Grendel

I'm looking at getting a road bike in the near future and one of the things I've considered is trading in my MTB at the LBS where I buy the road bike. I'm guessing that this works kinda like trading in cars -- you don't get what you might be able to if you sold it to an individual, but you do get some money and trading in is an instant sale. On average, do bike shops give reasonable deals on trade-ins?

I may just hang onto what I have since I wouldn't get a lot for it: it's an entry-level HT (Trek 4300) that didn't cost much to begin with and everybody wants FS bikes nowdays so I'm not expecting a big payday for a trade-in. I'd hate to get rid of it since I've really enjoyed riding it, it fits me well and we've logged a lot of miles together, and after many years of inactivity it has done a good job of getting me back in shape (somewhat), but the trade-in value would help with the new purchase.

The reason I'm looking at getting a road bike is that almost all of the miles I've ridden the MTB have been on pavement and not on a trail. I dunno... I think I'm a roadie, and might as well get the right bike for it.

Cipher

You've Pretty well answered your own question. I personally would hang on to it. (If you decide you want to ride some off road, you'll have the bike to do it with). I would bet your LBS really doesn't want the trade-in, another reason why you won't get any where near what it is worth in trade. Maybe try listing it on the various free classifieds sites on the web.

WorldIRC

You may get around 25cents-35cents on the dollar

mike

Ya, IF you are lucky, you will get 25 cents on the dollar. Don't blame it on the bike shop. It is just very difficult to sell used bikes for any amount of money. People want new stuff or used stuff almost free.

I agree with the other posters. Keep the MTN bike and get a road bike. It is not unusual that you spend most of your wheel time on the road. You probably live surrounded by more roads than trails. Of course, MTN bikes and trails are fun too. You should have a MTN bike for when your friends call you to go for a mud ride.

pokey

Many shops don't even take trade in's.They don't want the hassle,liability and want to sell new.

Rotifer

In fact, I've never been associated with a bike shop that accepted trade ins. Most will sell used bikes on consignment for special customers, but if you have to ask you aren't special.

WorldIRC

My store will take trade-ins only if we believe that can sell the bike and make enough profit on it.

John E

If you have space for it, you should definitely keep your old bike as a transportation beater, for those times when either security concerns or weather will keep you from enjoying your new road bike.


-- 4 operational bicycles, 5th under [re]construction ...

Greg

Keep the bike.

With a set of slick tires sitting in wings that bike will do anything you want it too.

A road bike can be too dainty for some situations.

Keep the work horse.

Big Helmet

Keep it. You'll get very little cash for it, it's very hard to have too many bikes, and just two of 'em ain't even close.

You'll like having a road bike, but if you don't have a mountain bike, there will be times when you sorely wish you did.

Also, two bikes take up very little more floor space than one, and none at all if you hang them on a rack, one over the other.

ChipRGW

I bought my road bike used from my LBS. They tuned it up and made sure everything was hunkey-dorey with it before they sold it. As near as I can figure, my bike was a pretty decent one when it was new, but it is 10 years old. They had taken it in as a partial trade for a pretty, new Pinarello. I don't know how much they paid for it, but, since I gave them $125, I suppose they didn't pay much at all.
Now, my old MTB POS Roadmaster, I couldn't have DREAMED of trading in. I don't think they could sell it for 10 bucks. I probably could have sold it, but what's the point. I gave it, along with my wife's matching one, to my sister's kids. They LOVE them, and thier reaction was worth WAY more than the measly few bucks I could have got if I sold them.

ChipR

Guest

I recently sold a used Specialized FSR Enduro Comp on eBay...got a very fair price too and way more then any LBS would have given me. I'll be posting my wifes Raleigh MTB on eBay soon. You might consider another option because you'll likely get a better price verses what an LBS will give you.

Grendel

Thanks for the replies, guys!

Look, here's what's really going on -- my company is paying a profit sharing bonus for the first time in like 4 years and I'm going to have money burning a hole in my pocket. Not all that much, not LightSpeed or Trek 5900 kinda money, but enough that maybe I can get a Giant OCR2 or Trek 1200 or something in that range, maybe. The trade-in idea came about due to a couple of reasons: it would be easier to convince 'She Who Must Be Obeyed' that this is a good idea if I didn't end up with two bikes ("What do you need TWO bikes for? Why didn't you use the money to buy [whatever]?"), and the extra money for the trade-in - even if it isn't all that much - might make the difference between being able to upgrade to a better level of components or not.

After having some time to think it over and after reading some of the ideas brought up here, I think I'll see what I can do with the current bike first. When I bought it I wasn't sure what kind of riding I wanted to do, but I knew that a MTB would likely be more versatile than a pure road bike, not to mention that I go about 205 - 210 lbs and a MTB would probably hold up better. I'm pretty sure that I'm a roadie at heart and that's the kind of riding I'll be doing the most of, and maybe with some slicks and SPDs on the Trek I can get a little closer to road trim. The main thing is I want to gain some speed on the road -- the weight and geometry and big knobby tires are really slowing me down and I'd like to ride something that's competitive on the road.

Greg

Sounds like you need to turn up the biking PR on the significant other.

A spouse should never stand in the way of the other yearning or enjoying a workout of any kind.

My wife knows that if I don't ride I'll be an unbearable A hole. Well, mabey not that bad.

I have a stressful job and I need to ride to stay sane. That, and keep my girlish figure.

Never, ever tell her of the other girls in spandex you meet out there though. The whole yearning for exercise on the bike gets pushed back a notch or two.

pokey

You can fiddle with the MTB and change the tires to something skinnier and higher pressure,maybe some gearing changes.You will spend money and it still will not be what you really want.

Greg

You're a jerk Greg, wait.............

I meant to keep the mtn bike but still get the road bike. The mtn bike will be of use in the long run.

Grendel

Well, I just got back from the LBS after putting a new road bike in layaway and I'm still hanging on to the MTB. I'm getting a Specialized Allez A1 Sport (27 triple), and the test ride was awesome -- this thing is a rocket! Got a pretty good deal on it, too -- it's a closeout '02 model and was priced to move, and they knocked off a little more since it had a couple of small scratches on the top tube, so all together I'm getting it for $679 + tax.

mike

Sweet, Grendal. That should be a very nice machine for you and at $679.00, it is a tremendous bargain.

Nicely done. Enjoy your rides.

Grendel

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the deal to say the least. This is the best price I've found for a bike that has a carbon fork and Shimano 105/Tiagra components (rear der. is 105 and Tiagra for the rest). Can't wait to get this thing!

Greg

Congrats.

Post the test ride.

As if I had to ask.

Grendel

The test ride was short but fun! The LBS guy suggested a route around the side of and behind the shopping center and then continuing on through the back lot of an apartment complex. It was probably about 1/2 mile or so each way so I made several laps as I got used to the bike. You gotta remember that a few things were new to me on this ride other than it just being a different bike -- the STI shifters were new to me (what an awesome bit of engineering those are!) as well as being clipped onto a bike for the first time in my life. The pedals were the older toe-clip types (to be replaced with SPDs before delivery) that took a little time to learn how to get in and out of. By the time I got fully clipped in and figured out the shifting and found out what gears I wanted to be in, I happened to notice that I was absolutely flying on this thing! I got up to mash a little and the bike just took off like shot -- I was hooked and knew then that this bike was mine!

trmcgeehan

I don't think it's worth it to sell a used bike. We keep all of ours (5 in the garage now), and when we have out of town guests, they all get used now and then. We have a ritual that every guest has to ride an out and back 22 mile trip to Lake Cumberland, over pretty hilly terrain. For inexperienced cyclists, this is quite a challenge, but most are good sports and give it a try.

mike

That's one way to keep the in-laws from visiting