Measured from 16,929 UK listings
The same-model depreciation curve (June 2026)
Welcome to Britain's most detailed read on how bikes lose value — measured from real market prices, not modelled from RRP. For every model with enough listings across several model years, we compared the median asking price at each age against the newest model year of the same bike, roughly 323 models. Same-model comparison removes the biggest distortion in casual estimates: an older bike was usually a different spec and price when new. Asking prices run 5 to 10 percent above sold prices, so the sold curve sits slightly lower.
| Age of bike | Share of current-year used price | Listings |
|---|---|---|
| Current year | 100% | 3,713 |
| 1 year old | 85% | 2,602 |
| 2 years old | 76% | 2,572 |
| 3 years old | 70% | 2,235 |
| 4 years old | 67% | 1,633 |
| 5 years old | 57% | 1,353 |
| 6 years old | 45% | 937 |
| 7 years old | 41% | 725 |
| 8+ years old | ~28% | 1,159 |
How to read it, what bends the curve and how categories differ: Bike Depreciation UK, the full guide. For your own bike, get a free valuation priced from the same market data.
Publishing or writing about bike values? Embed this chart for free with attribution to Cyclesite.
Market Intelligence
Cyclesite Depreciation Report
How fast do bikes lose value? Year 1, 3, and 5 depreciation curves by category and brand , the Cyclesite Depreciation Score.
Bike depreciation: common questions
- How much does a bike depreciate in the UK?
- Across 16,929 real UK used-bike listings (around 323 models), a bike is typically worth about 85% of its current-year used price after one year, 70% after three years and 57% after five years. That is roughly a 15% drop in the first year and 30% by year three. Figures are measured from real asking prices, not modelled from RRP.
- Which bikes hold their value best?
- Value retention varies widely by brand, category and specification. Use the report below to compare year 1, 3 and 5 retention by category and by brand, then open any model on its valuation page for its own measured depreciation curve.
- When is the best time to buy a used bike?
- The steepest drop happens in the first two to three years. A bike around 3 to 5 years old typically offers the best balance of price and condition, holding roughly 57% to 70% of its current-year used value while the heaviest depreciation has already been absorbed by the first owner.
- Are these depreciation figures based on real sales?
- They are measured from real UK asking-price listings using a same-model method: each age is compared against the newest model year of the same bike, not against RRP. These are last-advertised asking prices rather than confirmed sale prices; sold prices typically run about 5 to 10% lower and slightly steeper.