Selling previous ge...
 

Singletrack's forums are sponsored by...

Forum sponsored by Saracen

Selling previous gen road bike

24 Posts
16 Users
5 Reactions
615 Views
Free Member
Topic starter
 

I am looking to sell my road bike as I am riding a gravel bike much more and it will also be suitable for road duties with 700C slicks.

My question is how best to approach selling a rod bike that is 'nice' but nowhere close to current standards, Ti frame, rim brakes, Ultegra groupset. Any thoughts from the kind people at STW would be much appreciated :-).

Sell as full bike?, split frame, wheels, groupset?, any other option?

 
Posted : 02/02/2025 5:33 pm
Full Member
 

Sell as a complete bike. Titanium bikes are still a bit niche but always have a market on eBay. Brand matters. A standard nice condition Ti road bike with ultegra 11 speed might fetch approx £1000 from Enigma more if recent and double if boutique (e.g., Moots RSL). If it’s Van Nichols it will be less desirable  Have a search for titanium bikes on EBay and see where yours sits

It’s easy to split , external cables and all, but I’d just sell it as, is since the groupset is decent. BTW what size? I’m a 54/56 and always love a Ti road bike (see username!). None of my Ti bikes are close to “current standards”, but picking up a 7 kilo bike never gets old.

 
Posted : 02/02/2025 5:44 pm
mert reacted
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Hi TiRed,

Thanks for the advice, I will sell complete when the weather warms and brightens a bit.

The frame size is 50, also see username!

 
Posted : 04/02/2025 9:01 pm
doris5000 reacted
Full Member
 

I think it will be relatively easy to sell. Small bikes are rather hard to come by. GLWS

 
Posted : 04/02/2025 9:54 pm
Full Member
 

I have something very similar (though a little larger ;- ) ). If/when, I come to sell it I'm expecting it to be worth the square root of bugger all. Like really depressingly little.

If you can handle the space it takes up - why sell? My gravel bike 'could' do road duties...but because I've still got my road bike, it's set up a little more gnar.

 
Posted : 04/02/2025 9:55 pm
 HB47
Full Member
 

If it is comfortable to ride don't sell it, there is always space for a good road bike in your life.  Add a rack and turn it into a light weight touring bike or max out the gears and take it to the alps.  I am still riding my 15 year old enigma , 10 speed with rim brakes.

 
Posted : 04/02/2025 10:43 pm
Full Member
 

I've barely sold a bike in the last 10 years, partly because of the massive depreciation but also because it's just really handy having spare bikes for specific purposes. Especially a nice road bike just for dry days, wax the chain, fit nice tyres and tubes, hang it up for 10 months of the year or stick it on the turbo...

 
Posted : 05/02/2025 9:29 pm
convert reacted
Free Member
 

I've got my Titus Modena from way back in the day before they went tits up, full ultegra 10speed and maybe only done 1000 miles

Fulcrum wheels, Continental tyres 54cm

Can't see me ever selling it as I'd not get much for it, carbon fibre if stored in a house does it ever go off or weaken?

 
Posted : 05/02/2025 9:36 pm
Full Member
 

Same, went carbon/disc/Di2 this year after coming back off a break from cycling.
Previous bike is a Pegoretti steel frame, full Record, Mavic CCU tubulars, <7kg. Fairly sure I'd regret getting rid (frame custom built for me in 2007, ridden week in week out for ten years), but just can't imagine riding it much again, if ever.

 
Posted : 05/02/2025 10:19 pm
Full Member
 

I’ve got some nice Di2 / disc brake road bikes but also if it’s dry, a well set up rim brake / cable gear bike is still a joy to ride. Often lighter than a disc bike too. That’s why I’ve kept some of my rim brake road bikes too. Disc breaks make much more difference off road/gravel/in the alps (road) than rim brakes. Keep them!

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 2:32 am

Free Member
 

I've barely sold a bike in the last 10 years, partly because of the massive depreciation but also because it's just really handy having spare bikes for specific purposes. Especially a nice road bike just for dry days, wax the chain, fit nice tyres and tubes, hang it up for 10 months of the year or stick it on the turbo...

+1, Unless you need either the space or the cash, will the Ti bike not be a nicer road bike for some uses?

My nice road bike is getting demoted this year, it'll no longer be the main bike for at least 9 months as the new one will have permanently mounted mudguards, 24 gears, disk brakes, 32c tyres, bolt through axles, and all the stuff I've been missing.

The old bike still has rim brakes, but it's a Dura Ace groupset, WCS finishing kit, eye wateringly expensive saddle, etc and gets comments on how cool / nice / retro it is every ride.   It'll go on the turbo and come out for the summer when it's dry. 

No more having to clean bikes twice a week to bring it into the turbo, no more shitty* clip on raceblade longs to fit and remove every time.

*they're good, way more acceptable to following riders than Raceblade XL's which only reallyprotect the riders ass. But not when they're 15 years old, all the clips have worn out, they've cracked and held together by duct tape and held on by zip ties.

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 10:37 am
Full Member
 

Bare in mind that there's lots of us out here that like 'old generation, vintage' rim braked bikes... and actually ride them in preference to disc braked versions. Disc for dirt, overkill for tarmac etc etc...

I would happily pay good money for a top condition Ti rim frame. Ti is really desirable second hand as if there are any issues they will be clearly visible, unlike carbon. But I would always look at buying frame-only to build with my hoards of legacy parts/ wheels. A Ti frame is likely to attract a buyer who will have differing preferences in parts to someone else's build, and will be happy to build themselves. Buying the unknown quantity of someones worn wheels and groupset is unattractive in a way that isn't an issue with the frame.

A Ti rim frame-only is a great option for someone needing a replacement for an issue with their current frame on a build as it's getting hard to find new options. Finding new rim wheels and building groupsets is not as big a problem as the marketed consensus would have us believe...

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 11:35 am
Free Member
 

Small bikes are always popular with those of us buying for kids, No.1 son has a proper modern 29er Carbon FS XC race bike. A pair of rather nice Ridley CX bikes with 1x GRX, nice wheels etc. But is more than happy with his 6yr old Ridley Helium SLA with 11spd 105 and rim brakes.

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 1:20 pm
Full Member
 

Two of my road bikes are from 35 years ago. both Ultegra/Dura Ace level. Lovely to ride but not worth much. Rim braked bikes don't sell for much.  I'm on the look out for a rim braked Colnago C60 with Super Record 

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 2:16 pm
Free Member
 

Bare in mind that there's lots of us out here that like 'old generation, vintage' rim braked bikes.

 

Raises hand. Unless finances or space necessitate a sale, I'd keep it. 

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 2:34 pm
Free Member
 

Bare in mind that there's lots of us out here that like 'old generation, vintage' rim braked bikes.

I can see the appeal of some classic / retro bikes.  

I guess it depends what it is.  Old "racing" bikes will probably always have some sort of cool status because riding them to their limit was never the point for 90% of people anyway.  Whereas old sportive bikes fade into obscurity because 90% of us can objectively say that a new disc braked Synapse is better than an old rim braked one. 

Ti might be somewhere inbetween, there's enough people doing Audaxes etc that will quite happily buy something like that, does it take long drop calipers and guards? 

The YACF and C-UK forums are pretty good for selling that sort of bike.  The userbase isn't as performance orientated or frankly as middle class / affluent as STW so they're great for finding old-but-good kit bargains.

 

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 3:05 pm
Free Member
 

Bare in mind that there's lots of us out here that like 'old generation, vintage' rim braked bikes.

I can see the appeal of some classic / retro bikes.  

I guess it depends what it is.  Old "racing" bikes will probably always have some sort of cool status because riding them to their limit was never the point for 90% of people anyway.  Whereas old sportive bikes fade into obscurity because 90% of us can objectively say that a new disc braked Synapse is better than an old rim braked one. 

Ti might be somewhere inbetween, there's enough people doing Audaxes etc that will quite happily buy something like that, does it take long drop calipers and guards? 

The YACF and C-UK forums are pretty good for selling that sort of bike.  The userbase isn't as performance orientated or frankly as middle class / affluent as STW so they're great for finding old-but-good kit bargains.

 

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 3:06 pm
 nerd
Free Member
 

How much would you pay for a 2015 Canyon Endurace with full Campag Chorus 11 speed, rim brakes, etc.? In good condition, hasn’t been ridden all that much in the 10 years. Still has the original brake blocks.

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 3:27 pm
Free Member
 

That Canyon, £450?

I've a nice carbon rim-brake Ribble Endurance, full 105 and Ultegra wheels - bought it a year ago s/h, it'd done near enough zero miles.  Just doesn't ride as nice as my gravel bike, so I bought some road wheels for this and currently I've not managed to even give away the Ribble...

So it's sat on my turbo, that I've used twice so far this winter - whereas the gravel/road bike gets ridden 2-3 times per week.

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 5:12 pm
Full Member
 

Whereas old sportive bikes fade into obscurity because 90% of us can objectively say that a new disc braked Synapse is better than an old rim braked one. 

Curious in what way? Unless just stopping distance? I've been resisting for the longest time because I can't see what possible benefit they could offer, I can already get 30mm tyres under my latest gen Ultegra rim brake callipers.

 

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 8:42 pm

Full Member
 

Whereas old sportive bikes fade into obscurity because 90% of us can objectively say that a new disc braked Synapse is better than an old rim braked one. 

Curious in what way? Unless just stopping distance? I've been resisting for the longest time because I can't see what possible benefit they could offer, I can already get 30mm tyres under my latest gen Ultegra rim brake callipers.

 

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 8:43 pm
 nerd
Free Member
 

It's a carbon frame Canyon, but I'm not sure if that makes it more or less desirable than a 10 year old Alu version! 🤣 

 
Posted : 06/02/2025 9:07 pm
Free Member
 

Curious in what way? Unless just stopping distance? I've been resisting for the longest time because I can't see what possible benefit they could offer, I can already get 30mm tyres under my latest gen Ultegra rim brake callipers.

30mm (or larger) tyres, plus guards at the same time?

I could squeeze 27mm tyres under my brakes, but have to reduce that to 25 in winter with horrible clip-on race-blade longs (which cracked again last night, but they are getting old).  Bolt through axles.  Frames designs have improved to be actually stiff for efficiency and still comfortable. 

Maybe I'm just a bit of a sucker for marketing, but magazine reviews seem to have shifted from "this sportive bike is OK for it's intended purpose" to "this endurance road bike pretty much makes the racing model obsolete unless you're doing crits".

I've just spent this winter cursing my road bike, the mudguards are flimsy and don't offer quite enough protection (front mech and brakes seizing). It's not great for comfort even though older CAAD's have a reputation for being the most comfortable race bikes.  The lack of knurling on the QR mount tabs on the race blades definitely make it feel sloppy as the axle shifts a bit in the frame.  Every time I take the fixie out with it's 32mm tyres, properly mounted guards with long flaps, and and better V-brakes I think to myself why do I put up with all the compromises on the "road" bike.

I'm not saying it's going to make a huge difference between generations of the same model.  But all those incremental improvements stack up. Things move on slowly in the roadie world, and until a couple of years ago I was adamant that there was nothing new I actually wanted to buy that was better than my CAAD. But I think after a couple of generations they've realized the benefits of disk brakes, not so much for the braking but to be able to take out all the compromises elsewhere. 

 

 

 
Posted : 07/02/2025 10:32 am
Full Member
 

magazine reviews seem to have shifted from "this sportive bike is OK for it's intended purpose" to "this endurance road bike pretty much makes the racing model obsolete unless you're doing crits".

I've seen a bit of that, but also a lot of "this Tarmac/TCR/Supersix is so comfortable it makes the endurance model obsolete".

I get the impression that bigger, tubeless tyres have been a great leveller for road bikes. My Boardman on 28mm tyres feels very comfy anyway.

I've been resisting for the longest time because I can't see what possible benefit they could offer, I can already get 30mm tyres under my latest gen Ultegra rim brake callipers.

You're fine then, IMO. A disc-specific frame might just be a bit stiffer and more responsive (but still comfy), because it's designed to resist the force of disc brakes?

 
Posted : 07/02/2025 11:12 am