Thinking about doing the unthinkable: selling one of my custom bikes. Need help determining value.

[Bike from the Dead]

Well, never thought I'd do this, but I've decided to part with my most recent build, The Kasual Klunker. As much as I like how my 1952 Schwinn Hornet turned out, I just couldn't fall in love with the original red paint. It's nice, don't get me wrong, but red is honestly just that one color I like the least, and I already have 2 original red-painted bikes that I plan to keep. Heck, that's not even counting all the bikes I've got that I plan to repaint! Plus, I've reached a point where I need to seriously downsize my collection, and Kasual Klunker, nice as it is, just isn't a bike I feel I'd miss all that much if I let it go. I'd love to build another bike like this sometime, but preferably in a different color.

Here's the thing: I've never sold a bike I've built before. I've sold and traded bikes as I found them, and I've parted out bikes a few times, but I've never sold or traded a bike I fixed up and customized. I don't really know how to price a custom bike. I know how much I've spent on this one though, and the total comes to about $150. Half that price is just from the Murray rat trap springer fork up front! Thing is, I'd also like to sell or trade the bike as it looks right now, but I'd also like to include all the original parts (that I have left) and the 2 cans of spray paint I had planned to use on the wheels with the bike. I don't really have a use for those parts and paint on my other bikes, and I feel it'd be better to include them with the bike they came from, as they could clean up and match the bike's color just fine.

So, what would you say this bike is worth? I'd like to figure this out as soon as possible, as I'd like to either sell or trade it at the upcoming bicycle swap meet in Haysville, Kansas on the 23rd, or on Craigslist and FB Marketplace beforehand so I have more room in my car for said swap meet.

 

[coasterbrakejunkie1969]

Well, never thought I'd do this, but I've decided to part with my most recent build, The Kasual Klunker. As much as I like how my 1952 Schwinn Hornet turned out, I just couldn't fall in love with the original red paint. It's nice, don't get me wrong, but red is honestly just that one color I like the least, and I already have 2 original red-painted bikes that I plan to keep. Heck, that's not even counting all the bikes I've got that I plan to repaint! Plus, I've reached a point where I need to seriously downsize my collection, and Kasual Klunker, nice as it is, just isn't a bike I feel I'd miss all that much if I let it go. I'd love to build another bike like this sometime, but preferably in a different color.

Here's the thing: I've never sold a bike I've built before. I've sold and traded bikes as I found them, and I've parted out bikes a few times, but I've never sold or traded a bike I fixed up and customized. I don't really know how to price a custom bike. I know how much I've spent on this one though, and the total comes to about $150. Half that price is just from the Murray rat trap springer fork up front! Thing is, I'd also like to sell or trade the bike as it looks right now, but I'd also like to include all the original parts (that I have left) and the 2 cans of spray paint I had planned to use on the wheels with the bike. I don't really have a use for those parts and paint on my other bikes, and I feel it'd be better to include them with the bike they came from, as they could clean up and match the bike's color just fine.

So, what would you say this bike is worth? I'd like to figure this out as soon as possible, as I'd like to either sell or trade it at the upcoming bicycle swap meet in Haysville, Kansas on the 23rd, or on Craigslist and FB Marketplace beforehand so I have more room in my car for said swap meet.

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To be honest the Murray springer is cool but the money is in the Straight bar frame and its original parts. If you look in the sale sold section you will see prices all over the place. I have bought 2 complete straight bars in the last few years albeit from @Glenn Rhein who has given me some smoking deals. Not having the wheels is the biggest draw back. The original paint is decent and cleaning up the fenders and guard and rack would help to get it all looking the same. Sold as individual parts would net you the most $ but easier to sell all together. It is hard too tell I would think you could put a price of $250+/- plus shipping. As my man @kirk thomas always said to me put a price on it you would want to pay and it will be gone. It is a crap shoot on here you never know who is looking for what. The sold prices on such frames in the last few years seems to range from $60+ to almost $300 so like I said crap shoot. Good luck and you can use the Murray springer on something else

 

[Bike from the Dead]

To be honest the Murray springer is cool but the money is in the Straight bar frame and its original parts. If you look in the sale sold section you will see prices all over the place. I have bought 2 complete straight bars in the last few years albeit from @Glenn Rhein who has given me some smoking deals. Not having the wheels is the biggest draw back. The original paint is decent and cleaning up the fenders and guard and rack would help to get it all looking the same. Sold as individual parts would net you the most $ but easier to sell all together. It is hard too tell I would think you could put a price of $250+/- plus shipping. As my man @kirk thomas always said to me put a price on it you would want to pay and it will be gone. It is a crap shoot on here you never know who is looking for what. The sold prices on such frames in the last few years seems to range from $60+ to almost $300 so like I said crap shoot. Good luck and you can use the Murray springer on something else

I kind of figured the original parts had the most value. I thought about putting the original fork back on and keeping the rat trap springer for myself, but part of the handlebar stem was broken off and stuck inside the steerer tube of that original fork, so I doubt I could make that work. I have other forks I could throw on it, but then it just wouldn't look right, plus I just don't have that kind of time right now. I do still have the original rear wheel that came with the bike, but that's the only wheel it came with. I also still have the rack, fenders, truss rods, crank, pedals, and maybe the seat and handlebars. The only original part I don't have anymore is the skiptooth chainring. I traded that along with some other parts a little over a month ago while I still planned to keep the bike. And like you said, I'm sure I could make more money selling all the parts separately, but I really just want to sell it all at once to make it easier for me.

I usually avoid shipping, unless it's for smaller parts. Plus it might be more of a challenge and expense to ship this bike with all the extra included parts. Honestly, the price I'd want to pay would be way too low to even make my money back. Think low double digits. Though to be fair, it's because I usually can't afford a nice, complete and ready-to-ride bike like this. If I could afford that, I'd have an Elgin Bluebird by now! Still, I think $250 +/- seems fair. I'd make my money back, plus a little profit, but it's not priced absurdly high like some other listings I've seen across the web. Thanks!

 

[Astroyama]

$200-$300

 

[Darthvader]

Very cool bike. Would look good in my office.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Very cool bike. Would look good in my office.

Thanks Darth Vader!

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

I say do whatever you did to the frame to the fork and fenders and put it all back together with the wheels that are on it unless yo have a set of Schwinn wheels.

save that fork for your next project.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

I say do whatever you did to the frame to the fork and fenders and put it all back together with the wheels that are on it unless yo have a set of Schwinn wheels.

save that fork for your next project.

Well, I'd like to put that original fork back on, but a good chunk of handlebar stem is stuck down inside it, making it difficult, if not impossible to put another stem down in it. I just pulled the bike back out of storage to get better pics of it tomorrow. I'll try to show you what I'm dealing with once I've got everything ready.

Not going to lie, I would love to keep that fork just in case I have another bike that can use it. Those rat traps aren't cheap, and I got fairly lucky on that one.

Honest question here: If I took the bike apart, kept all the custom bits like the fork, handlebars, fresh chain, wheels and tires, and just sold or traded the rest of the bike and all the original parts I have left from it as one lot of parts or just as individual parts, would that be such a bad idea?

I mean, I'm sure I wouldn't make nearly as much money as I would leaving the bike intact and rideable, but at the same time, the whole reason I decided to sell the bike was because I simply don't want it anymore, not because I'm trying to make a hefty profit. I've already amassed more bikes that I can handle right now, and I've already got 2 original red-painted bikes I'm keeping anyway. I'm sure I can use most of the parts I threw on this Schwinn Hornet on another bike down the road, and I would like to hold onto them if I can. Heck, If I could get my hands on an original blue or green Schwinn straightbar, I'd just take that springer fork, handlebar and wheels and build that bike the same way I built this one!

Don't get me wrong, $200-$300 would certainly be nice to get for this bike, but I wouldn't mind making less money if it meant I kept the parts I wanted, while at least making my money back on what I don't want. So... what do think?

 

[Freqman1]

You're over thinking it. Keep the stuff you want and sell the rest as a lot. Customs are tough to sell because each is an individual expression of taste and not everyone likes the flavor.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

You're over thinking it. Keep the stuff you want and sell the rest as a lot. Customs are tough to sell because each is an individual expression of taste and not everyone likes the flavor.

I have a pretty bad habit of doing that, I'll admit. I think I'll just go ahead and do that. Thanks.