MTB Sales Database

Objective Create a database of the used mountain bike market within a 50-mile radius over the previous 12 months. The purpose is to identify the most profitable bikes to buy and flip, beginning with £200–£800 bikes before gradually moving into higher-value bikes and eventually e-bikes. The research must be based on actual achieved selling prices wherever available, not simply advertised prices. ⸻ Data sources (in priority order) Tier 1 (actual sold prices) * eBay Sold Listings * BuyCycle (completed sales if available) * Pinkbike BuySell (completed sales where available) Tier 2 * Facebook Marketplace (asking prices, noting if sold and how quickly if that can be established) For every model, record which marketplace consistently achieves the highest selling price. ⸻ Every bike should include Identity * Brand * Model * Year * Frame size * Wheel size * Hardtail / Full Suspension * E-bike or standard * Groupset * Fork * Shock * Wheelset * Condition * Any upgrades ⸻ Pricing For every model collect * Lowest sold price * Highest sold price * Average sold price * Median sold price * Number of sales found ⸻ Time Record * Month sold * Season * Days on market (if available) ⸻ Demand Give each bike ★★★★★ Very high demand ★★★★ High ★★★ Average ★★ Low ★ Avoid ⸻ Profitability Estimate Average purchase price Average refurbishment cost Average selling price Expected profit Expected ROI (%) ⸻ Difficulty Rate Easy to sell Moderate Specialist buyer only ⸻ Charts I’d want 1. Best ROI Top 50 bikes ranked by percentage profit. ⸻ 2. Biggest cash profit Some bikes only make 20% but produce £400 profit. Rank these separately. ⸻ 3. Fastest sellers Average days until sold. ⸻ 4. Seasonal prices For every popular model January February March … December so we can see the best buying months and selling months. ⸻ 5. Marketplace comparison Example Whyte T-140 Facebook £690 eBay £760 Pinkbike £795 BuyCycle £810 This instantly tells us where to list. ⸻ 6. Best beginner bikes Starting around £300. ⸻ 7. Best intermediate bikes £600–£1,200. ⸻ 8. Best premium bikes £1,200–£3,000. ⸻ 9. Best e-bikes Only once the capital has grown. ⸻ 10. Brands to avoid Poor resale Slow sales Lots of negotiation Frequent relisting ⸻ The single most valuable output I’d ask the researchers to create a Buying Bible. Every model gets one page: Example Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Carbon 2021 Typical sold price: £1,780 Buy below: £1,350 Excellent buy: Under £1,250 Average refurbishment: £70 Typical selling time: 11 days Best selling platform: Pinkbike ROI: 29% Demand: ★★★★★ Difficulty: Easy Maximum bid: £1,380 Profit expectation: £360–£480 ⸻ One addition I’d make Because this is a project with your son, I’d also create a Capital Growth Ladder. Rather than jumping straight to expensive bikes, you’d deliberately progress through increasingly valuable stock. For example: * Stage 1: £200–£400 bikes to build confidence and cash flow. * Stage 2: £400–£800 bikes with stronger margins. * Stage 3: £800–£1,500 bikes where cash profits become much larger. * Stage 4: £1,500–£3,000 premium mountain bikes. * Stage 5: High-end e-bikes once your capital and experience justify the higher risk. That gives you and your son a clear roadmap: each successful flip moves you one step closer to trading the bikes you ultimately want to specialise in.