Do I sell that bike?

You know the bike that you’ve had a few years, that you road loads when you first had it but after a year or so you got a new bike. You ride the new bike more and more and the old bike less and less and you reach that point of not being able to remember when you last road the old bike…

For a little while you have been thinking about selling the old bike but can’t be bothered or are reluctant to sell because it’s still a great bike.

You are now starting to think about another new bike and you are really questioning, if you really need all of the bikes that you have and you really should start to think about selling the old bike that you’ve not ridden in ages and ages.

So you go on eBay and have a look at sold bikes and think, well that’s not a lot of money, if that’s all I’d get I may as well keep it.

You then start thinking that you should just keep the old bike as it will come in handy. You know when a set of forks get sent of for service etc.. etc.., putting the fact you have more than another bikes when that happens to one side.

You then think that I’ll ride the bike this weekend to remind yourself how much of a great bike it is, and try to put to the back of your mind that it isn’t as good as you remember. But you know think that you’ve ridden the bike recently, so you can’t possibly sell it now…

Is this just me or do others do that same?

Nope, I just have 1 MTB, it solves the problem

Never sell a bike. It’s just a fundamental principle. I mean, let’s face it, what’s one more when you have a shed with 15 bikes in it?

Same here. Far too much sentimental attachment once the bike has been ridden. It’s only when I have to tell someone how many I have and they look shocked I realise maybe I do have too many bikes and the wife might be right.

I did have a big downsize the last 2 years to go from 6 road bikes (all carbon rim brakes – so all the same) to 1 Gravel and 1 MTB. I now have permission for 1 road bike which I think I might go PX Pro Carbon.

Is this a thinly veiled divorce advice thread?

I fear that I am turning into a cycling equivalent of Mr Trebus(topical reference right there) and I’ll be found squashed to death under a pile of bikes when the wall rack gives out…

Nope, I just have 1 MTB, it solves the problem

We love you, weeksy but you’ve got to ease off on the trolling ! 🤣

Nope, Once I’ve decided to sell a bike, or I’m not using it, it goes.

I keep trying to ween myself off the bloody things, life was so much easier when I had just one bike.

LoL at weeksy – he’s just bought a mega van so he can take his only bike to riding venues!

I find selling them off quite cathartic.

You’ve not said if all the bikes are for the same thing or quite different. Are we talking about 2 mid travel full suspension bikes or a road bike and a downhill bike? That makes a big difference.

I’ve just given away an old road bike that’s been in various shed for 20 years. It was/is quite iconic – the very Mike Burrows giant tcr frame that cycling weekly tested in ’97 that started the sloping top tube concept off as a mass market idea I got from Giant. It always had such an emotional attachment to it. But someone I know is having a really hard time and building it back up out of the Spares box and giving her the bike felt the right thing to do. Hell, there are 6 other unused frames in the workshop still!

On the other hand I’ve got a 2009 turner flux that has every conceivable out of date standard on it that I never use and is now worth about 50p but is the perfect spare bike for friends that visit and can’t bring a bike.Them riding that and me riding something newer and faster is also great for my ego!

I always tend to see a bike im not using much as a back up or can be robbed for spares when the bike i do use all the time gets broken!

When I bought a new gravel bike last year I was going to sell my old gravel bike, and then I saw how much a set of drop-bar hydraulic shifters are. So I just ‘parked’ it.

My youngest has now got it as he’s changed jobs and just needs to get a mile or so.

Glad I kept it (obviously if you’ve a space issue, it’s different).

I tend to keep mine. I did have 2 road bikes, an old MTB and a fixed gear commuter road bike. The commuter was the one I mainly rode as I was clocking up 5 days a week, plus extended commutes, weekends off. The two road bikes were over 20 years old, but rather good ones, but hardly used (once were).

Move on a bit, recovery from broken spine, commuter sold (that’s what I got knocked off). Then bought a full suspension.

The FS and old MTB than saw lots of use, road bikes none. Roll on last couple of years, I refurbed my Ribble 653 so that’s been used loads on road (finally got back road riding after accident), my best road bike is in Wales for the summer (far quieter roads), so that’s used every weekend (at our caravan), the old MTB is now my canal commuter when in the office (2-3 days) and the FS is actually getting neglected – not touched it for 6 months. Fortunately parts replacement costs have reduced as I was wearing out transmission/tyres/pads fast on the FS.

Things change, so keep it, even when you have multiple of the same bike. Both road bikes ride almost exactly the same, just one is way more sentimental, but I’m using both a fair amount now.

You always need a spare bike in-case you’ve got a delay on parts. Both MTB’s have spare big chain rings – tend to get them when on offer as RRP is stupid.

Fyi: https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-hardtail-content/

I still have it…

I’ve  a gravel/road bike that I rarely ride (MTB’s seems to always take precedence), but being a bike and tech nerd it’s dripping with high-end & boutique parts. I’m always looking at it thinking it’s too nice to sell, but equally doesn’t get used enough to justify keeping.

Nope, I just have 1 MTB, it solves the problem

It’s a bit like having just one golf club. It works for every shot of a fashion, but you know…

It’s a bit like having just one golf club. It works for every shot of a fashion, but you know…

I hear you… but i’m not having 13 bikes !

It’s a bit like having just one golf club. It works for every shot of a fashion, but you know…

Golf is really boring and no amount of clubs will fix that?

Oh. That’s not what you meant is it?

Yes.

I got ridiculously sentimental and ended up with a cluttered garage full of stuff I didn’t use, not least because you just use what’s on top of the pile. Sold a load on eBay for the 80% off fees or £1 max fees offers charging £50 postage to fully cover shipping. As mentioned above very cathartic and reminds you the sentiment is for the ride not the bike.

I remember thinking it was odd about Rob whatshisface having his round the world bike hanging in bits in his shed unloved. Having since ridden the Tour Divide my old TD bike is just gathering dust unused. My fond memories are of the people and places, not the bike I was on.

Get the old clutter sold while it’s worth something, don’t accept a silly low ball offer and someone will come along eventually.

You can then spend the money on a new bike you’ll use, a good trip out and not sign everything you go into the garage because of the mess!

Despite all of the advice not to, I sold my Ritchey P20. I asked a strong price and got it. No regrets at all. I had happy memories and it was a great bike, but it wasn’t being used

So you have your road (and or gravel) bike, your hardtail, your full sus, your pub bike and then you decide you need an ebike. So you add an ebike and the others hardly get ridden, but maybe you’ll get healthy enough to enjoy riding them again… so no point selling them…

I’d sell my Enduro S-Works however I wouldn’t get enough for it to make it worthwhile. I wish I’d never sold my Orange Evo2 with lovely Pace forks though.

At the moment I’ve only one bike (of 7) that’s in the ‘never selling’ camp, the rest are just tubes and tyres with shiny stuff bolted to them.

Mine tend to get broken down into bits as bits are easier to store than complete bikes. I hate selling stuff.

I’m in the same position as op.
Bought a Hardtail at start of lockdown and haven’t used the full suss since.
Also just bought an ebike so it’s dropped further done the list.
Sell it 👍

Same here. Far too much sentimental attachment once the bike has been ridden. It’s only when I have to tell someone how many I have and they look shocked I realise maybe I do have too many bikes and the wife might be right.

I solve that problem by selling all the components when I retire a bike but keep the frame as that’s the heart of a bike. As a frame doesn’t count as a bike I keep my total manageable, plus the funds from selling the parts go towards the next bike. Unloved bikes get sold on though, only the good ones get the frame staying ready for display in a Man Cave (if I can ever afford one).

Had a road bike. Rode it to work and long rides.

Bought a gravel bike for a specific ride. The ride was no fun. Now the gravel bike gets ridden to work. It’s seen about 20 miles of gravel this year.

Bought a fancy carbon road bike. Promised myself I’d ride it loads. I’ve ridden a couple of long rides and a few short ones this year.

All of the above could be done by one bike. The gravel bike. Bit I’m too fussy and keep all three.

Strip and sell, maybe keeping choice bits like the wheels or forks. Flog the rest off.

If you bought it 2nd hand, try to get as much as you bought it for, minus the wheels or forks, this way you’re effectively quids in.

SEND EVERYTHING RECORDED.

I only have one bike too. 29er HT is the best all round compromise. Owned gravel, road, full sus, rigid, SS, Alfine etc. The HT can ride really well off road and I’m happy to compromise everywhere else as I don’t do any proper road riding. That’s the key OP 😉*

*I would like a short travel full sus, gravel bike, HT and commuter thing.

nice problem to have. personally every new bike has to be funded by selling the previous one. Although i usually just change the frame and all the gear swaps over… and if i change regularly enough the old frame still holds value (thats my reasoning anyway) i do upgrade (replace mashed) parts quitu frequently too so its not like i stick a load of knackered old guff on the new frame every time either… but i will treat it to fresh rubber.

I sold an Orange Five once, gave away a Felt road bike. Have had 4 MTBs since I got into it about 1997. Still got 3, still use 2. Had about the same number of road bikes still got 3 (including gravel bike).

Some bikes had too much sentimental value.

I recently got round to selling my old, tricked out Dialled Alpine. Lots of nice parts and lots of shiney stuff.

Used to use it for everything… Bumble along the river for a beer. Guiding transalp tours (think that bike must have been ridden 17 times over the alps).

Got my strive a few years ago and the bike got relegated to pub/spare bike duties.

Last year I got it up and running again for a piss up bike ride. Thought I’d fall back in love with it. It felt terrible. Short. Twitchy. Just odd.

Sold it to a mate who will probably never use it to its full potential. But he’s happy and I’ve got one less thing to worry about.

I used to keep bikes thinking that there was some kudos in having a stable. Then I realised that keeping a bike on the wall or in the garage is a complete waste. I now have my Orange P7 2012 and am more than happy with it. Does all I need it to.

The trouble is, new bikes are genuinely better, and people have more income as they get older so they buy better bikes.

My road bike is almost 2 decades old, I know I could get an aero carbon bike with disk brakes, and keep the old one too. But the new bike would be better in summer, and because even race bikes now have clearance for huge tyres there’s no point squeezing guards under the brake calipers and spending winter on 23’s.

Depends on what it is and what it’s worth. If you’ll get decent money for it sell it, if not strip the parts off and hang the frame up somewhere.

What bike is it?