My garage is getting a bit too full of bicycles, and I would really like to upgrade to a newer bike. Selling a bike seems like it would be tricky, so I’ve been researching how to sell my bike. It really made me wonder,
Do bike shops buy used bikes or trade-ins? How does that work?
After researching selling used bikes, here’s what I found.
Most bike shops do not buy used bikes, but many will accept trade-ins to purchase a new bike. There are many different trade-in programs, so you will need to make sure you take your bike to a participating retailer.
In this article, we’ll talk about whether bike shops usually buy used bikes. We’ll also talk about trade-ins and how trade-in programs work. Lastly, we’ll give you some great tips to help you sell your used bike.
Do Bike Shops Usually Buy Used Bikes?
Some bike shops buy used bikes, but most bike shops do not. It just isn’t practical or profitable for a bike shop to spend a lot of money purchasing and selling used bikes, especially low-quality or broken bikes.
For a bike shop to be able to make money on a used bicycle, they would need to purchase it at a low price, invest in fixing or updating the bike, and then resell it at a higher price in order to make enough profit to make it worthwhile. Unfortunately, most bike shops simply don’t have the floor space to be able to resell low-profit inventory.
Also, many higher-end bikes are customized to their original owner, with cranks, saddles, bars, and more being changed out to fit the previous rider’s preferences. As a result, it may be challenging to find a buyer to purchase these bikes and expensive to make them more standard.
There are a few bike shops specializing in buying and selling used bikes, and this might be the way to go if you want to sell your used bike to a bike shop. However, even though most bike shops won’t purchase used bikes, many will allow you to trade them in towards the purchase of a new bike.
Do Bike Shops Usually Accept Trade-Ins?
Many bike shops will accept trade-ins on higher-end bikes, but they won’t accept department store bikes for trade-ins. For example, Trek and Liv/Giant retailers may choose to work with their official trade-in program. They’ll take your trade-in, if it is good enough, and put it towards the purchase of a brand new bike. Here’s how it works at Trek stores.
Trek Store Trade-In Procedure
- Bring in your old bicycle to the bike shop so they can evaluate it.
- Trek store staff will compare your bicycle to Bicycle Blue Book to give you a value for your bike. (You can look up your bike ahead of time if you want to be prepared).
- You’ll need to show your ID and sign a statement saying you own the bike.
- If you agree, you’ll receive your in-store credit, and you can start shopping for a new bike.
Keep in mind that Trek stores won’t issue a credit for bikes that are worth less than $50. However, they will be glad to donate your bike for you. They probably won’t accept lower-end, broken, or very old bikes, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
If you’re going to trade in a bike with Liv/ Giant, the process is slightly different. Liv/Giant works with the Pros Closet.
Liv Cycling Trade-In Procedure
- Make sure your preferred retailer participates in the program; not all of them do.
- Fill out the form at liv-cycling.com with your bike details.
- You’ll get your offer back quickly, usually within one business day.
- Accept your offer.
- Receive your voucher.
- Order your new LIV bike.
- Visit the retailer to pick up your new bike and deliver your old one. The retailer will take care of sending the bike to the Pro’s Closet.
Pros Closet will only accept high-end bikes for trade or sale.
For example, if I wanted to trade in my old Diamondback Arden 1 to get a new Trek, I could just take it to my local participating Trek store. They would look it over, and probably offer me around $250, based on the Bicycle Blue Book value. Then, I could apply that amount to purchase a new Trek bike.
Where to Find Bike Shops that Buy Used Bikes
You may have trouble finding a bike shop that purchases used bikes. The best thing to do is ask Google. Search for ‘bike shops that buy used bikes near me,’ and you will get a list of possible bike shops. Then, you can call each shop listed until you find one that will purchase your used bike.
This can be a tedious and frustrating process. It is much easier to find a bike shop that will take a trade-in instead. Many big-name shops and individually-owned shops will take your bike for trade-in if you purchase a new bike.
There are a few pros and cons to selling your bike to a shop.
Pros / Cons of Selling to a Bike Shop
What are the pros and cons of selling your bike to a bike shop?
Pros
It’s easy. If your local bike shop purchases used bikes, it would be very easy for you to sell yours to them. Always call first to make sure they will take your bike. Then, make an appointment to bring it in, and they’ll handle the rest. Then, you won’t need to worry about packing and shipping your bike to a buyer.
It’s local. If you can sell your bike to a local bike shop, the nice thing about it is that it is local! It will be close by so you don’t have to go far to sell your bike.
Cons
You won’t get much money for your bike. Bike shops need to make money to stay in business. So if they are purchasing your used bike, they probably won’t be able to give you the bicycle blue book value for it. To get the best value for your bike, you’ll probably want to sell it yourself.
It can be hard to find a shop that will buy your used bike from you. However, you can either use your bike as a trade-in, or simply sell it yourself.
6 Tips for Selling Your Bike Fast (Without a Bike Shop)
- Check out bicyclebluebook.com for the value of your bike. You’ll get an idea of what you can sell or trade-in your bike for. Bicyclebluebook.com also has a portal to sell your bike or trade it into a local bike shop. Once you enter the details about your bike, you can look at the participating retailers to see who has the bike you want to purchase.
- Trade or sell your bike on theproscloset.com. If you want to sell your bike on the Pro’s Closet, you fill out their form with photos and details about your bike. They’ll send you an offer for your bike within 24 hours. Pro’s Closet will send you a label to ship your bike to them for free if you accept the offer. You’ll have to box it up. After they inspect the bike, they’ll finalize the payment for you.
- Contact your local cycling club. Many cycling clubs have email lists, websites, or Facebook pages where you can advertise your bike for sale.
- Consider selling your bike on Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or pinkbike.com.
- Clean your bike and make sure everything is in good working order. The better shape it is, the more you can sell it for.
- Create the best ad possible to help your bike sell fast. Include a good picture of your bike (not a stock photo). You’ll also want to include the make, model, year, and size of your bike. Tell the buyer any upgrades, components, and specs, and give an honest review of its condition. You’ll also want to say why you are selling the bike.
