When is the best time too sell up?

[mtbdave]

Been thinking am in my early 40’s and after me the 30 odd yr olds won’t have a clue about early bikes, I doubt they will be interested in bikes from before disc brakes.

So when’s the right time too sell, before the arse falls out of the value of bikes and parts?

 

[eshew]

Re:

Looks at bmx history and current prices.

Might not be the same but it might. If you still enjoy the bikes being around keep them. If you need the room sell them. Prices are seasonal but I don't think we've got the peak, maybe another 15 years.

 

[prezza]

Re:

If most of us are in our 40-50’s now then are we still gonna be fannying about with this era of bike in 10-20yrs time? Most probably!

Everything becomes retro at some point so I recon the 00’s bikes will start getting retro in the future but our era will still have the following... we may just call them ‘vintage’ once we hit our 70’s!!

And if like me you ride modern bikes too then the whole cycle will just continue!

Andy

 

[Captain Stupido]

Been thinking am in my early 40’s and after me the 30 odd yr olds won’t have a clue about early bikes, I doubt they will be interested in bikes from before disc brakes.

So when’s the right time too sell, before the arse falls out of the value of bikes and parts?

I think you've got it absolutely the wrong way round. It's when the 20 and 30 somethings start to get interested that prices rise.

Look at the classic car market, or "midcentury" furniture, or 70s HiFi, or old analogue synths, or.... Stuff drops in value as it becomes outdated, bottoms out, and once it's achieved classic status the value continues to climb. IMO that process has started with the "retro" MTB era, it ain't likely to stop now. Last time I went to London I saw quite a few retro MTBs being ridden out and about in hipster hotspots.

Saying that we are in the midst of a global pandemic so who knows what will happen.

 

[d8mok]

Re:

I’m 36 and have been interested since 1995 and intend to be messing with them for a long time to come.

The value won’t drop any time soon and will increase over time as the rare bikes and parts get rarer. All in my opinion.

However what I would say is that retro bikes are not a investment and if values dropping would affect you then I’d suggest it’s time to sell up and put the money into proper investments which will increase. If tomorrow you woke up and they were worth zero would it bother you or make life awkward financially?

 

[mtbdave]

Re: Re:

I’m 36 and have been interested since 1995 and intend to be messing with them for a long time to come.

The value won’t drop any time soon and will increase over time as the rare bikes and parts get rarer. All in my opinion.

However what I would say is that retro bikes are not a investment and if values dropping would affect you then I’d suggest it’s time to sell up and put the money into proper investments which will increase. If tomorrow you woke up and they were worth zero would it bother you or make life awkward financially?

Personally I have never seen them as investment’s if I did I would never have got involved.
You see Klein’s sell for stupid amounts of money as an example there is a 97 Xizang for sale in Germany now Buy it now price is €2800, bidding is at over €2k now.

Just thinking there is people with a lot “invested” and some time it’s gonna all come crashing down.

14/16 yr old kids nowadays will fantasise over a 2020 carbon Yeti, or suchlike they won’t want a 1990’s equivalent with 2” or no suspension and no disc brakes.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

If you're in this for the money/investment or if the money tied up in it actually matters then we're here for very different reasons.

The right time to sell is when you've lost interest or need the money. Or are dead.

(i've tried wording that several different ways and it always sounds argumentative or snotty - that's not the way it's meant to sound!)

 

[half cog]

Re:

At 73 they are still new bikes to me.As has been said if its money that counts then there are probably better investments,If as with most of us its the bikes that count then sell when you are fed up with it all.We do this for pleasure not money.

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

This won’t help you, but I wanted to add my voice to d8mok’s, mtbdave and MTS's view.

I’m 62 years old, and have been doing this a long time now. I remain astonished and disappoint that there are people on here doing this “thing that we do” for any sort of investment or even profit. This is a hobby and an interest, and those pastimes cost money. It is money well spent in my view.

Like d8mok, mtbdave and MTS said, if you are concerned that “the arse falls out of the value of bikes and parts”, then put your money into proper investment – even dig up your lawn or tear up your driveway and grow some vegetables to sell – that would be worthwhile. Just saying.

Pip

 

[d8mok]

Re:

So if it comes crashing down ? So what. Does it change how you feel about the bikes you own? Will it allow you to buy more bikes you wanted ?

Or will you be upset as you may have lost a few quid?

Values may go up and down but if you aren’t selling then it doesn’t matter. If values go up too far it makes people not want to ride their bikes