Donated bicycle value: what a used bike is worth for taxes
Updated , edition 2026.1
Most donated adult bikes are worth $28 to $50 in good condition, $50 to $70 like new, and $5 to $28 in fair condition. Here is how to tell which one yours is. A donated bike is valued the way a repair shop would look at it: whether it rolls, stops, and shifts, and how much work it needs before it can do all three.
- Typical value, good condition
- $39
- Published range, good condition
- $28 to $50
What a donated bicycle is generally worth
Fair market value is a range, so these are ranges. The suggested figure sits inside the band the source guide published for that condition.
| Item | Like new | Good | Fair | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycle (adult) | $50 to $70 | $28 to $50 | $5 to $28 | Source 1 for Bicycle (adult)Source 2 for Bicycle (adult)Source 3 for Bicycle (adult)Source 4 for Bicycle (adult)Source 5 for Bicycle (adult)Source 6 for Bicycle (adult)Source 7 for Bicycle (adult)Source 8 for Bicycle (adult)Source 9 for Bicycle (adult)Source 10 for Bicycle (adult)Source 11 for Bicycle (adult) |
| Bicycle (children's) | No guide prices this one. Enter your own figure and keep the evidence for it. | |||
| Bike Helmet | $7 to $10 | $4.25 to $7 | $1 to $4.25 | Source 14 for Bike HelmetSource 4 for Bike Helmet |
| Rack, Pump, Lights and Other Accessories | $7 to $10 | $4.25 to $7 | $1 to $4.25 | Source 14 for Rack, Pump, Lights and Other AccessoriesSource 4 for Rack, Pump, Lights and Other Accessories |
Values are per item, in 2026 dollars, from the DeductiBee valuation dataset, edition 2026.1. A range is what the source guide published; the suggested figure is the point inside it we prefill, not a price. Back to the full chart of donation values by item, or add this to a list. Got a receipt for this? Check it.
Count yours
Set a count and a condition on each line for a total range you can print, link to, or save.
1 piece, suggested total
$39
Supported range $28 to $50
- This is fair market value, not tax saved. What it is worth to you
Photograph them before they leave the house. DeductiBee keeps the count, the condition, the photo and the value together on your iPhone until April. A counted batch is one entry; free for 20 new entries a year.
How this range was derived
The Salvation Army publishes $5 to $83 for a bicycle and Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona $20 to $70. We use the lower of the two highs, $70, and split $5 to $70 into three condition tiers: the bottom 35% is Fair, 35% to 70% is Good, and the top 30% is Like new. Eight more published guides are compared further down the page.
The dataset record
Inherited from the published class-level "Bicycle" range: no registered guide splits bicycles by adult vs. children's, so the unsplit published row is carried on the adult leaf only and the children's leaf stays unvalued rather than claiming an adult range. Published: Salvation Army "Bicycle" $5.00-$83.00; Goodwill Central & Northern Arizona "Bicycles" $20-$70. Corroborating: Goodwill Central Illinois "Bicycles" $6.00-$50.00; Goodwill average-price list "Bike" $10. L*=$5, H*=$70 by lower median across the two primaries. Tiers per CITATIONS.md 3.4-3.6 (lower-median consolidation, 35%/70% band split, roundMoney). Sanity-anchor check per SOURCES.json goodwill-average-price-list: that sheet's point value for "Bike" is $10, well below the derived Good band of $28-$50. The divergence is recorded rather than corrected: it is driven by goodwill-cnaz (Phoenix pricing, $20-$70), whose high is still below the Salvation Army high of $83, so H*=$70 is the conservative of the two published highs and the envelope is supported by both primaries. Users with an ordinary used bike should expect to sit at the low end of the Fair band or override. CORROBORATION 2026-08-04 (registry pass, no values changed): goodwill-northern-illinois-valuation-guide "Bicycle" $6.00-$50.00. All registered corroborating, so per CITATIONS.md 3.3 they do not enter the L*/H* consolidation and the published range above is unchanged. AUDIT 2026-08-04, corroboration sweep completed: the registry pass credited only goodwill-northern-illinois and left six registered guides that also print a bicycle row uncited. Added, each read out of the fetched document: Ohio Valley Goodwill "Bicycles" $25-$150; Hope Village "Bicycle" $5.00-$75.00; Beacon House "Bicycle" $5.00-$75.00; Goodwill WNCT "Bike" $10 (point); Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago "Bicycles" $9.99 (point); smbiz "Bicycle" $10.00-$170.00. All corroborating, so per CITATIONS.md 3.3 none enters the consolidation and L*=$5.00 / H*=$70.00 is unchanged; they are recorded so the leaf cites every source that covers it rather than an arbitrary subset.
The same rules apply to every item: how the values are built. Want a different condition? Look up this bicycle in the value tool.
- Like new
- Passes all five checks: true wheels, tires that hold air, firm brakes, clean shifting, no rust.
- Good
- Rides well and passes four of the five checks, with light cosmetic wear.
- Fair
- Rideable but needs work: passes two or three checks, with scuffs or a tired drivetrain.
What drives the value of a donated bicycle
The tier you pick is the biggest lever on this page. Here is what actually decides it.
The published band on this page describes an ordinary adult bicycle. What moves a specific bike inside it is mechanical condition in a fixed order: do the wheels spin true without rubbing, do the tires hold air and still have tread, do both brakes stop the wheel firmly, and does the chain move across the gears without skipping. A bike failing any one of those needs shop time before it can be resold, and that is what the lower part of the range describes.
Rust is the fastest read on a bike's history. Surface rust on a chain and on the exposed seatpost means it lived outside, and outdoor storage also means seized cables, perished tire sidewalls, and bearings that feel gritty when you spin the cranks. A bike stored indoors with a clean drivetrain generally makes an honest like-new or good claim; one pulled out from behind a shed generally does not, whatever the frame looks like from six feet away.
Two rows on this page work differently. Children's bicycles carry no published range in this dataset, so they ask for your own figure. And a genuinely high-end road or mountain bike is likely worth more than any published thrift band, which means comparable sales rather than this row: write down the make, model, model year, and frame size before the bike leaves, because those four facts are what any later valuation is built from.
Published bicycle values across the guides
Most pages that answer this question print one charity's row. The bicycle leaf in our dataset records every published guide in our source registry that prints a bicycle line, and here they are side by side. Single values are a store's average shelf price rather than a range.
Our band ($5 to $70 across all three tiers) takes the lower of the two primary guides' highs, then splits it by condition, which is why a typical used bike lands at $28 to $50 rather than at the top of the widest guide.
| Guide | Published bicycle value |
|---|---|
| Salvation Army | $5 to $83 |
| Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona | $20 to $70 |
| Goodwill of Central Illinois | $6 to $50 |
| Goodwill of Northern Illinois | $6 to $50 |
| Ohio Valley Goodwill | $25 to $150 |
| Hope Village | $5 to $75 |
| Beacon House | $5 to $75 |
| Small Business Taxes and Management guide | $10 to $170 |
| Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut | $10 (single value) |
| Goodwill Greater Milwaukee and Chicago | $9.99 (single value) |
Does the type of bike change the value?
The published guides do not split bicycles by type, so a mainstream road, hybrid, mountain or cruiser bike from a big-box store sits in the band above. What moves it is condition: wheels that spin true, tires that hold air, brakes that stop firmly, shifting that does not skip, and a drivetrain that was stored indoors without rust. Five of five is Like new, four is Good, two or three is Fair, and fewer than that is generally below good used condition.
A branded shop bike (Trek, Specialized, Giant and similar), a recent model, or an e-bike is a different case. Its fair market value comes from comparable sales, not the thrift band: find three sold listings of the same model and year, use the middle one, and keep the screenshots. A private-party sale price fits fair market value better than a trade-in quote. Many charities refuse e-bikes or their batteries, so ask first.
Some charities and guides suggest 30% of what you paid for anything not on their list, which would make a $400 bike $120. That is a charity rule of thumb, not an IRS method, and the thrift band is usually lower.
Donating to a bike charity or co-op
Youth programs and overseas shipping programs often ask for a suggested cash contribution per bike to cover shipping or repair. That cash is a separate cash gift with its own receipt; it is not part of the bike's value. Confirm the program is a qualified organization before you count on a deduction.
A donated bike only helps if you itemize. The new deduction for people who take the standard deduction is, as currently written, for cash gifts, so a bike generally does not count toward it (how that deduction works).
Worked example: a 2019 hybrid bought for $550, stored indoors, passing four of the five checks, is Good: $28 to $50, suggested $39. The same model as a 2022 shop bike in like-new condition goes to the comparable-sales path instead.
What evidence supports the condition you claimed
A number you can trace and defend is worth more in an audit than a generous one you cannot.
Photograph the whole bike from the drive side, then the drivetrain close up, then the frame's serial number under the bottom bracket. The serial number is worth having for a reason beyond the deduction: it is what identifies the bike if it is ever recovered after a theft, and it also pins down the model. Add a note on tire condition and whether the brakes were adjusted, since those are the two things an intake volunteer will test and neither shows in a photograph.
Items people log as a bicycle by mistake
Filing an item under the wrong line is the quietest way to end up with a number you cannot support.
A children's bicycle
Kids' bikes have no published range in this dataset, so they are custom-valued rather than a smaller version of the adult row. Enter your own figure and note the wheel size you based it on.
A helmet
Helmets are their own small published line, and they are worth thinking about before donating: a helmet that has taken an impact should be thrown away rather than given away, and many organizations decline used helmets entirely.
A stationary or exercise bike
Indoor fitness equipment is a different part of the guide, and no published band covers it, so it is custom-valued. The rows here are written for a bicycle you could ride away.
Up, sideways, and out
Every value on this page comes out of the sporting goods section of the donation value guide, which shows the rest of the category with the same sourcing.
- ValuesSporting goods donation valuesThe whole category, item by item, with the published range and the source behind every line.
- ValuesHow much is a donated suitcase worth?A donated suitcase is generally worth $5 to $16, about $11 in good condition. Run the 30-second roll test, count set pieces, see when Rimowa or Tumi need comps.
- ValuesHow much is a donated desk worth? 2026 values by desk typeA donated desk in good condition is generally worth $38 to $50. Values for computer, secretary, standing and L-shaped desks, and why Salvation Army lists $145.
- ValuesTV donation value: what a used television is worth for taxesA working flat-screen TV in good condition is generally worth $145 to $230 donated, about $185. What Salvation Army and Goodwill list, and when it is $0.
- ValuesBoard game donation value: what a used game is worth for taxesA donated board game is generally worth $1 to $3, about $2 in good condition. Card games, chess sets and puzzles by condition, plus when a game is worth more.
- LookupLook up any other itemSearch the whole catalog, pick a condition, and read the range with its citation.
- CalculatorWhat the deduction is worth to youTurn a documented total into a range of tax effect, with the marginal-rate assumption stated on screen.
Questions about donating a bicycle
What condition does a donated bike need to be in?
How do I value an expensive bike?
Should I donate the helmet with the bike?
How much is a donated bike worth for taxes?
Can I use Bicycle Blue Book value for a donated bike?
Is the 30% of original price rule valid?
How do I value a donated e-bike?
What is a donated kids' bike worth?
Do I need a receipt for a donated bicycle?
Where these values come from
Every range on this page traces to one of these. Values are derived from the published ranges, never copied from another product’s valuation database, and never invented where no source covers an item.
- Donation Value Guide (The Salvation Army Thrift Stores | Donation Valuation Guide)
The Salvation Army (Thrift Stores / Adult Rehabilitation Centers)
Primary value source. A published range from this guide can set the low or high end of an item's band. Fetched and read .
- Estimated Donation Values
Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona
Primary value source. A published range from this guide can set the low or high end of an item's band. Fetched and read .
- Donation Value Guide / Valuation Guide
Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois (Peoria, IL)
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Valuation Guide for Goodwill Donors (single average price variant)
Goodwill Industries International (single-value variant; copy hosted by Goodwill Industries of East Texas)
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Valuation Guide
Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Fair Market Value Sheet (Revised 3/1/2023)
Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries (Cincinnati, OH)
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Donation Value Guide
Hope Village for Children (Hope Village Thrift Store, Meridian, Mississippi)
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Donation Value Guide
The Beacon House Association of San Pedro (Beacon House Thrift Shop, San Pedro, CA)
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Valuation Guide for Goodwill Donors
Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Donation Value Guide - What is my donation worth?
Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago (Goodwill Retail Services, Inc., Tax ID# 39-2040239)
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Valuation Guide for Charitable Contributions
Small Business Taxes & Management (A/N Group, Inc.), ISSN 1089-1536
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
- Publication 561 (12/2025), Determining the Value of Donated Property
Internal Revenue Service (U.S. Department of the Treasury)
Methodology. Sets the standard the values have to meet. Never a source of dollar figures. Fetched and read .
- Publication 526 (2025), Charitable Contributions
Internal Revenue Service (U.S. Department of the Treasury)
Methodology. Sets the standard the values have to meet. Never a source of dollar figures. Fetched and read .
- Estimated Valuation Guide & Receipt for Items Donated to the Kokomo Rescue Mission
Kokomo Rescue Mission (Kokomo, Indiana; Federal I.D. No. 351104430)
Corroborating check. Used to sanity-check a band. Never moves a figure on its own. Fetched and read .
The rules behind the thresholds
- Publication 561, Determining the Value of Donated PropertyIRS, IRS publication
- Publication 526, Charitable ContributionsIRS, IRS publication
- Instructions for Form 8283IRS, IRS form
A value is evidence, not a ruling. Deductibility depends on your own facts, including whether the organization is qualified and what records you kept. This is record-keeping software, not tax advice.
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