I’m thinking of a new hardtail on a budget, and thinking of swapping all the new components (1*11 etc. modern trail bike kit) on to the old frame to sell. It’s a nice frame, with no dents or cracks, steel, but very tatty. I could get it powder coated (as it was originally) with a new decal set for about £65. Then it would effectively look new, not that I’d sell it as such, obviously. It’s a reasonably nice frame, and the kit would be ok spec on a £1000 pound hardtail (I think I’d be asking £650 for the bike). Worth the hassle, or not? Looking at the parts, I’m not sure I could split that and do that well, plus it is a million trips to the post office.

My thought is it is probably not worth the bother – would make it easier to sell I think but not recoup the price.

Pros and cons to both options.

With the original paint the buyer knows what they’re getting, nothing is being hidden. But if it looks tatty then you’ll have to take less in the sale.

With a fresh powder coat it will appeal to those who like a nice new looking bike, but in some people’s minds you might be trying to cover up problems with the frame.

To me I’d be worried it was hiding something and avoid it.

Nope.

For one thing you could sell all the parts for more separately. That’s always the case. Spending money refurbishing the frame as well is just throwing money away, the buyer can always do it themselves and at least they have an idea of the frames history (and whether they trust the powdercoater, and chose their own colour) there’s no value added in you doing it unless the frame really is completely unsellable as it is.

As above, it will look like you’re trying to hide something.

You can get a decent new frame (previous years) for not that much more than the powder coating…

Granted that might save trips to the PO but the whole bike will probably still sell for less than the sum of the parts anyway.

Definitely not – it covers up the history and any potential cracks. I’d happily buy a tatty steel frame, but not a freshly powder-coated one.

Even with everything else being new I doubt you’ll get a £650 for a £1000 hardtail unless the frame is some super rare expensive in demand item. Is the kit you have much better than what comes on the new bike? If not you’d be better selling all the old stuff.

What frame is it?

What Yak says /\

Pretty much a consensus there then. I just can’t be arsed to sell all the new kit individually, even though I know I’d get more for it.

The bike is pretty tatty though, I did most of my training for the highland trail 550 on it last year and bikepacking bags have removed a lot of paint (which wasn’t the toughest to begin with). It’s a solaris – I thought I may get around £600 quid for it with all new components, but maybe I’m dreaming. The new stuff is SRAM 11 speed, my other bikes are all shimano so like to keep it the same with respect to brake pads, wheel compatibility etc.