Friend has been riding my Scandal 29er, I mentioned I was putting together a Solaris to replace it and she asked if she could buy it which puts me in that difficult situation of pricing up a bike for a friend.

Spec:

V1 16″ Scandal 29er in British racing green + spare hanger
Hope headset
Hope seat clamp
2009 Reba SL forks
On One wheels + smorgasbord tyres
M675 SLX brakes
Carbon flat bars
LX HTII cranks, shifters and RD, XT FD (3×9), chain <0.25% wear
Thomson Elite post and X4 stem or I have some cheaper RF stuff

Saddle, grips and pedals – will put a brand new saddle and grips on as the ones on are being transferred to the Solaris and will put some new flat pedals on as I need to keep those for when friends stay over and use one of my bikes as she has been doing.

Condition wise it’s better condition than any frame I have seen on ebay as they all seem to have lots of cable rub and chainsuck damage. Forks have a few chips to the lowers and stickers but I look after them myself and they are lovely and plush. Wheels are not bad but I would look out for something a bit lighter (Crest or Arch EX) for her long term and tyres and SLX brakes are very good condition and tbh she has used them more than I have since they went on new.

Drivetrain she really wants a 1x setup but I suggested we stick with the 3×9 for now until SLX 11 speed comes out and we see what gearing she wants by getting her to limit her range of gears she uses to something that compares to say a 32 and 11-46.

A pint. Possibly two.

Couple of pints and a bag of chips

Second hand bits to mates are always for a token payment for me. Only exceptions are articulately expensive, shiny or new kit. That may be a bit more than token but certainly below market value.
If you want actual money sell to strangers. If you want the warm glow of knowing you’ve helped out a buddy sell to them dirt cheap.

Payment in ‘benefits’?

The lowest similarish completed listing on eBay, minus eBay fees, minus a chuck for convenience for you. Minus a chuck for how much you owe them for favours, minus the fact they’ve got it and you don’t need to clean it.

How’s that?

£200.

Been in similar situations in the past, with cars and bikes, it can be tricky.

Sold my old road bike to a mate for roughly half what it would get to a stranger as it saved me hassle and got him into riding again. Done the same with a car to a mate who needed some transport to start a job after ages on the dole. Even let him pay me in instalments over 3 months too (car was worth maybe £500, he had it for £240). He eventually traded it in for £600 against a newer car a year later and bought me a very good meal and night out as a thank you! Was just glad I could help.

Ask her to make you an offer and go from there*. If she’s a good friend then she won’t intentionally lowball you and you’ll not rip her off either.

* cash/favours/whatever 😉

Payment in ‘benefits’?

I wondered how long that would take! 🙂 That is definitely NOT an option!

I did say to the OH I would rather just give it her but we know she won’t have any of that as I’ve tried doing that before when we were students and she colluded with the OH and they put some money into my account and told me a year later. She’s far too proud for that and now she has a decent job and knows I’ve not been doing paid work for 12 months I’ve got no chance. She knows I’ve been planning to strip it and sell it to fund the Solaris and begged me to sell it to here instead as she’s been quite smitten by it.

I_like_food: been thinking something similar – ebay or STW classified minus 1/3-1/2 or something. Has to be a believable amount or we will be stuck with her trying to give me more. As for cleaning it, already stripped and cleaned as she rode it through a lot of horse poo on our last ride when we did a cracking 30 miler I’ve been waiting to show her but have been building her up to tougher and longer stuff. She used to hate cycling when using her ex boyfriends (also my friend) 26″ bike and has really taken to the 29er and followed me down some sketchy stuff.

If in was buying from a friend I would happily pay the going rate/market value / last one on eBay. Why should my mate not do well selling and I would rather give my money to a friend than a stranger….

I got rid of a 2015 road bike to a friend of a frend recently, about 15 months old but quite well used.

End-of-line ones are still available new so I asked £ 500, about 1/3 of the price of one of them, and the buyer actually came back offering an extra £ 100. I could probably have got a bit more if I’d stuck it on ebay but this way was very hassle free and I know it’s gone to a good home.

So I’d pitch the price on the low side of reasonable.

I would rather just give it to her

Freudian?

Selling to friends – just make sure they’re getting a bargain and make sure they know it. I don’t mean that in a selfish way, but what you don’t want is to let it go for peanuts without the other party knowing what its really worth. If it then breaks and they think they’ve been swindled then no one wins.

I think you’d be lucky to get £350 for it on ‘Bay, so £250 for mates rates?

To answer the Op’s question £250 is what I’d be looking to get of a friend for the bike. I give parts box bits away, but I’d need something for a full bike.

Birthday present ?

Gave my 2008 full suss bike to a mate who desperately wanted to get into riding more than just towpath stuff, on his cheap old bike, but had no spare cash.
He was truly made up and has made huge progress with his riding.