Should I Sell It?
 

I bought this bike (Raleigh Team) in 2007. My first carbon fiber bike. About 16lbs and with full Ultegra. I haven't ridden it in a couple of years because the riding position is a little too aggressive for me now. I also have 2 other carbon fiber bikes, a Fuji Pro and a Specialized Roubaix so I don't really need this bike anymore.

But...

To me, this bike is a thing of beauty and I want to keep it just to admire it. Yeah, that's crazy talk, but aren't all serious cyclists a little crazy? On the other hand, I think I could get about $1,000.00 for it (not that I need the money) and someone else could get some of the same enjoyment from it that I used to get.

So, what would you do?

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a809aa3fbb.jpg

Then you should do that.

I would try to figure out why it matters what a bunch of randos think about what I do with my possessions. Then I'd sell it.

I figure I'm probably not the first person to make such a decision so I thought it might be interesting to get "randos" thoughts including encouragement to have this bike see a second life.

Looks like you have a 2006 Raleigh Team which would have originally come with Dura Ace components on it.

https://community.raleighusa.com/sit...gh-catalog.pdf

Yes, indeed, full Dura Ace, but I did replace the chainrings to a compact (50-34) and the cranks to a Sram carbon fiber.

Since you don't need the money, donate it to World Cycling Relief.

If you have the space and will use it on occasion then why not just keep it? Especially since you don't need the money.

Sell it or pass it along if you don't ride it.

I cannot answer your question, I am in a not the same, but similar situation with a few bikes. I often think I would like to part with some of my too many bikes. I have 8 and would like to wind up with 2 or 3. My sort of dilemma is that while I have some nice bikes, none of them is a particularly sought after, iconic, top line bike worth substantial dollars. IMO, if I sold the 5 bikes that would likely be on my sell list today, sold them for what I think would be a sell it now price, I believe I would be lucky to average $500, more likely 400 to 450. Round it out to an even $1800. Realistically, The only way I see that being even close to worthwhile, is through local sales and maybe semi-local through a couple of bike forums. Even then, it is no where near the dollars I have put into the bikes. No surprise or complaint meant. Though 3 of the bikes barely get ridden anymore, 2 of them occasionally, and the other 3 split the huge majority of mileage and time spent on the bikes, whatever upside there might be in selling some of them, it is not enough to go through the hassle and stress of doing so.

That is a beautiful machine and deserves to be well looked after and ridden by an enthusiast.

Sell it, but only to somebody who is going to appreciate it as much as you do (put a decent price on it). Bikes were made to be ridden.

Just give it away to someone that can't afford but will appreciate a good bike. Do you need the money?

Bought and paid for, stated you don't need the money. And you're asking someone beside yourself if you should sell it? NO, keep it, nothing is making you get rid of it, and doesn't sound like you want to part with it. Maybe change the bar, or put a stem riser (or shorter stem) on it, something to make the position a little less aggressive. Something tells me you'd regret selling it 5 minutes after it was gone.

The only reason I was able to buy my first carbon road bike was because of someone in a similar situation to you. He gave me a good deal so he opened a door for a rookie like me to take a deeper dive into road cycling. Since money isn't that important to you, I would sell the bike at a reasonable price and make someone else happy.

I see the appeal of hanging it on a wall and using it as art.

If I were you I'd sell it to me for $5.

A similar thought occurred to me and it's a big part of why I'm leaning towards selling it.

Not to mention that I already have 2 other road bikes and road-worthy gravel bike. I never intended to start a bike collection.

Sell it at a reasonable price if you know or find someone that would appreciate it.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I behold A LOT of cheap decals.

What about children, siblings, cousins, nephews, nieces, etc?

Spare bike for a riding partner, or when someone visits?

If you have plenty of room, keep. If it’s gonna be in the way let somebody else enjoy it. The value will likely go down the longer you hold it. Nice looking bike!

I'd flip the stem and rotate the bars forward a bit. I'd also get a digital luggage scale and re-measure.

Seriously, why hold onto a bike that you're not riding? Your emotional attachment will fade. Sell now while you can.

Sell it to someone that will appreciate and enjoy it.

Me. for $6

Bikes are meant to be ridden, not gawked at.

Adjust the fit to make it comfortable, and ride that thing!

If you can't make if comfortable, find it a new home.

As too aggressive, do you mean the bars are too low? Too stretched out?

The head angle is 73.5 which is pretty steep, is the bike not stable enough?

Did the bike fit you years ago when you first bought it.

Can you make it more rideable?

I’m not suggesting riser bars and a hybrid suspension fork, but you might have some options if it was a bike you really enjoyed riding. You can probably swap out the fork for one that has a longer steerer that will raise the bars higher; if that is an issue.

But if you are limited to 23’s and can’t go with any wider tire, that might be a deal breaker and stop anything else you could do.

The other part is whether you may one day be physically able to ride it as is.

I have my first “real” guitar, even though I don’t play it anymore, surfboards I haven’t ridden for 40 years, but my kids rode them 20 years ago.

I think you want to hold onto it, so just keep it. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll hand it over to someone who you feel really deserves it and it will be worth keeping all these years.

John

I am with the group that says sell it.

It is a beauty. Since you stated that you haven't ridden it in a couple years, and it isn't the most comfortable for you to ride now, after its gone you probably aren't going to miss it.

I was in the position of looking for a road bike about a year ago, and bought a 2006 LeMond Tourmalet. Its not quite as nice as your Raleigh, but it has proved to be a quality bike for me, and fit almost perfectly the purpose I was wanting it for. Hopefully someone else could get yours that would appreciate the bike and fill a need or want in their cycling.