prairiepedaler

Hello BF members. Kind of a serious thread here but I thought someone may have been in the same sort of situation before. An older friend is getting rid of all his bike stuff not because he wants to but because he must due to health reasons. I volunteered to help him with the process but I knew it would take a long time to get rid of it all. None of the stuff is listed anywhere yet, we're still trying to compile it all.

The question is: have you (the editorial "you") ever been in this situation and how did you go about handling it? Thanks - advice and input welcome.

bargainguy

I'd split the stuff into three groups: keep / sell / donate.

I'd start with items to be donated. Arrange for pickup or drop off yourself.

Now we have two groups - keep and sell. If he has any items that he'd like to keep, say to pass on to a family member, this is a good time to say so.

Otherwise everything else gets sold. Market is a bit soft right now, but that wouldn't keep me from liquidating as best I could.

Good luck, and let us know how it plays out.

bikemig 

I'm sorry your friend has to get rid of his bike stuff. Selling a lot of stuff isn't easy especially if you live in an area without a strong craigslist.

Bianchigirll 

Well it is awful he needs to sell his stuff but I hope he can at least still ride.

I've been through this twice, once because I need the money after the government deprived me of my livelihood after.... well lets not get into that. And the other to downsize and raise money to move. If you not doing to raise cash to pay the rent it isn't as frustrating as selling to downsize. It does however take a lot of time and effort to scann ebay and craigslist and see what people are asking for stuff (Some of which isn't sold often like a RIGI) and ebay for completed listings.

For parts it was simple enough I started with NOS stuff that I was likely to never use and them moved to odd bits like a blue Galli cranksent that would likely never get used because it was only 170. Bikes were last in or least used first out.

TakingMyTime

Whenever I hear a story like this it really breaks my heart. My biggest concern would be that you get a fair price for the items you are selling. Obviously if you need the money soon you're not going to be holding out for the top price, but there's no reason to ignore the market and/or find out later that you sold a $500 frame for $25. Just take your time and find out what the market is like in your area and then price accordingly. Just remember, sentiment does not alter value to the buyer. Set a fair price and good luck.

Dean51 

I found myself in a similar situation a few years ago.....friend & neighbor with a substantial collection of vintage gear was nearing his end. He asked me if I would be interested in buying the entire lot, as he had neither the time or energy to do it himself. I initially said no. 'Reason being he knew what he had, he valued it like platinum plated gold, and I knew I couldn't / wouldn't offer him anything near what he was expecting.

Instead, I offered to make a complete inventory and do my best to establish a fair market price. I told him there was nearly no chance I could offer him what he had in mind, but my end product could help him work more effectively with another buyer.

There were 7 complete bikes...including two Ron Coopers and two Y Kono built Allezs., Heaps of parts, including 80's era Campy NR/SR bits (much of it NIB), Suntour NWN freewheels in just a about every combination imaginable. Lots of high quality tools. Books. On and on....you get the picture. I spent a lot of time researching completed eBay sales to price the parts and tools. I made an appointment with a shop ~70 miles away to get advice on the complete bikes. It took heaps of time, but I was retired and anything to do with vintage road bikes was high on my list of things to do.

I presented my completed work and he pressed me several times to make an offer. In the end, I offered him fifty cents on the dollar, with enough space between us that he could not take a swing at me. He responded with "Dean, I EXPECTED A LOT MORE!" I explained my reasoning which was basically the Pro's Closet model.... something like you box everything up, pay to ship it to Colorado, they sell on eBay and keep ~30%. Then there are eBay and PayPal fees. If I recall correctly, you pay to have any unsold items returned if you want them back. He thought about it for 15 seconds and said "your offer will be just fine, thank you." I was stunned. You could have knocked me down with a feather.

Some may think I took advantage of the situation. I don't. I put a heap of time into the project. I offered to help him sell smaller lots on eBay and get the better bikes on consignment. He said no, he just wanted it gone in one lot so his wife would not have to deal with it when he passed. After the deal was done and his health was still reasonably good, he confided to my wife how happy he was that his bikes and bits were now with me.....he did not know anyone else who would treasure them as he had.

I kept three of the complete bikes. They are regular riders and I think of him fondly while I'm mashing their pedals.

Dean

Bikerider007

Selling takes experience and patience if you want top dollar. And Ebay. Plus you have to value your time.

Find a median and try and bulk sale if possible. Dealing with multiple buyers who may or may not come through will get old.

KonAaron Snake 

The answer depends on the bikes, size of collection, the timing, and your friend’s needs. Are they higher end? Mid? Lower? How much time do you have to get rid of them? How much time do you have to invest sell? Do they represent a significant asset to your friend?

Options range from eBay sales with excellent photos up to dropping them for scrap -
and it all depends on time and value.

The reality is that if you have to sell a collection fast, .50 on the dollar is a best case scenario...and I’d call that generous.

thinktubes 

Having recently gone through liquidating all the large or $$$ items from my father's estate, I would recommend Ebay over Craigslist.

Ebay gives you more eyes and buyers have to pay upfront and there isn't any haggling.

the no-shows and lowballers got old really fast for anything I listed on CL.

I came out slightly ahead using Ebay, even after the fees.

Best of all, I was able to sell everything inside of a month.

Sorry to hear about your friend, I hope this is helpful.

jdawginsc 

Ebay everything you can. Bundle "stuff" in small to medium lots and the decent stuff a la carte.

jlaw

Before you bother with ebay you may want to offer items for sale on BF.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage-sales/

or, for non-C&V stuff:

https://www.bikeforums.net/sale/


For C&V valuations:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...th-appraisals/

bikemig 

This is not a bad place to sell older stuff. The for sale forum is active. Prices won't be as high as eBay but you don't have the fees and some of the hassles.

wrk101

Yes, some people grossly overvalue their items. Maybe they "remember" prices from the past, maybe they are just too attached to the item. I'd really want clarity on this project before jumping in. Could end up with a lose/lose situation.


And selling a large pile all at once? You might get 15% of its value, maybe 20%. Convenience has its cost.

jdawginsc 

Sometimes lots of "junk stuff" gets more if you include a few teaser items in them. I agree that individually desirable items should be a long process.

randyjawa 

I am in the process of setting up a bulk sale right now, hoping to have it done and 100 to 150 bikes shipped on June 7th. I have done these bulk sales several times. Usually the sale includes only low end stuff sold for ten to fifteen dollars each. The deal I am brokering (I do not charge for helping) right now will include everything from the ten bucks a unit quality level to top of the line vintage road bikes. The high enders are sold at fair value, the bulk stuff, not so much.
@prairiepedaler send me a PM and I will get back to you with my phone number. Perhaps I can facilitate a sale for everything at one time.

Some of the hundred+ bikes to go...

Homebrew01

Are you in a metropolitan area ? Or out in the wilderness ?

For lower end bikes not worth shipping, you can still sell on Ebay, and specify "Local Pickup Only".

prairiepedaler

Thank you very much for the support and suggestions! I'll have to contemplate incorporating some ideas into this situation. My sense is I think I'm going to apply the 80/20 rule to the problem. That is, 20% of the items are bound to be worth the other combined 80% and to concentrate on dispensing that 20. The remaining bulk will probably be equally distributed to 4 of the local Bike Co-Ops. Of that 20%, the small & easily packable will be put online somewhere.

KonAaron Snake 

Frankly I think this group is mostly a waste of time for sales on complete bikes, wheels, or frames. Tire kicking, time wasting, hemming and hawing. More work than ebay at less return. The folks here are mostly either thrifty, or very patient, and the shipping on larger items kills most deals. A lot of us know how to find that AMAZING can't miss deal, so there's not much interest in paying anything even close to "retail". I'm not being critical - I'm the same way. It's a great place to get rid of lower - mid priced parts though!

Thepaceline is a much better sales forum.

bikemig 

This is a pretty thrifty and savvy group. Stuff that is priced reasonably moves fast though with little hassle.

KonAaron Snake 

This is a pretty thrifty and savvy group. Stuff that is priced at flip value on mid-level stuff moves fast though with little hassle. FIFY

We're saying the same thing...it's like trying to sell retail goods to a wholesaler a lot of the time.

nlerner

To me, the biggest factor is whether $$ is needed. If not, I’d just give everything away. Far less hassle and lots of happy new owners.

KonAaron Snake 

You're putting your life in jeopardy saying such a thing here.

nlerner

Hah! Sorry, should have said, "I'll squeeze every gosh darn cent out of my fleet even if it kills me!"

wrk101

Huge fan of the 80/20 rule. In fact, for vintage bicycles, I have seen a 90/10 rule apply, where 10% of the stuff has 90% of the value. A couple of 10% cuts, and I am typically down to donate time. I am working through a pile of 360 wheels right now. About 36 have the most value, so I will sell them first. Then there might be another 10% (36 more) worth selling. The rest are going to be donated. I've already culled out the bottom half (180) and donated them.

My recollection of the 80/20 rule is that 20% represented 80% of the value. So the remaining 80% value is a small fraction of the top 20%. And the time it takes to market, sell, and ship a low value item is the same as the time to sell a high value item of the same size/shape. Selling a Suntour Honor RD takes just as much time as selling a Campy Super Record RD.

If you are in a larger metro area, a well publicized flash sale/garage sale might be a good move once you sell off the best stuff.

prairiepedaler

Thanks for all the input given here. What he's decided to do is move as much as he can via a sale in his own backyard. He can close up anytime and go lie down when neccessary. He's found that most people want complete bikes and not parts. Few locals care about french specific bike parts. I suggested he offer u-build bike kits; complete bikes but unbuilt. Much of the decisive work has been performed that way yet assembly requires time and skill (and tools) too.