gthomson

Can anyone give me the number of the used bike price police because there are so many people out there committing a crime with some of the prices they are trying to get for their dilapidated old "vintage" bikes!

I know this would have to be the worst time to be looking to buy a bike and I'm not really that interested but I always like to look around in the event that a real good deal comes up but those days are long gone.

People are listing rusted out box store brand bikes from the 70s-80s with all original parts (lousy ones at that) and asking $400+ for these things!! You got to be kidding me?

I wish there was a filter on social media market sites which removed kids bikes and garbage big box brand bikes to make finding something nice easier.

alright, rant over

3alarmer 

.
...there are still some deals on my local Craigslist, but there have always been sellers who list here at prices that are "optimistic". There used to be one guy here who would e-mail you if he thought your price was too high. He always thought my price was too high. I do think that there are fewer old bikes of quality hitting the Craigslist here these days, and can only surmise that maybe a lot of them have already been "collected'.

ClydeClydeson

I have previously posted 'response' ads pointing out serious problems or misinformation in for-sale ads, such as a bike with obvious but not mentioned fork and frame damage from a front end collision.

But if someone wants to ask $4000 for a rusty Huffy that's just the free market at work. Monetary value is set by what people are willing to pay. I'd like to think people are smarter than that (like smart enough to google a bike before buying so they know it's worth $89 new instead of whatever crazy price someone is asking), but if they don't it's not my responsibility to hold every single person's hand and make sure they don't spend too much.

Dylansbob 

I'm in a suburb of Seattle and our cl is full of real bikes, but there is almost nothing under $350. I'm still listing my stuff for the ~$200 range and not getting very much interest. Not sure where the buyers are....

clubman 

But you're in the greater Toronto area...it's been a criminals market there for decades.

T-Mar

If both parties consent to the sale price, there is no crime, unless it turns out that the bicycle was misrepresented by the seller.

Darth Lefty 

I've reported "Norco parts" ads that were clearly code for pills, but other than that, it's only the invisible hand of the market that may or may not slap the buyer or the seller

Senior Ryder 00 

Hi folks​​​​​​,
Same thing in the Portland-Salem-Vancouver metro area. Most stuff is way over priced & it doesn’t appear that anything moves.
The gimmick I have the biggest problem is the “benefits charity” sites on the bay. Lots of misrepresented junk with ridiculous pricing.
Oh well, a sign of the times.
Van

cycleheimer

Used upper-end models were always in short supply. Most people, when purchasing a new bike, go for entry-level stuff. Some will purchase the better quality upper mid-level stuff. A.limited few will go for the expensive, top-of-the-line stuff. Getting a bike sounds like a fun idea, but it takes a certain amount of physical effort to make it go. There is also a certain level of commitment needed to maintain it. Alot of people just get caught up in "bicycle mania" whenever a periodic bike craze rolls in. Most bikes will sit unused in basements and garages for years, rusting and and rotting, until they finally get tossed out. A few will wind up for sale by people who think they will cash in on a bike craze. In my area that was last year. The news hasn't gotten out around here that that ship has sailed, so overpriced bikes are stranded on the dock. You need only one great bike, or maybe a few (dozen) if you're a BF person. Better to find one or two good choices than many bad ones. Parts can be pricey, and your time is also worth something. Plus, some bikes will simply drive you "nuts". PATIENCE. Good things (at "bargain besement" prices) come to those who wait (for the right deal).

iab

Seems like you are the only one who wants to police the "right" price.

Why do you hate capitalism?

SurferRosa

Try these guys...

bikemig 

Prices went up during the pandemic as supply chains became disrupted and a lot of people decided to start bike riding. Used prices, by and large, have not come down but I don't think that is sustainable. So it wouldn't surprise me if this year you can start to find more reasonable prices on old bikes. Still sellers can always dream and they are not paying costs holding onto inventory so high prices may remain sticky for a while.

canklecat

Turns out those codpieces didn't offer much protection. Where does a poor droog report defective PPE?

Andy_K 

The best examples I see on PDX CL is the $400 single speed Schwinn Sports Tourer. For $400, I'd at least like to get a rear derailleur.

The $600 Varsity, $475 Suburban, and $495 Traveler also deserve mention, though each of them has some quality that I can at least imagine might appeal to some collector.

genejockey 

I'm not sure people are getting the prices they post. I was just watching two bikes, one a Bridgestone RADAC with 7400 series Dura Ace kit, and the other a Lotus with Arabesque sit unsold. The Bridgestone started at $400, then dropped to $350, and the Lotus started at $300 then dropped to $250 I ended up getting it $175, and it's in really nice shape.

squirtdad

Depends on patience and what people like....I just got a very clean SR semi-pro with 600 Arabesque (except for shifters....it has suntour bar ends) for $170. Per the seller the most people looked at the bar ends and passed (I do have a WTB up for arabesque shifters and the barcons will go up soon...just fyi )

I think I got a deal because of the barcons and that buyers don't recognize SR brand and don't appreciate the 600 components. Guy had it up for over 3 weeks and I decided that while I need another project, like I need a hole in my head I had to check it out

genejockey 

I know I did.

Which is exactly how I ended up with the Lotus mentioned above.

Wilbur76

Yeah lots of Huffy and Roadmaster in my area now. Lucky I bought most of my bikes last year before the decent vintage stuff completely dried up.

SoccerBallXan

Where do you live? What platforms are you searching on? I don’t mean to take away from the post, but there’s always a great deal out there.

In regards to the Portland post above, just a simple search through Portland Craigslist I see many excellent, high quality, and fairly priced bikes. Goodness, I wish I had those deals near me!!

Andy_K 

Oh yeah, there are definitely deals too, not least of which is the beautiful 3Rensho for $2200. There's also an Ironman for $450 that I may make an offer on if it sits much longer. And if you're looking for a functional bike for cheap, there's a $50 Raleigh Sports.

PDX CL is always all over the place. This is really nothing new.

gthomson

For the record here, I'm not actually saying there is a any crime in selling a bike just some fun with those words. Anyone dumb enough to pay those prices for the product being sold, well shame on you. Capitalism? this is just insanity when people pull some garbage out of the pail and try and flog it on the market as if it had value because they are taking advantage of a trend. I am not lying when I say that bikes that should have been walked down to the curb are selling at outrageous prices.

Regarding the bike price police, they do exist around here on a FB marketplace group called Toronto Road/Cx Bike Classifieds where people mostly sell used modern bikes or bike parts and if someone tries to sell a used bike over what the initial MSRP suggested value was, they get called out big time in the comments.

johnnyace 

I made what I considered a reasonable offer on a Panasonic DX-4000 on ebay, which the seller was very vague on the price to package and ship. He turned it down, and the bike has been on ebay for 3 years! We went round and round trying to come to an agreement, and I finally walked away just today.

cudak888 

This is a known problem. Exhibit A: The Wacky World of Craigslist and eBay Ads

There is a known solution. Exhibit B: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage-sales/

-Kurt

Chuck M 

Good bikes at fair prices are rare in my area. Craigslist has seemed to go stagnant with the same ads and too high prices. Facebook Marketplace once in a blue moon has something worth looking at.

Something I’ve been doing out of boredom though is watching the “racing bike” post prices go from $300 to $100 in a couple of days.

The Golden Boy 

Man, I gave a set away last year... sorry.