# Help determining value/price



## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

Hey all! I am wanting to sell my Powerfly 9.7 LT so as to maybe get a Rail. Although mine is a 9.7, I put Line Pro 40 wheels, Line Pro carbon bar and Line Pro stem, as well as X01 cassette and XX1 chain on it to get a little closer to the 9.9 spec. Would it be unreasonable to be able to get $5K out of it?


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## Bigwheel (Jan 12, 2004)

The addition of the carbon bits doesn't overcome the fact that the motor has been upgraded significantly for 2020 and although personally I would wait a year to get on board with that to see if glitches occur, which seems to be the case these days, it doesn't make your bike all that appealing perhaps to those following the evolution of eBikes. 

At the end of the day though what is losing significant cash to get a Rail going to net you? If you just want the newest and blueist go for it. But if you just want a good bike to ride you already have one.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

I see them available new for $3900, so yeah. My guess would be $2500-3000. It sucks, but that's kinda the market right now. 2020 eMTBs will come down in price across the board as well. It's the downside of being an "early adopter".


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

Understood....and thanks for the replies. I didnt think the actual motor was updated between the years but maybe it was....I will look further into that. My thoughts were that if the '19 and '20 are the same then the value should hold pretty well. Id be ok taking less than $5k....so if $4k is what I might be able to get then maybe I'll set that as the asking price and see what happens.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

When street price for a brand new 2019 Powerfly 9.7 is $4000, I think that's a stretch for a used bike. But give it a go. Problem with bikes/cars is that, with rare exceptions, they're always more valuable to the owner than the buyer. ;-)

The other option is to put the OEM parts back on, sell it for $2500-3000, and sell the other parts separately. Just a thought.


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

Where do you see the street value for them? I look on pinkbike and dont see any comps!?! I see lots of the aluminum ones....and some FS....but none are carbon.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

First thing that came up when I searched:

https://us.ciclimattio.com/s/trek/powerfly-lt-9.7-2019/?id=32916&m=53637


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

No way I would spend that much on a used ebike but u never know


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

RickBullottaPA said:


> First thing that came up when I searched:
> 
> https://us.ciclimattio.com/s/trek/powerfly-lt-9.7-2019/?id=32916&m=53637


That's also without shipping to the US from Italy. FWIW, it's a great shop/company, I've been there a bunch.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

Harryman said:


> That's also without shipping to the US from Italy. FWIW, it's a great shop/company, I've been there a bunch.


Yup. Totally get that (BTW I bought my first eMTB, a KTM Kapoho, from a European source so I know how painful/expensive shipping is!). But in general, with the rate of change of technology in the eMTB world, combined with decreasing pricing as volumes go up, used bikes and last years models will depreciate very rapidly.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

No argument there, there's not a strong sellers market for used tech.


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## kaleidopete (Feb 7, 2015)

Trek stores take trade in's on new bikes, I wonder how that would be for you


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

RickBullottaPA said:


> Yup. Totally get that (BTW I bought my first eMTB, a KTM Kapoho, from a European source so I know how painful/expensive shipping is!). But in general, with the rate of change of technology in the eMTB world, combined with decreasing pricing as volumes go up, used bikes and last years models will depreciate very rapidly.


It is a 2019 but as best as I know, the 2020 Powerfly 9.7LT is identical. I don't think they made any changes simply carried the model (even the same color scheme) for another year. That said, i totally understand how things depreciate...just figured the upgrades would boost it's value a bit.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

oclvframe said:


> It is a 2019 but as best as I know, the 2020 Powerfly 9.7LT is identical. I don't think they made any changes simply carried the model (even the same color scheme) for another year. That said, i totally understand how things depreciate...just figured the upgrades would boost it's value a bit.


I hope you know I'm not trying to bum you out! If I was going to value your bike and it was mine, I'd probably pick the same number as you did. Those upgrades *do* have value for sure. I just haven't found that buyers always value them the same as I did. I hope you get a great price for it.


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## cblesius (May 13, 2016)

oclvframe said:


> It is a 2019 but as best as I know, the 2020 Powerfly 9.7LT is identical. I don't think they made any changes simply carried the model (even the same color scheme) for another year. That said, i totally understand how things depreciate...just figured the upgrades would boost it's value a bit.


Nothing is unreasonable right now when it comes to ebikes. In the last year I sold my Pivot Shuttle for $6500 and a Intense Tazer for $5200. E bikes are so popular right now that the resell market is really good. The basis for what you're going to get are going to based on a couple things, first where you're located and second what online reviews say about the bike you're selling. The cassette, bar, and stem don't really increase value but the wheels definitely do. If I was interested in that bike my only nitpick would be the Yari Fork. If you could find a used Lyrik with red lowers for a reasonable price that thing would sell much easier. Finding a local buyer will make things a lot easier though. I'd ask around in your riding community first and see if anyone is looking for an e bike.


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

Good point regarding the Yari.... I suppose I could look into the Lyrik....but then maybe I'd just keep it!


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## nilswalk (Nov 26, 2014)

RickBullottaPA said:


> I hope you know I'm not trying to bum you out! If I was going to value your bike and it was mine, I'd probably pick the same number as you did. Those upgrades *do* have value for sure. I just haven't found that buyers always value them the same as I did. I hope you get a great price for it.


I think what's going on is that the market isn't made up of all the same kinds of people, meaning that the kinds of people who are spending the money to upgrade with nice parts on their bikes (guilty!) are not the same people who are out buying used bikes. Maybe there's some people in the used bike market who appreciate all the extra stuff but I think for the most part they're in that market because they're looking for value and probably see no difference between the old parts and upgrades. At least that's my experience from trying to sell several "upgraded" bikes over the years. All the Chris King bits made precisely 0 difference compared to the same bike stock in what I was able to get.


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## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

dundundata said:


> No way I would spend that much on a used ebike but u never know


Agreed with you there. From a buyers perspective on a used ebike, the battery becomes worthless as the buyer has no clue how the battery was taken care of by the previous owner. Then the motor, taking it for a test drive, spinning the motor on a bike rack to listen for noises maybe a few teeth have broken off inside the motor, so its a gamble for a buyer.

I guess the OP can start a bit high on the selling price and wait for the right buyer to come along but that will be a long waiting game. Finding the price that will sell the ebike in a reasonable amount of time is the trick.


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

Good thing I am not in a rush or desperate to sell. I feel it will sell for a good price at some point.....key is finding the right buyer....I have sold plenty of self-powered bikes in the past and always gotten fair market for them. Unfortunately e-bikes are not on BicycleBlueBook yet.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

oclvframe said:


> Good thing I am not in a rush or desperate to sell. I feel it will sell for a good price at some point.....key is finding the right buyer....I have sold plenty of self-powered bikes in the past and always gotten fair market for them. Unfortunately e-bikes are not on BicycleBlueBook yet.


I hope you do! Just don't wait too long, as there will clearly be continued improvements in eMTB technology and lower prices over time as volumes increase.

You might want to try two listings: one with all of your upgrades, and one without (at an aggressive price). Just a thought.

Cheers.


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

With an ebike, it isn't just about the components. How many miles on the motor? How many battery cycles (this can be determined by a Bosch dealer). Is the display scratched? Is the motor making noises? Do the switches feel good or are they squishy or balky? 

Even if the battery has few cycles, leaving them fully charged or discharged for long periods, or leaving them in freezing or too hot conditions for long periods will kill them. Replacement batteries are over $900. Motors are over $1100. Stuff wears out, and an ebike with a bad battery or motor is pretty useless. I wouldn't buy a used eMTB unless I knew the owner personally.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

honkinunit said:


> With an ebike, it isn't just about the components. How many miles on the motor? How many battery cycles (this can be determined by a Bosch dealer). Is the display scratched? Is the motor making noises? Do the switches feel good or are they squishy or balky?
> 
> Even if the battery has few cycles, leaving them fully charged or discharged for long periods, or leaving them in freezing or too hot conditions for long periods will kill them. Replacement batteries are over $900. Motors are over $1100. Stuff wears out, and an ebike with a bad battery or motor is pretty useless. I wouldn't buy a used eMTB unless I knew the owner personally.


Couldn't agree more. I wanted an eMTB for my wife and a good friend had one for sale but I didn't get it because I knew him. The bike had been in several crashes and used roughly although it wasn't evident. The battery rocked around in its cradle and seemed on its way out based on lack of available range. Ended up building her one, but she likes MTB and rides it very sparingly. Oh well! Pleasing a woman is something I was never good at.


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

I’ve sold 6 brand name high dollar ebikes. Like Steve Miller says “c’mon take the money and run” Bikes are a depreciating asset. Ebikes, no different. You have a nice bike, it’s only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. That’s fact. Good luck and ride on!


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## Bigwheel (Jan 12, 2004)

oclvframe said:


> It is a 2019 but as best as I know, the 2020 Powerfly 9.7LT is identical. I don't think they made any changes simply carried the model (even the same color scheme) for another year. That said, i totally understand how things depreciate...just figured the upgrades would boost it's value a bit.


Not according to the Trek description that shows the bike clearly with the Gen4 motor which is what I referred to in my last post.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...powerfly-long-travel/powerfly-lt-9-7/p/24819/


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

Ok....so I guess my hopes of what I could get for it were a little high. Does netting $4K sound reasonable?


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

oclvframe said:


> Ok....so I guess my hopes of what I could get for it were a little high. Does netting $4K sound reasonable?


Here's some good data for you - Pro's Closet is now re-selling used eBikes:

https://www.theproscloset.com/pages/search-results-page?q=e-bike


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

oclvframe said:


> Ok....so I guess my hopes of what I could get for it were a little high. Does netting $4K sound reasonable?


Based on a rough estimate of what Pro's Closet is selling used eBikes for vs list, roughly 62-63% of list, $3700-4000 is probably reasonable.


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

I agree with your assessment...although none of those have upgrades over stock liken mine....and yes I know that has been discussed but carbon wheels alone should count for something. The closest bikes to what i am selling are the carbon Specialized FS e-bikes....and they all retailed for about 700 more than mine and thus they're asking about 700 more than what I realize is what I am going to get. I wish I had kept the alloy wheels....it certainly would be a lot easier to be comfortable taking $3K for it with all the original parts but at this point all i have left are the cassette, bar and stem....none of which make enough difference to matter. Well hopefully I can get $4k for it....it's a fantastic bike!


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

As a followup....I sold the Powerfly for just under $4K. My new Rail 9.8 should be here soon.....can't wait!


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## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

The battery is the unknown guessing game, if its been stored in -30 weather, stored in the shed when in the summer it will reach scortching hot temps. Batteries are expensive.

Always price a used ebike that you are going to buy, making the battery worthless and go see how much a proprietary battery is from said ebike manufacturer. Not cheap at all. It really is the biggest unknown part of the purchase. Its not like you can open up the battery and see how many cycles it has on it, the temperature range it lived in, how old the battery.



honkinunit said:


> With an ebike, it isn't just about the components. How many miles on the motor? How many battery cycles (this can be determined by a Bosch dealer). Is the display scratched? Is the motor making noises? Do the switches feel good or are they squishy or balky?
> 
> Even if the battery has few cycles, leaving them fully charged or discharged for long periods, or leaving them in freezing or too hot conditions for long periods will kill them. Replacement batteries are over $900. Motors are over $1100. Stuff wears out, and an ebike with a bad battery or motor is pretty useless. I wouldn't buy a used eMTB unless I knew the owner personally.


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## Browneye (Feb 20, 2020)

matt4x4 said:


> The battery is the unknown guessing game, if its been stored in -30 weather, stored in the shed when in the summer it will reach scortching hot temps. Batteries are expensive.
> 
> Always price a used ebike that you are going to buy, making the battery worthless and go see how much a proprietary battery is from said ebike manufacturer. Not cheap at all. It really is the biggest unknown part of the purchase. Its not like you can open up the battery and see how many cycles it has on it, the temperature range it lived in, how old the battery.


Actually, the latest bikes DO have a stat that can be accessed with an app that shows number of cycles and the percentage of reduced capacity.

Seems OP did pretty well getting what he got out of it. Generally new ones that don't sell timely get discounted 15-20%, then 40-50%, so more often than not used ones fall a bit lower than that, maybe 40-cents on the dollar.

Accessories don't mean anything unless it's something the prospective buyer is genuinely interested in or really wants. Most are stretching to buy it as is, so more and extra for extras is a non-starter. Even then, maybe 25-50cents on the dollar. A seller is better to return it to stock, sell for a good price, and sell the upgrade parts to enthusiasts on a forum.


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## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

"{O have a stat that can be accessed with an app " 
Well thats news to me, though I dont keep up on that side of things. Good to know I guess. Technology advances are looking great for the ebike industry.


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

Browneye said:


> Actually, the latest bikes DO have a stat that can be accessed with an app that shows number of cycles and the percentage of reduced capacity.
> 
> Seems OP did pretty well getting what he got out of it. Generally new ones that don't sell timely get discounted 15-20%, then 40-50%, so more often than not used ones fall a bit lower than that, maybe 40-cents on the dollar.
> 
> Accessories don't mean anything unless it's something the prospective buyer is genuinely interested in or really wants. Most are stretching to buy it as is, so more and extra for extras is a non-starter. Even then, maybe 25-50cents on the dollar. A seller is better to return it to stock, sell for a good price, and sell the upgrade parts to enthusiasts on a forum.


To your point, I thought for sure there was some inherent value in a carbon wheel upgrade but obviously not. I wasn't banking much on the carbon bar....but figure the wheels. Nonetheless, when the Rail goes up for sale, I'll be sure to put the alloy wheels back on. Heck, they'll be brand new....maybe that will count for something?!?!?


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

oclvframe said:


> As a followup....I sold the Powerfly for just under $4K. My new Rail 9.8 should be here soon.....can't wait!


Congrats! Enjoy the new bike.


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## Browneye (Feb 20, 2020)

oclvframe said:


> To your point, I thought for sure there was some inherent value in a carbon wheel upgrade but obviously not. I wasn't banking much on the carbon bar....but figure the wheels. Nonetheless, when the Rail goes up for sale, I'll be sure to put the alloy wheels back on. Heck, they'll be brand new....maybe that will count for something?!?!?


I think there would be if the new buyer understand the value proposition and actually wants them. I'm a noobie and I have no desire for carbon wheels, and would not want to pay for them. But I can see with a ton of experience and wanting to push the envelope of performance, they could well be the hot ticket.

Or put another way, if you knocked several hundred off the price and put the stock wheels back on, I would be happier, and much more inclined to buy if it was substantially less than a new one.

Frankly I think the market is even tougher for mountain bikes just for the simple fact they're ridden much harder than a regular bike.

We've been going round and round with this conundrum in the dirtbike world for decades. Everybody spends stupid amounts of money on cool and fancy doodads, and think they can get their money back out when they sell. Just doesn't happen very often. The really experienced guys that know better tend to buy new and customize to their own preferences. So the most common buyer is a beginner and they don't understand nor comprehend the value of any of those doodads.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

I would not pay more for upgrades just transfer them to your new bike or accept the loss i would be thriller if i sold it for 3,000$ the battery might need to be replaced so over 3,000 is overpaying for sure in my opinion just keep it if it is good otherwise accept your loss.


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## oclvframe (Dec 8, 2007)

....and here's the new whip!


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## Streetdoctor (Oct 14, 2011)

oclvframe said:


> Good point regarding the Yari.... I suppose I could look into the Lyrik....but then maybe I'd just keep it!


If that's really your concern spend the $300 on a damper...

Look at the used E-bike market as a whole. A lot of people are lowballing the hell out of you. They are not reselling like regular MTB and they retain their value pretty well.


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