Used Road Bike Market Analysis
We gathered data on 121 listings from a popular used bike dealer to get a sense of the second hand road bike market in the UK. We wanted to see what bikes are for sale, how often cyclists are replacing their ride and how much of a saving can be found by purchasing pre-loved?
The Raw Numbers
Although the sample size is relatively small, our findings are consistent with larger studies conducted elsewhere, though they were not specific to the British market. While this is far from an exhaustive analysis, we hope the results still offer useful insights to help with your next purchase decision. Below are the TL;DR findings before we dig a littler deeper and discuss what we think’s going on.
Used Price Range: £495-£8995
New Price Range: £750-£13,300
Discount to RRP Range: 6%-61%
Average Price: £3,683
Average Age: 3.09 Years
Average Discount on RRP: 34%
Most Common Brand: Trek
Least Common Brand: Bianchi
How often should you buy a new bike?
The youngest bike for sale was less than a year old, while the oldest was 10. Over half of all bikes (52%) fell between 3 and 5 years old. With the average age coming out at 3.09 years. Because prices tend to decline exponentially rather than linearly, the greatest drop in value occurs within the first few years. The average age therefore appears to sit in a sweet spot between value retention and product life cycles. Recent innovations such as electronic shifting, disc brakes, and integrated cockpits are often difficult or impossible to retrofit, possibly accelerating upgrade cycles.
What is a good price for a used road bike?
The average price for a used road bike in our study came out at £3,683, representing an average discount of 34% over the average RRP of £5782. That’s to say if you don’t mind a slight patina and last seasons groupset, there are some big savings to be had purchasing a second hand racer.
How much of a saving? About £2098 over the average manufacturers stated retail price when new. Meaning if you decided to buy fresh from the showroom floor and sell within 3 years, the average bike could cost a rather hefty £700 per year to ride.
What brands are the most common?
The most represented brand on sale was Trek at just under 15% of the overall market, with Bianchi proving the most exclusive at just 2.47%. It’s hard to know for sure from just the raw data, but we believe this reflects sales volume/market share and not that buyers are unhappy with their Trek and decide to sell up. But if you want to ensure you don’t clash with someone else on the group ride, look at picking up a Factor or Cervelo.
Do expensive bikes hold their value better?
In short, no. Spending more on a new bike doesn’t provide any protection from value decline. But if you do splurge on a top of the line example, it won’t depreciate at a faster rate than one with a more entry level price point. The only exceptions to this were two custom built bikes from Saffron and Seven, which had declined 58% and 52% respectively from their rather premium prices when new. So if you opt for a custom made roadie, make sure it’s a forever bike.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to pick up a deal by buying used, something 3 years old selling at a 30–40% discount to its retail price appears to be the sweet spot, regardless of budget. And if you’re thinking about selling your current bike, don’t if it’s less than 2 years old, but feel free to start shopping if it’s over 5 and there’s some new tech that’s caught your eye.
/Happy Riding