee. I have stopped looking at CL because it is the same bikes being re-listed every day. Seems like no one is buying...all I want is a decent frame for $25-$50. It is very uninspiring...*sigh* At least I still have my 1980 Fuji Roayle to work on

echo victor 

It feels like kind of a weird market right now. On the one hand, I'm seeing what @USAZorro describes - a handful of C&V bikes have been languishing on the local CL... even a few that are pretty reasonably priced. So it's not a seller's market. But at the same time, there's a lot of re-posting happening and very few new C&V bikes being posted which would make me want to get in the car to go see them. So I don't really feel like it's a buyer's market either.

I feel like a couple years ago I was frequently seeing things that interested me (some of which I got to), but now the whole market seems to be slower. Honestly, that's probably a good thing for my garage space...

dailycommute

When you are riding through the hood and smell hamburgers on outside grills all around, then spring selling season has arrived! Bummed that they canceled the local annual bike swap in April but not sure if related to declining interest or what. The swap is all sorts of bikes besides cv, but in the last several years I have found it the place to move unsold projects. CL seems to only work for the sub 100 ready to ride bikes anymore, at least around here. Fortunately just have some frankenbuilds to move and ready to sell them 60-80 range to finally have the basement back to keeper fleet only.

mstateglfr 

Pretty sure most anyone who likes to build up bikes is in the same boat. If $25 got you decent frames easily, everyone would be happy.

mstateglfr 

There is always the option to donate it to a local bike collective/kitchen/coop thats non-profit.
They get a fully working bike in good working order(sometimes thats rare) to sell and you get a tax deduction.

I typically donate what doesnt sell within a few weeks if there isnt a lot of $ into it. If i buy something for $50 and end up not wanting to refurbish it but it has all the parts needed to work...donating it is sometimes better than dealing with reposting and working with people to maybe possibly buy the bike.

The Golden Boy 

Great... now I saw the East Side guy selling the 85 Trek 760... Now I need that...

Thanks...

lostarchitect 

The photos in your ad are a little fuzzy and gray looking. That's a part of the problem, IMO. Also the saddle looks awful. Replace it with a $13 basic saddle, take much better, brighter, clearer pics, and raise the price to $175.

dedhed

Step away from the screen....

Bryanjp2

True

Bryanjp2

Ha! That guy seems to be snatching up all the bikes! He has a lot.

Nice bike, but way to big

Fahrenheit531 

Looking at your ad, I'd suggest you adjust your description in addition to reshooting some brighter pics.

"New" is a good word, and a long list of "new" is your friend. Cables, brake pads, chain, tape, tires, whatever has been recently addressed and has minimal miles on it. "Repacked" is awkward as well; opt for something like "all bearings have new grease: wheels, headset, bottom bracket." This isn't a bike sale aimed at collectors, so don't worry about the new crankset. And give the bike some character... is it a great commuter? Say so. Totally reliable and mostly indestructible? Let 'em know.

But most of all, avoid anything along the lines of "Derailleur not as pictured." I read that, I immediately wonder what surprises weren't mentioned and I get a little spooked. Nice pics of exactly what's for sale are easy. Shortcuts with pics -- i.e., using old ones -- suggest shortcuts elsewhere.

FWIW.

EDIT: Oh, and get rid of the **REDUCED**... That tells first-time viewers that nobody wants your bike. If someone saw it before but thought your price was too high, they'd have contacted you and offered less than asking price. I firmly believe the "reduced" angle does little more than highlight your desperation.

Slash5

$120 for a Super Course. You need to run across the lake. In Toronto at $250 it would be gone in minutes, would likely sell fast at $300.

lostarchitect 

100% agreed.

The Golden Boy 

It's a 53???

I've actually seen someone riding a maroon 760 over by Prospect and North.

That guy has had the market on decent to good bikes on the Milwaukee CL for quite a while.

GordoTrek

Thanks for all of the suggestions, pictures are dated, I used what i had on hand didn't want to trudge through snow to take moderately better ones. Honestly I'm pretty good at selling bikes here. Like I said I sold my 3 speed in a matter of days. I'm no flipper but I've sold a couple dozen bikes in the last few years. So my expectations are usually close to the outcome. My experience with the super course is the exception I guess.

oddjob2

$300 Canadian is what, $225 US?

SC are extremely slow to sell here too, whether asking price is $200 or $650.

https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/bik/6003832007.html

lostarchitect 

I easily got $300 for a good looking MKII in Brooklyn.

Bryanjp2

You're right, I was looking at the Trek 613 which is 63cm