How to maximize eBay profit on a PX-10?
 

EDIT: Pics added below.

EDIT 2: Forgot to mention no pedals.

I suppose this goes for most bikes, but I know these are probably a bit sought after by people around the globe (or maybe they aren't anymore, I don't know). I've got a 58cm 1972 PX-10 that upon a cursory inspection is in decent shape and mostly original but front wheel is bent, no damage to the fork or frame though. Paint is mostly all there and should shine up nice. Decals are in good shape other than the 531 fork decals which are about half there. I don't have any interest in cleaning this bike up and riding it and figured it's a good candidate for entering the eBay world. I've only sold one bicycle related item on eBay before and it was just a frame set.

How should I approach this? Strip it, clean the frame up and part it all out? Sell it as is? Clean some of it but keep it together? Clean everything and part everything out? Auction? Reserve? Etc. etc.

Any insight is appreciated. I'm no expert on Peugeots, french bikes or racing bikes, but would hope to net around $400 or so. I'd post pictures but it's in storage at the moment, will be pulling it out later today to inspect further.

Clean, well photographed, accurate description part out will net you the most money. If you want $400 your best bet is to sell the whole thing locally and someone will probably give you your $400.

I had a mint, late-70s Fuji for sale on Ebay for a long time. I ended up selling it for more and quickly when I advertised it locally on Craigslist.

Part it out.
Upside: shipping a frameset is MUCH easier than a whole bike. It probably has some juicy Simplex and Stronglight components that will fetch good $ by themselves.
You get more money and less hassle.

Downside: whole bikes that are all original are cooler.

True, aside from the hassle of cleaning all the components and then researching what they all are and how much they are worth. Would you auction components or buy it now or both?

Depends on how much free time you have and how you value it. I really enjoy the 'meditative' aspect of wrenching. Also, I'm pretty new to C&V, so every time out is educational and I really enjoy researching frames and components.
If you enjoy the research aspect and are okay with disassembling and cleaning each individual part, you can get a lot more money out of it. Also, the level of wear and tear is important to consider. If everything is looking lightly used, you're golden. You can probably get close to 300 with just the components if you have a nice Stronglight crankset, Ideale saddle, Simplex derailleurs and Mafac brakes and some nice French pedals. The frameset, if without any cosmetic or structural issue might get you 200-300. Maybe more.
Also, I would auction them. Lower fees and you know when to expect money. All just my 2 cents. Long answer to short question, sorry.

OP,
Selling on eBay, CL, etc. or a part it out depends on what are you looking for in terms of price. Certainly, a part out will yield you more, but it will take you much longer to sell, compounded by the fact that you will need to pack each individual item and shuttle it off to the post.....In my book, Time=Money, how much time are you willing to exert doing this?
Circling back to my first question if you are looking for under 500 a local sale may be the best bet....eBay has fees and so does PP.
Back to you. Recent sales show PX's selling in the 700 to 800 range, factor in the fees and time and that should guide you to your answer.
BTW bad front wheel will limit buyers.
Good luck with the sale.
Best, Ben

Get a toothbrush, tire brush, sponge, soapy bucket of water and a block off 2 hours to scrub it down and dry it off. Toss a new front wheel on it, take good photos it against a bland background at kneeling height, list complete on CL for $450 and offering the original front wheel and $50 off for a no-haggle/no-hassle local sale. See what happens. May also consider listing on FB Marketplace if you're a FB user, OfferUp is another decent localized outlet.

Here's why you shouldn't use eBay: They favor the satisfaction of the buyer over the seller, so the seller can say anything bad and use that to extort you out of more money. As of 2018, eBay has started to nickel-and-dime sellers to death with fees and charges, some stick even if you don't sell: Listing fee, taxes, transaction fee, shipping fees, etc. It adds up to a good 10% or more you're losing, and you lose leverage on control once the item leaves your possession, and add risk with shipping.

This is just my 2¢. During the pandemic, bikes are fetching faster sales at slightly higher prices. While that's mostly true for ready-to-ride stuff, I've been seeing collectibles and vintage stuff that's $100 or so in parts and labor short of ready-to-ride selling at comparable prices. For every 2-3 weeks the bike is listed and regularly *bumped*, shave off another $20.

Main reason I wouldn't part-out is because you'll lose money. Very few people want the mostly-Delrin front and rear derailleurs, chances are they're cracked and inoperable so you can only sell for parts. Likewise, chances are the MAFAC half-hoods are shot also, as are the brake blocks. Value in this case would be a complete near- or all-original bike to be honest.

A complete original bike, intact with all of it's 1972 parts will probably bring decent money on ebay. It just takes a couple people that really want it.

If it has the original wheels, those Simplex skewers bring good money on their own. I've seen a set sell for close to $100.

Another note - if you do the part-out route, you will need access to the correct Stronglight crank puller with its distinctive 23.35 mm diameter - other crank tools will fit just enough to potentially strip out the threads. There is sufficient demand for the PX-10 that you should be able to sell it whole ...

What color is it?

Fix the wheel to maximize value for a quick sale unless you've got Covid down time on your hands. How bent? I've seen experienced mechanics whack bent wheels on the tarmac and then true them up to meet most expectations. I've tried with less success. :eek:
The >$400 range buyer wants a ride-able bike.

Sell local and sell complete

1) less hassle
2) less work
3) cash sale
4) fewer liabilities
5) keeps a vintage bike intact
6) eliminates wasteful packing material
7) eliminates the probability of shipping damage
8) reduces the work load on postal workers

Thankfully I do have this tool already.

White.

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I've got some things to consider. In the meantime I've pulled it from storage and just given it a quick rinse. Still lots of grime on it but here are some photos.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3948764f3.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2b2cc2ec3.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9714bba17.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e03485853.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d15f1b26f.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...87034ff15.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...065427fcc.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fc8828b51.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4cba8ad06.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...23547e389.jpeg

That bike is a beauty !

It would be nice to see it get into the hands of someone who will restore it.

Agreed. I considered it but in the end I've decided I am done with projects for some time. I also don't have a strong interest in racing bikes. Funny thing is after having this bike for awhile and looking at many photos I think I've decided that I actually prefer the plain lugs, or at least like them as much as the nervex pro lugs. The understated black is really nice. I also like this years more relaxed geometry. But still, it's not going to be a keeper for me.

Although, if I do go the part out route, do most people have scales at home for calculating shipping costs? That could be a pain without one I imagine...

I do, kitchen scale, primarily for breadmaking. If you want to save on shipping, helps to have around. But there's a lot to be said about flat-rate shipping boxes and envelopes from USPS. Doesn't matter what it weights, you can ship it. But I really wouldn't part it out, I think you'd be doing it and yourself a disservice. (Edit: Scale I have is the Ozeri ZK14-S, $14 on Amazon, lasted me several years now, still on OEM battery)

I think someone can overlook the parts that aren't stock. I would get some degreaser like the purple (not green) Simple Green HD product, spray it down, let it soak, brush all the nooks and crannies, get some ultra-fine bronze wool and run it over the chrome bits, take good pics and list it locally. I think $450 to start and offer knocking some off for a no-hassle cash deal. I suspect you'll get it. The condition of the paint and lack of frame rust makes it pretty exceptional, frame is in better shape than nearly every PX10 I've owned. Doesn't even have any crackle.

I also prefer the simple lugs, but I suspect we're in the minority there. My current PX10 is metallic blue and not nearly that condition.

Thanks, I'm leaning more and more this direction. And yeah, the frame is great looking. A lot of the spots in the photos are likely to come out with a good cleaning and aren't actual blemishes.

What in the photos isn't stock? The only thing I question is the campy FD. Anything else?

Campy FD. Pedals, as in, there are none. Should have CA 45s iirc.

Oh, and a question: I can't tell how badly front rim is taco'd nor if it's what it came with (probably is). Is it truly taco'd, or is the spoke tensioning totally out of whack and plling it to one direction?

FD on these often crack as do the rears...if you are going to do any cleaning/adjusting be aware that the RD needs to be removed from the backside of the drop do not use the (logical) bolt on the front of the derailer, otherwise, you can/will F.U. spring plate on the RD.
As others have said the bike appears better than your original description and I would check to see is the wheel is truly taco'd and if it isn't have it trued to get it back into shape.
The pluses are that you have the original sew-ups that are correct for the PX, some don't like SU's but they are correct and add to the originality....just like the gold ano on the rear cog!
IMO, You will easily be able to get the 400 and even more locally with just a little work.
If you don't really need to sell it personally I would keep it, PX's that are this clean rarely come up for sale.
Nice to have choices.
Best, Ben

It almost looks like the rim is straight and the tire is the thing that is out of wack, but seems weird since I know @polymorphself is a regular here and would be able to tell the difference. Maybe it could be trued up since it isn't obviously tacoed in the pics we see here.

I say we start a fund that dedicated C&V Forum members would contribute $1.00 per month. This fund will be to help a contributing member restore a bike that we all (or most with a vote) agree is a "classic" worthy of restoration.

francophile tricky So I took the wheel off and had a much better look at it. It is definitely the rim and not just the tire, but you're right in that the warping may actually just be spoke tension being out of whack. I don't know that a rim could actually bend like this, the curves are very smooth. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to have not seen on this bad due to spokes before. I'm finding it hard to get a better photo of this though.

The person I picked it up from had told me it was bent and I didn't look much at the bike then and it has been stored since.

Fingers crossed it's fixable!