How much are your bikes really worth (retro or not)?

[Titiritero]

Discussing recently with a friend, we could not agree on what is the "average" price of bikes that most people have. If you read some "enthusiast" road cycling magazines, it seems to be 3000$-4000$, online channels "test" bikes well above 2000$, while when I go out riding, most people I meet seem to be in the 500-800$ range, and in my commute they are more likely in the 50-150$ area, so we didn't know what would be a realistic number.

Could you please specify the average worth of your bike/s just to get a general idea? A few rules:

-price should be market price, not how much you think is worth. Try to be realistic and avoid the "IKEA effect"
-if you have several bikes, just give the average of all of them, be road, mtb or whatever
-only if you bought a new bike in the last 6 months, you can apply the full retail price. Otherwise, please give the number you think you would get if you were to sell that bike tomorrow.
-I use the $ sign, but assume parity of USD, EUR, GBP for simplicity

Thanks for taking part!!

 

[mk one]

Finding an 'average' will be nigh on impossible, so many factors. If someone had an RM Altitude pp for example, then that is £8,500 straight away before you take into account their collection of 4 Kleins at £2,500 each

I should imagine the people you meet are more than likely not collectors like many on this forum, some if not most having many bikes, all varying values.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Its tough to value retro bikes. On the one hand you could just plump for the cost new back in the day with the cost of upgrades considered.

You could just value them at cost to build.

Another option is to value them based on a modern equivalent. Imagine buying a current xtr shod full suspension bike now vs a 20 year old bike of the sane calibre.

You can't really compare costs really, but to get the same top of the line frame, fork, groupset and finishing kit now would be way more than back then.

All my bikes are covered at £1500 each. Some are probably worth more, some less, but on balance its about the right average.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

Dunno really. Guess my best modern bike is worth around £2500, gravel £700, road £700, retro £500. Could probably build another £100 retro and have £300 in parts?

 

[rrrroberts]

Re:

Oops. The $5k was mine, should have read the description. I added mine up to exceed $5K. I have a single bike worth that, but if I averaged them out, then way less. Feel free to remove the $5k vote nd I'll go again...

 

[greencat]

I doubt my retro rides are worth more than about £50-£100 each. Modern bikes up to about £500 (bought secondhand).

Always find it mildly annoying when the mags & online sites describe £2K as budget. Classic case of anchoring in pricing. Technology and innovation should help reduce prices not massively increase them. In the UK, I personally think the many cycle to work schemes are partly responsible for the increase in prices.

 

[HPL]

Re:

A very hard task indeed to value my bikes, some given to me, some bought as a bulk lot, many framesets only. Most of my bikes are 20-60 years old. What I ride as a commuter compared to my top racer is substantial; and most of my frames are market valued at $300 without adding the (getting to be) rather expensive vintage parts. All in all I'd say my average value is about $500 taking into consideration that I have some "clunkers" ($15-$50) and some fairly rare race frames/bikes ($1000-$2500). Tried to vote, but no go. I guess I still don't have enough posts here; oh well!

 

[tintin40]

priceless to me as one is not made any more

 

[fearfactoryüberalles]

My MTB collection cost me so far about 6-7000$ (never really counted though :facepalm: ) yet I would expect to sell the whole lot ( 48 full bikes, LX/XT/XTR groupset, mostly full rigid, 45 steel, 3 titanium) for about 10 grand at least. Hold up, that makes them worth roughly 200 dodo each, nooo waaay, yeah, the goddamned lot stays where it hides :twisted: ...

 

[Tootyred]

It really depends on how you look at it. As others have alluded to, a good bike might be worth £500 selling it whole, but consist of £800 worth of parts if you sold them separately or god forbid had to try and replace them to rebuild a stolen bike.

Trying to find a " modern equivalent replacement " as per most insurance policies, just don't work. What the hell is a modern equivalent for a 89 rigid frame with quality (not modern cheese made) components!

You might get the value, but replacing it might be another challenge. If o lost either of my 89 bikes i have had from new, i would not bother replacing them.....its the bike not the value in cash that carries the worth.