How much is my bike worth?

electrogrimey

Currently a riding a Raleigh AirLite 300, which I got from Evans about 2 years ago. I've ridden it a good bit, but it's still in good condition, as I've looked after it well.

The only problem is it's a small frame, a bit too small for me, at 5' 10" or so, even with a new extended seatpost. It could be abour 49cm, I don't really know.

As far as I can remember I paid about €800 for it. How much would you say I'd be able to get for it?

Lumen

You can get a new 2009 one for about €600 delivered (depending on size), so I'd say you're looking at perhaps €350, as a wild guess.

DirkVoodoo

I reckon you paid well over the odds for that bike: Sora drivetrain, aluminium frame and aluminium fork if the website is to be believed. The biggest shock for me at that pricepoint is the omission of a carbon fork, it really is like not having a radio on an entry level car and I think would hurt the resale value.

Also, Raleigh aren't quite the brand they once were although recently seem to have started turning their act around.

With all the talk of planet-x bikes, you can still get an equivalent bike from a better manufacturer like Giant for 700 euro brand new, and that will come with a carbon fork. 49cm will also be a tricky size to sell, not one of the most common (at 5'10" you should be looking around the 54cm mark, or medium in compact geometry, as a starting point).

I think you have to take a hit on it, I honestly can't see it going for more than 400 and I think somewhere closer to 300 might be more accurate. FWIW, I sold a 1 year old Giant SCR 2.0 (tiagra groupset) for about 550, a friend bought another one, same model only spotless, a few months later for 500. That bike retailed at 800 euro.

electrogrimey

Actually, looking at it online now, I'm guessing I paid about 600 for it, not 800. I'll try and find the details. I must have made 800 up...It does have a carbon fork by the way. Suppose 400-500 might do, looking to get one of these (in a size that fits me...).

Lumen

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I reckon you paid well over the odds for that bike: Sora drivetrain, aluminium frame and aluminium fork if the website is to be believed.

Google says the Airlite 300 switched from carbon to alloy fork from 2008 onwards, so I assume the OP has a 2007 model.

DirkVoodoo

electrogrimey wrote: »

Suppose 400-500 might do

I'd use something like this as a guide: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055753885

blorg

Might depend on the exact spec, it now comes with 9 speed Sora (which is good, many entry level bikes are 8 speed 2200/2300.) But it lacks the carbon fork present on bikes from the likes of Trek or Specialized. Raleigh these days also lacks somewhat the cachet of these brands.

A few years ago though it came with Tiagra and a carbon fork. So if you had more info there it would help. Tiagra is a big plus.

Bottom line you are probably looking at a bit below an entry-level Trek or Specialized. Might get this up to equal that if it had Tiagra.

I'd say you would be looking depending on spec and condition in the €300-400 range. You won't get €500, no point deceiving yourself.

electrogrimey

Yep it was a 2007, pretty sure I got it in early 2008, for cheap as it was the year before's model.

Here's the specs:

Braking
Brake Type - Caliper

Drive
Crank - Lightweight FSA Omega Compact chainset with outboard bearings
Pedals - Alloy road pedals with toeclips

Gearing
Derailleur Rear - Shimano Tiagra
Gears - 18
Shifter(s) - Sora STI shift levers

General
Handlebar - FSA Oversize bar
Rigid Forks - Lightweight carbon Aero blade fork
Saddle - Selle San Marco SKN
Seat Post - Micro adjust alloy (Now with new stem)
Stem - FSA Oversize

Wheels
Hubs - Lightweight alloy
Rim Holes - 28
Tyres (Front & Back) - Michelin Dynamic Race tyres
Wheel Set - Super light Asphalt wheelset
Wheel Size - 700c

blorg

That spec looks decent and it has the carbon fork but lacks the Tiagra shifters, which are the big deal with Tiagra. So it is basically 9-speed Sora. If you get €400 region I would take it. You are unlikely to get higher.

electrogrimey

blorg wrote: »

That spec looks decent and it has the carbon fork but lacks the Tiagra shifters, which are the big deal with Tiagra. So it is basically 9-speed Sora. If you get €400 region I would take it. You are unlikely to get higher.

Cheers, suppose that's a fair price alright.

electrogrimey

Just typed in my product number into google, and this page came up. Looks like it does have the Tiagra shifters then, and it's 40cm :eek:

blorg

electrogrimey wrote: »

Just typed in my product number into google, and this page came up. Looks like it does have the Tiagra shifters then, and it's 40cm :eek:

Probably a typo, I note their product code ending in "-RED" is supposedly a black bike. Compact sizing is done in different ways anyway.

You can tell if it has Tiagra shifters by whether it uses a small lever running down the brake lever to shift down the cassette- the black tab on that photo from Evans. 2200 and Sora use a thumb lever which isn't as easy to shift, particularly from the drops.

If it has Tiagra shifters that is a big plus on the selling point and will give you leverage over bikes with 2200 or Sora but to be honest I still don't think you are going to get much more than 400... you could try pushing it to 425/450 but I would probably take 400. You might get more for it if you waited another month or so to sell- less in the way of sales and people will be more interested in buying a bike as the weather gets better. 450 would sound more possible (although by no means a sure thing) in March.

electrogrimey

blorg wrote: »

Probably a typo, I note their product code ending in "-RED" is supposedly a black bike. Compact sizing is done in different ways anyway.

You can tell if it has Tiagra shifters by whether it uses a small lever running down the brake lever to shift down the cassette- the black tab on that photo from Evans. 2200 and Sora use a thumb lever which isn't as easy to shift, particularly from the drops.

If it has Tiagra shifters that is a big plus on the selling point and will give you leverage over bikes with 2200 or Sora but to be honest I still don't think you are going to get much more than 400... you could try pushing it to 425/450 but I would probably take 400. You might get more for it if you waited another month or so to sell- less in the way of sales and people will be more interested in buying a bike as the weather gets better. 450 would sound more possible (although by no means a sure thing) in March.

It has two vertical levers as part of the brake lever if that's what you mean? One little black one, and one silver one which is also the brake lever. Black one on the right shifts the casette, and black one of the left shifts the chainring IIRC.

blorg

electrogrimey wrote: »

It has two vertical levers as part of the brake lever if that's what you mean? One little black one, and one silver one which is also the brake lever. Black one on the right shifts the casette, and black one of the left shifts the chainring IIRC.

That is Tiagra all right and is a fair step up from the Sora that comes on most entry level bikes. It can be annoying when manufacturers down-spec a model in subsequent years, you are trying to sell and people are comparing against a lesser bike. Compared to the 2009 Airlite 300, your bike has the following upgrades:

- Carbon fork (vs Alloy)
- Tiagra drivetrain (vs Sora)
- FSA Omega chainset with integrated axle/external bearing BB (vs FSA Vero with square taper BB)
- FSA branded stem and bars (vs no-name)
- Selle San Marco saddle

Your 2006 is actually higher spec than the 2009 Airlite 400; it has a much better chainset; the 2009 400 has a Vero with a square taper BB. For 2010 Raleigh have the Airlite 300 back as pretty much exactly the 2006 spec again.

The external BB chainset and Tiagra gears are the key things that stick this above most carbon forked entry level bikes, I would emphasise them.

Good luck with the sale.

blorg

This was the only link I could find indicating Irish pricing on a Airlite 400, now no sane person on here would pay near that but you could point to it for comparison in your sale. As I say the components on your bike are in the most case the same and in the case of the chainset yours is better.

In fairness with the Tiagra and other upgrades your bike is above the absolute entry level and you might be able to push it up a bit in the 400-500 range if it is in good condition.

Just bear in mind recession and all that, the small size, bike to work scheme meaning 50% off this sort of bike and you will only get what someone is willing to pay at the end of the day!

electrogrimey

blorg wrote: »

That is Tiagra all right and is a fair step up from the Sora that comes on most entry level bikes. It can be annoying when manufacturers down-spec a model in subsequent years, you are trying to sell and people are comparing against a lesser bike. Compared to the 2009 Airlite 300, your bike has the following upgrades:

- Carbon fork (vs Alloy)
- Tiagra drivetrain (vs Sora)
- FSA Omega chainset with integrated axle/external bearing BB (vs FSA Vero with square taper BB)
- FSA branded stem and bars (vs no-name)
- Selle San Marco saddle

Your 2006 is actually higher spec than the 2009 Airlite 400; it has a much better chainset; the 2009 400 has a Vero with a square taper BB. For 2010 Raleigh have the Airlite 300 back as pretty much exactly the 2006 spec again.

The external BB chainset and Tiagra gears are the key things that stick this above most carbon forked entry level bikes, I would emphasise them.

Good luck with the sale.

Cheers for so much helpful information. I stuck those details onto the ad on adverts.

Would you say it would be possible to find a buyer for such a small frame?

Also, does anyone know how to convert compact frame sizes into their equivalent standard frame sizes?

DirkVoodoo

Yes, you want the equivalent top tube measurement, should be given somewhere.

Looking at that frame and it is no more "compact" than a Giant so a 40cm bike is still VERY small and won't suit someone of your height. Do you have any images of your setup? That's another tip, when selling anything, ACTUAL photos really help, stock photos are easy to get and give very little information.

Giant list their "very small" SCR as a 43cm, with a top tube length of 510mm and suitable for riders between 4'11" and 5'2".

blorg

I don't think it is really a 40cm, if he could cycle the thing at all at 5'10" no way is it a 40cm. Hell, if it has 700c wheels unlikely it is a 40cm! Note as well that compact frames from other manufacturers are generally sized not by the actual seat tube measurement but by the equivalent seat tube measurement extended upwards to meet where the top tube would meet it IF the bike had a horizontal top tube. This allows comparison. Hence a "58cm" Trek, Specialized, etc. doesn't actually have a 58cm seat tube, that is shorter.

Reach is probably the most important measurement, this is EFFECTIVE not actual top tube, "D" in this chart from Giant:

DirkVoodoo

The smallest Airlite I can find online is 47cm.

electrogrimey

Put some pictures of the bike up on ads, if anyone has eagle eyes, they can guess the size from them.

blorg

You can't really tell from a picture but it is certainly way too small for you. Nice cycling gear and handlebar position

DirkVoodoo

Jesus that's a bit on the small side. I honestly don't think you should be saying it would be perfect for someone at 5'8", it shouldn't be ridden like a BMX.

Did you get around to measuring the frame yet?

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

You can't really tell from a picture but it is certainly way too small for you. Nice cycling gear and handlebar position

I assume that's the 5'2.5" girlfriend.

electrogrimey

Lumen wrote: »

I assume that's the 5'2.5" girlfriend.

I'm hardly going to be wearing snowman pajamas and Uggs :pac: