Upgrading service using second hand parts

[karlito]

In our challenging economic times and with exchange rates what they are, cycling parts are getting more and more expensive.

 

If you could upgrade your bike for much cheaper and get something back for your old parts hassle free, what are the chances you would use a service like this?

[Eugene]

Just looking at the questions in the poll, it looks as if you are testing the market and considering some kind of business.

 

Personally I would be happy to upgrade with used parts (if they are in a near new condition)

 

Just a heads up, a 7 day warranty won't cut it. The law (cpa) requires a 6 month warranty, even on used stuff

[Daniel Loubser]

I would be interested, but I agree - a longer warranty would be preferable. Also maybe a quality (or wear rating) of the components you are receiving and those you are trading in could be a good idea. 

[BaGearA]

This is essentially another degree removed from what bike market is doing and we've heard some of the stories coming from there

 

 

One part that's weird will chow up any profit for the next 4 sales when the customer continually returns

 

 

7 day warranty is the biggest red flag of it all

Edited July 15, 2020 by BaGearA

[King_Crispy]

Voetstoots

[Kalahari Vegmot]

So.....Bikemarket for all the components on Bikehub.....

[Grease_Monkey]

If I am buying second hand I will do so directly from the seller. A Bike Market model is not ideal, a middle man in a second hand sale just means the seller of the product gets ripped off and paid too little, the buyer gets ripped off and pays too much. The only reason I would consider this is a good warranty, and 7 days definitely would not cut it. 6 months at a minimum....

 

And there is a reason no 2nd hand dealer gives a 6 month warranty, it's not economically viable.

Edited July 16, 2020 by Grease_Monkey

[Slowbee]

If I am buying second hand I will do so directly from the seller. A Bike Market model is not ideal, a middle man in a second hand sale just means the seller of the product gets ripped off and paid too little, the buyer gets ripped off and pays too much. The only reason I would consider this is a good warranty, and 7 days definitely would not cut it. 6 months at a minimum....

 

And there is a reason no 2nd hand dealer gives a 6 month warranty, it's not economically viable.

Sounds like car dealerships on trade ins!

[Grease_Monkey]

Sounds like car dealerships on trade ins!

Exactly!

[Mongoose!]

yes for road bike parts.

no for mtb parts... after 10 years on Bikehub I do have my reasons...

[100Tours]

I often use second hand parts, and with a little skill and problem solving this is usually a very effective way of managing down your costs.

 

However -

1. You'd need some reliable source of decent components. Importing high end stuff might work, but buying in the local market and re-selling here again probably not. You would probably be able to find a source for OEM type components.

2. Is it better to buy new parts and install yourself, or to pay someone to put on old "quality-checked" components? I'm guessing the prices will look about the same.

3. A big part of the value will be generating an upgrade proposal that will figure out compatibility issues (e.g. a website where you put in your current build and then you can see upgrade options). How do you make sure people pay for the service though? Otherwise you're going to spend a lot of time assessing what people have and advising on different upgrade routes (e.g. if I want to upgrade my bike to 1x12 will I need a new wheel, new hub, or new freehub? and a new chainring? and a new crank? - 4 dimensional chess this is)

[karlito]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, it's really valuable. 

 

I have done this for some friends and family, and it seems that some people want to upgrade on a tight budget without the hassle of figuring out which components go together, dealing with a bunch of different people to get all the parts together, then having to sell all of the old components.

 

It all started with helping a colleague at work upgrade his 3x to 1x. He was super happy to not worry about anything other than picking up his bike. I gave him an invoice for what the parts cost me(Some were second hand parts I had lying around and some were new parts) minus what I received for his old parts for and then a reasonable fee for my service. 

 

Hopefully the parts taken off as part of an upgrade will help keep stock levels up, rather than having to scour bikehub for parts all the time. At least eventually .

 

So I think the motive for profit is not as high as for bikemarket, it's more a way for me to tinker with bikes and keep myself busy after hours, operating out of my garage. Of course it will be great if I can score some nice parts for my own bikes along the way.

 

I know it sounds cheezy but it is such a great feeling to be able to upgrade someones bike for about a third of the price that the LBS quoted. Tubeless conversion while we are busy? Done. 

 

In terms of the warranty will have to think about that one, sounds like that could be the kicker. Not sure about the stories coming from bikemarket but I can just imagine?

 

Any feedback is appreciated.

[Longbarn Killer]

If I am buying second hand I will do so directly from the seller. A Bike Market model is not ideal, a middle man in a second hand sale just means the seller of the product gets ripped off and paid too little, the buyer gets ripped off and pays too much. The only reason I would consider this is a good warranty, and 7 days definitely would not cut it. 6 months at a minimum....

 

And there is a reason no 2nd hand dealer gives a 6 month warranty, it's not economically viable.

The Consumer Protection Act forces a trader to provide a 6 month warranty whether it is used or not. But I agree, most of them don't care what the law says and still offer lower warranties.

[Slowbee]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, it's really valuable. 

 

I have done this for some friends and family, and it seems that some people want to upgrade on a tight budget without the hassle of figuring out which components go together, dealing with a bunch of different people to get all the parts together, then having to sell all of the old components.

 

It all started with helping a colleague at work upgrade his 3x to 1x. He was super happy to not worry about anything other than picking up his bike. I gave him an invoice for what the parts cost me(Some were second hand parts I had lying around and some were new parts) minus what I received for his old parts for and then a reasonable fee for my service. 

 

Hopefully the parts taken off as part of an upgrade will help keep stock levels up, rather than having to scour bikehub for parts all the time. At least eventually .

 

So I think the motive for profit is not as high as for bikemarket, it's more a way for me to tinker with bikes and keep myself busy after hours, operating out of my garage. Of course it will be great if I can score some nice parts for my own bikes along the way.

 

I know it sounds cheezy but it is such a great feeling to be able to upgrade someones bike for about a third of the price that the LBS quoted. Tubeless conversion while we are busy? Done. 

 

In terms of the warranty will have to think about that one, sounds like that could be the kicker. Not sure about the stories coming from bikemarket but I can just imagine?

 

Any feedback is appreciated.

While many would disagree with this, I would be happy to pay a project management fee for your efforts. You declare what you bought the parts at, what you sell them at and a storage/installation/carry the expenses till its sold cost, so I can judge the level of equality in the deal to find it if it is worth my going through the effort.

 

As I said, many would not agree with this idea as there are pro's and con's. But just a suggestion.