Selling privately: more money, if all goes well
Selling it yourself usually brings 10 to 20% more than a dealer, because you keep the margin the dealer needs to resell. It is the right choice if you have time, a sought-after bike, and no need for the money right now.
The flip side: you have to write the listing, take good photos, answer messages, put up with no-shows, let strangers test-ride the bike, haggle, and handle the payment safely. Count on three to six weeks in season, often more in winter, and expect to lower the price once or twice.
And once sold, you remain legally exposed: a buyer who discovers a problem can come back to you. Between private parties the bike is sold as seen, but a defect you knew about and did not disclose can turn against you.
Selling to a dealer: less, but right away and risk-free
A dealer offers you less than a private buyer, because they have to recondition the bike, warrant it and resell it with a margin. In return everything is settled in one visit: they come to you, check the bike, pay you and take it away. No listing to manage, no viewings, no payment risk, and no possible claim against you after the sale.
It is the right choice if you need the money quickly, if your bike has been sitting for a long time, if it has a fault that would complicate a private sale, or simply if you do not want to spend your evenings on it.
How to compare the two honestly
Do not compare the dealer’s offer with the asking prices in the listings: compare it with the price you will actually get after negotiation, minus the cost of your time, minus the risk. A bike listed at €6,000 often sells for €5,300 after six weeks and twelve appointments. If the dealer offers €4,900 tomorrow morning, the real gap is €400, not €1,100.
Nothing stops you doing both: ask for our firm offer, it is free and without obligation. You will know exactly what you leave on the table by selling yourself, and you will decide with full knowledge.