Author Topic: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?  (Read 8908 times)

hybrid

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What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« on: July 06, 2013, 08:01:32 PM »
I recently started commuting on my Diamondback mountain bike and I want a road bike for my nine mile ride home (keeping the mountain bike for other uses). I have been keeping an eye on Trek road bikes on Craigslist and I found one I liked in my size range at what I thought to be a good price.  This is the bike below, it's a Trek 1200.  It needs two inner tubes and a little love on the handlebar grips but otherwise seems solid.  It was listed today, and the young man who sold it to me already had someone coming to see it that evening, so I had to make a quick call and I ended up buying the bike.  My question to the savvy bike folks is this, with the limited information I provided what do you think ballpark fair market value is on Craigslist.  After I get several replies I'll tell you what I paid and then we'll all know if I was a savvy horse-trader or a chump.  :)


DarinC

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2013, 08:12:07 PM »
I'd do $150-$200.

Russ

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2013, 09:49:08 PM »
fix the tubes and bartape, then list at $250-300 without rack depending on your area. I wouldn't buy it for more than $200 though

Russ

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2013, 09:50:11 PM »
assuming everything is in decent shape

hybrid

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2013, 02:45:44 PM »
From the who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks department, turns out this old-timer dumbass had never worked with an inner tube with one of them new-fangled presta valve stems before, it turns out my tubes are just fine!  So I'll keep the spare and return the other pair I bought.  On the plus side, scored this sweet jersey today (and yes, I know the Armstrong history).  It's especially sweet for me because I used to work as a letter carrier for the PO before moving into IT, and my wife still does.  So there is some sentimental value.


Kriegsspiel

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2013, 03:07:19 PM »
Ha, you think you're a dumbass for not knowing the difference between valves... I remember being fucking flabbergasted when I found out there was a tube... INSIDE THE TIRE!

Spudd

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2013, 03:23:45 PM »
There's a site I recently heard about called the Bicycle Blue Book - http://www.bicyclebluebook.com . However, it thinks you should pay >$700 for that bike, and I feel that's a bit steep!

http://www.bicyclebluebook.com/searchlisting.aspx?make=750&model=41688

hybrid

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2013, 03:55:34 PM »
There's a site I recently heard about called the Bicycle Blue Book - http://www.bicyclebluebook.com . However, it thinks you should pay >$700 for that bike, and I feel that's a bit steep!

http://www.bicyclebluebook.com/searchlisting.aspx?make=750&model=41688

Ohhhhhh, I like that book already!  Yes indeed, $700 does feel a bit steep.  If there is a $700 buyer out there they can have this tomorrow.

The price I paid was $150.  I'm pretty happy with the deal.  On top of that a local bike shop is running a full tune-up special for $29 on Living Social, and since I just learned the difference between a schrader valve and a presta valve, I think I will get the pros to get it in shape the first time, and I will learn basic maintenance on my own going forward.   

Russ

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2013, 06:15:25 PM »
There's a site I recently heard about called the Bicycle Blue Book - http://www.bicyclebluebook.com . However, it thinks you should pay >$700 for that bike, and I feel that's a bit steep!

http://www.bicyclebluebook.com/searchlisting.aspx?make=750&model=41688

It says MSRP was >$700 new. If you click on the early '90s models, suggested current price is around $250 which is spot-on IMO.

Joet

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2013, 06:55:20 PM »
I'm ashamed to say my guess was 50-80 on first glance. Glad you like it, looks like a capable commuter

jawisco

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2013, 08:03:00 PM »
I don't think you got a screaming deal, but I think you did good and made a good choice and got a lot of value for $150. 

Why get it tuned?  Why pay for some silly tune up?  Ride it and when there is an issue, learn how to fix it.  You have a spare, so even if a repair takes you a couple of days, no big deal.  Why not pocket that $29, spend two hours lubing and cleaning and getting-to-know your new bike and figure out how everything works and pay yourself instead?

hybrid

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2013, 06:39:10 AM »
I don't think you got a screaming deal, but I think you did good and made a good choice and got a lot of value for $150. 

Why get it tuned?  Why pay for some silly tune up?  Ride it and when there is an issue, learn how to fix it.  You have a spare, so even if a repair takes you a couple of days, no big deal.  Why not pocket that $29, spend two hours lubing and cleaning and getting-to-know your new bike and figure out how everything works and pay yourself instead?

A great idea, but it's a simple matter of time management for me.  I took four days off this past weekend and got a lot of my honey-do list done.  And I still have a list as long as my sleeve (including a side job, which will more than pay for the tune-up) on Monday morning.  My thought is this.  Get the tune-up, it's certainly cheap enough, and ask the guy who does the work to go over what he did, and I'll learn some lessons from it.  Also, I don't have a relationship with a bike repair shop and I may need one in ther future, so this is a good opportunity to establish that.  And besides, you never know when said bike shop might need a guy to fix a computer problem.....  ;-)

Spudd

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2013, 08:12:31 AM »
It says MSRP was >$700 new. If you click on the early '90s models, suggested current price is around $250 which is spot-on IMO.

Ah, good eye! I misinterpreted the results. I thought it was crazy.

hybrid

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #13 on: July 10, 2013, 12:56:44 PM »
Why get it tuned?  Why pay for some silly tune up?  Ride it and when there is an issue, learn how to fix it.  You have a spare, so even if a repair takes you a couple of days, no big deal.  Why not pocket that $29, spend two hours lubing and cleaning and getting-to-know your new bike and figure out how everything works and pay yourself instead?

A follow-up that may apply to cycling newbies like me.  I still agree with the poster here in general, but I just got a call from the shop doing the tune-up, and apparently one of the bearings is in less than great shape and I agreed to have them replace it for $29.  I had ridden the bike for over ten miles and was unaware of the problem (they could of course be BSing me completely, but I didn't get a bad vibe when I took the bike in, and the guy doing the work is a very friendly sort).

So I am picking up the bike today in full working order and with the new part installed.  Going forward I will take on the maintenance as required.  And if I am satisfied with the work I have a place I can go to if it is out of my league.  My total bill for everything was about $250 (I got a nice folding metal basket-style pannier there as well and new tape for the handlebars).  So I feel pretty good about the deal overall, especially as I look at new setups that would set me back well over $600.  Looking forward to getting a lot of miles out of my new ride.

m8547

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #14 on: July 10, 2013, 10:20:10 PM »
You can usually ride for a long time (years?) on a bearing that's in less than great shape, though depending on the type of bearing it might be a good idea to fix it so you don't do more damage. $29 is a good price to fix a bearing since they can be labor intensive.

There are four (or five) major bearings that I can think of: Each hub, the bottom bracket (where the crankset spins), the headset (where the handlebars turn), and maybe the freehub (ratchet for the rear) depending on the type.  A lot of manufacturers have moved to sealed cartridge bearings for new and high end parts, which means that once it wears out you throw it out and buy a new one. The advantage is better tolerances and lower friction, but the downside is that they are not really serviceable. At least cartridge bearings are usually not too expensive. Older bikes like yours will likely have cup and cone bearings for most of the major bearings (I don't know much about older bottom brackets though). They usually have some way to adjust the preload pressure on the bearing, and the loose balls are generally replaceable. I can't think of any way riding a cartridge bearing until it dies would damage anything, but if you neglect cup and cone bearings you can do some damage to the races. If one of the races is the hub, which is laced into the wheel, that can get to be a difficult or expensive repair.

You can tell if something is not right in a bearing if it is rough when it spins, if it binds, if it's loose, or if it makes excessive noise. Sometimes you can fix by taking it apart, cleaning it, and lubing it, and readjusting it when you put it back together. Otherwise you might need to replace parts. If you take it apart, you will want to look at the condition of the races that the balls run in. They should be smooth when checked with a ballpoint pen.

To take apart hubs, you usually just need a couple cone wrenches-- special thin open end wrenches that allow you to adjust the coned. You will need two in the size that your hub uses, and they should not be used for anything else. You will also need an adjustable wrench or appropriate size metric open end wrench for the lock nut outside the cone. I won't go into detail, but you basically adjust the hub until it's tight enough that there's only a tiny amount of play which goes away when you clamp the wheel in the bike.

Threadless headsets are easy to adjust, you just need a couple allen wrenches. You can take it apart, clean it (really well. Any tiny dirt in the bearings will cause them to wear out very quickly), lube it, and put it back together. Replacing a headset is an entirely different task that requires specialized tools and has some risk of ruining your frame if done wrong.

Threaded bottom brackets are easy enough to deal with once you have the correct tools. You will need a crank arm puller to take the crank arms off, and you will need a bottom bracket tool to fit the splines on your bottom bracket (maybe $5-10). You will also need a really big wrench (a foot long or more is preferable). Standard threaded bottom brackets with square taper are inexpensive and you can usually just replace the whole thing.

I almost forgot that there are also bearings in the pedals. They usually go together like hubs, but it can be difficult to get a wrench or socket in there. Low-end pedals are meant to be disposable, I think.

If you want to learn more, I would pick up a good maintenance book like "The Zinn and Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance" (there's a road version too). I can also answer questions relating to types of components I've worked on. I used to work as a volunteer maintaining a small fleet of rental bikes so I've had a chance to try almost every kind of repair or maintenance you can do on modern low-end mountain bikes.

I like learning bike maintenance because I like understanding how things work and fixing them myself rather than relying on others. It might take some time to learn, but with practice you can do simple stuff quickly and save time and money by not going to bike shops. You will also be able to recognize when something is beyond your ability to fix and then take it to a bike shop. You will also figure out what tools are worth buying and which ones are not cost effective to own.

Russ

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #15 on: July 10, 2013, 10:37:03 PM »
I can't think of any way riding a cartridge bearing until it dies would damage anything

One worn out cartridge bearing can allow shaft misalignment, which accelerates wear in the bearing on the other side. Always replace in pairs to help prevent this. Cartridge headset bearings notch just like cup and cone bearings can, which is no good for steering. Nothing catastrophic though.

Micheal

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #16 on: July 10, 2013, 10:53:22 PM »
This exact same bike model a bit more beat up sits in the local pawn shop at $139.

jawisco

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #17 on: July 14, 2013, 10:17:08 PM »
I guess I see why businesses run promotions on Living Social...cost went from $29 to $250!

You went from a $150 bike that rode fine and dandy to a $400 bike that is likely marginally better.

Either way - glad you got a set up you like and bike riding is a great thing to do.  Have Fun!

Russ

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2013, 10:37:47 PM »
I guess I see why businesses run promotions on Living Social...cost went from $29 to $250!

Pretty sure that $250 includes the bike itself.

$150 bike
$30 tuneup
$30 bearing overhaul
$15 bar tape
$25ish basket
« Last Edit: July 14, 2013, 10:41:56 PM by Russ »

hybrid

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Re: What would you sell this bike for on Craigslist?
« Reply #19 on: July 15, 2013, 07:05:41 AM »
I guess I see why businesses run promotions on Living Social...cost went from $29 to $250!

Pretty sure that $250 includes the bike itself.

$150 bike
$30 tuneup
$30 bearing overhaul
$15 bar tape
$25ish basket

That would be correct.  An update, the shop showed me the bearing that was going bad and it did have significant wear.  I'm not in the least bit disappointed with the money I laid out.  They also found rust on the shifter cables and swapped those out at no charge.  I've got a flat this morning and will need to pick up a spare tube (to replace the spare in reserve), and I also need a spare for the mountain bike.  They'll probably be a buck or two more than the local Walmart, but I'll take my business there going forward.

One other thing, I keep eyeing TREK on Craigslist and it is not easy to find a good deal on an older model in Richmond, it took well over a month to find this and I haven't seen comparable since.