As I've just stated on another thread – with a baby on the way and me not working Mr. MM and I have decided to free up some cash by selling my lovely Orange Five 🙁

The plan is that I keep my SS HT (currently converted into a 'bimbling about town with a bump' bike) but that we put a shorter stem on Mr. MM's 16" Five and I run my own inline post on it and ride that when we go to trail centres – I might keep my lighter wheels too.

The logic is that we won't be riding together for a while anyway and although it'll be far from ideal, I should be able to get away with riding the bigger bike.

Anyway, finances dictate the desicion is made, but I was just wondering if anyone else has done this? And if it worked?!

I have pimped up my ss road bike as I reckon I'll be doing most of my riding on that from now on and my ss ht can also have a few pimp parts from the Orange, so I don't feel too hard done by. 🙂

Bump is good news. Selling a bike is bad news. If the geometry of his bike works for you then the switching of components is not too much of a pain. Devils advocate – you'll have 9 months of discomfort to put up with AND you have to get shot of your bike? What is he giving up? 😉

😀 Well to his credit he did say he could try riding mine, but tbh he'd look like a gorilla on a bike! Plus, he has let me have some new bling bits for my ss!

Although, to be fair he'll have 4 bikes and me 2… which is odd when we both agree I'm the keener rider… hmmmm…

A domestic balance to be struck, me-thinks. Good luck with pregnancy and keep it all gentle. Mrs. mtbfix (aka Tinkerbelle) packed in riding after a rapid dismount caused her to bump a 4/5 month bump into the stem out at Abergorlech.

However much like a gorilla he might look, I'd have thought it made more sense to get a bigger rider to fit on a bike which is too small for them than the other way round. If he's riding a 16" he's surely not that big anyway.

Thanks mtbfix, I think you're right! Perhaps more bling or just more babysitting for him! Sorry to hear that Tinkerbelle had a bump when she was pregnant – that must have been pretty scary! I haven't been offroad for a few months now – just pootle to the shops on my hardtail from time to time. Can't wait to get stuck in again after though!

aracer – hmmm, yeah that's what he said originally, he's just over 5'8" but has a long body so already runs a layback post, plus his bike is built burlier as he's not exactly light. I could probably cope with a more stretched out position as long as the stem is tiny and I have an inline post. I guess we'll see. Ideally we'd like to try both but at 7 months preganant I can't exactly do a test ride and we could do with the money now to sort things before the bump arrives proper…

plus his bike is built burlier as he's not exactly light

That's the best reason I can see for doing it the way round you're suggesting. Otherwise it's far easier to cope with too compact a position (so long as your knees aren't hitting the bars) than one that's too stretched.

You might even benefit from a forward seatpost (like triathletes use) rather than an inline one. Most women seem to prefer less hip angle, which is what one of these will also give you, everything else being equal. Will muck up the weight distribution a bit, but far better to have as compact a cockpit as possible – just remember to hang off the back of the saddle when descending!

Is the amount of money you will get from selling a bike really significant to you? You looses o much when you sell a secondhand bike I would do everything possible to avoid selling.

TJ – tricky one, it feels like a lot of money at the moment, but it also feels like loosing an awful lot too. I'm just afraid that if I keep it I'll hardly ever get out on it and it's value will have dropped even more…

I'm thinking the majority of my riding is going to be local bashing around the woods, when I'd take the ss anyway. If Mr. MM didn't have a Five I wouldn't consider it, but for the money I don't know how much less I'll enjoy his…

I have to admit though, as I was reading what aracer was saying it made me realise hwo fussy I am with my riding position – I hate having the weight thrown out by being too far forward but then hate not being able to get over the back on long descents… oh dear…

Don't sell – you will regret it.

Just to turn things on their head a bit.

1 You've got a nice new frame (the Orange) in a pretty teeny size
2 It's winter – a bad time to sell stuff – spring/summer is much better

Those two together will mean that you get a very poor return on your spend on it because there will only be a very small number of people interested.

You seem to have quite a few bikes between the two of you. How about as a better solution selling off some more of the bits/etc from the bikes (eg wheels, brakes, forks, etc) that you can usually get some decent money back on (since they're not size specific) and more importantly re-buy in the future at similar prices when you can.

Or even better, don't sell them yet but sell them if you actually need the cash (since they're easy to sell fast).

I'll bet that most parents do exactly the same as you worry about all the money that you 'need' and then ultimately find out that they manage just fine and didn't need all the cash they thought they did (this was certainly our experience).

Better to sell when/if you need than do it now when it may not really be necessary.

…actually the correct thing to do is to swap his burly bits over to your bike, which gets rid of that excuse. You have a bike which fits and he has to put up with being a bit compact.

I do tend to agree with TJ, but didn't see the point in arguing if it's something you're set on. The question I suppose is whether money is really that tight – you know you don't have to buy all new stuff for a baby – lots of secondhand stuff around (try mumsnet for a start, or if you're anywhere near Worcester, we've got baby stuff we no longer need).

Clubber and aracer – that's made me think, thank you. Maybe I should hold onto it for a while and see how we go…

Do you think if I keep my bike and then decided to sell it say in a six months or even a year's time, I'd be loosing out on a lot more cash, or would it be marginal? If the difference wouldn't be loads then perhaps we should just see how we go – especially as I can totally see us regretting it later on down the line.

I should say at this point that Mr. MM isn't pressuring me to get rid of my bike at all, he's really supportive and keen for me to keep riding, I think we're just having what sounds to be a fairly common pre-baby: 'we're going to have no money' panic!

I could definitely replace some of the nicer bits on my ss bike and sell a couple of bass guitars…

Thanks for the sound advice guys, I really didn't think anyone would be able to change my mind, but you've spoken a lot of sense! Thank you.

Edit: oh and aracer, we're in Bristol so any second-hand baby stuff would be great. I really need to start working out what we actually need – it seems like loads!

Do you think if I keep my bike and then decided to sell it say in a six months or even a year's time, I'd be loosing out on a lot more cash

It really depends – you could of course find just the right woman who's about to buy a brand new identical frame who isn't worried about the warranty and pays more than you expect for it. Obviously though that's unlikely and based on probability and the fact that the frame will still be in great condition and the Orange design isn't likely to change in that time, you're unlikely to lose out more than a couple of hundred quid at most in that time over selling now.

The other issue is as I sort of suggested above – availability – if you do sell the frame but decide in 12 months that you want one again you're quite likely to have to buy new in that size/model again unless you're lucky and find one for sale. Much better to sell of parts (forks/wheels) that are easy to replace for similar cash and readily available.

Thanks Clubber, yeah that does make perfect sense. Especially the bit regarding me wanting another one in a year's time! I am like that.

I'll talk to Mr.MM but I think we'll go for that option. Need to have a serious think and look at things, but I reckon we can manage to hold onto it for now. Thanks again.

Mentioned this thread to my wife… we are quite literally overflowing with redunant baby stuff – hinted on the lines of suggest swap baby stuff for bike 4 wife.

Turns out my wife thinks it is a bad idea. 🙁

I will continue to load up the attic…

You should make him get one of these… 🙂

Have checked with the expert on these things, we have a variety of clothing up to 6 months (older stuff is probably boy specific, but newborn clothes are pretty unisex), growbags and a front carrier, all free for collection. Maybe some other stuff also. The only issue being that they've also been offered to somebody else at Mrs aracer's work – though he hasn't got back to say he wants any of it.

I was going to say keep your bike and sell the baby – it's a cheaper option in the long term

BUT

everyone's been so supportive so I'll say something constructive instead:

People will give you tons of baby stuff – the little dears grow right in front of your eyes so not-new baby clothes are almost like new. There's no shame in second-hand baby kit, better for the planet, better for your pocket.

Don't worry, you'll find the money without selling your bike! Congratulations

don't sell it. you'll lose more selling it than you'll gain. financially and emotionally.

drifting_james – Member

I will continue to load up the attic…

Oh so true 🙂 Our attic looks like a vacuum bagged store room from a baby clothes/toys/equipment shop!

Ah thanks guys! Karinofnine is right – you have all been so supportive! Thank you.

Karinofnine's comment did make me laugh though! 😀

Aracer – thanks so much for your offer, that's really kind of you. If your wife's colleague doesn't take you up on the offer, please let me know as we'd love it. Thank you!

Well, I think my mind's made up for now – I'm keeping the bike! (And selling everything else!)

I have no problem with secondhand baby kit at all and people have already been really kind in giving us stuff. It also seems like STW itself might be a great source for some bargain baby stuff – get ready for classifieds ads like you've never seen before! 🙂

Right then, on to selling everything else – anyone need a top end Spector Rebop bass guitar by any chance? 😉

first of all congrats on the little one
second of all keep the bike
when my little one arived i was crapping it id spent most of my life building up my stash of bikes and was prepering regretably to shift it all to make way but in the end i dident need to after convincing the misses second hand was the way to go
were still ok and i still have 3 bikes she has one and just got the little ones a few days ago it all works out in the end.
look into your entitlements after the birth u do get ALLOT of help.

im also in bristol so il see if we have any early year stuff lying about. i no we have a walker/feeding thing but thats new(used twice)then she learn to walk little sod lol