Balancing act

[2manyoranges]

I have followed the recent discussions regarding the tone of posts on RB. I really can see the issue of people who only join RB to flog stuff.

I joined recently. I have put quite a bit up for sale very shortly after joining. That might be interpreted as exploitative. So here's some background.

I had quite a few years when very difficult events in my life took me away from the trails, after being right in the middle of the mountain-biking scene in the South in the late 80s and 90s. I mean riding with Russell B, Jo B, doing articles for MBUK, and so on. After 2000, I had a workshop and store full of bikes, and was happy to ride my ancient Oranges alongside people on the new kit and carbon rigs. Skiing and climbing was more important to me than mountain-biking - indeed the old trails were somewhat paved with memories which made me more than sad to go back to. But then I had a new family, and when my 10 year old son began to show interest in the AMP B3 in the workshop and interest in riding more than just to school and back, I thought it might be time to get my head sorted and my arse in gear. So I build a very lightweight XC rig for him, and then a Commencal DH bike (24 inch wheels) two years later. Still there were old bikes hanging everywhere, and under dust sheets in the store. Some had not been touched for over 15 years. In 2017 I started some new builds for me - I picked up a Cannondale F6 and used just the frame for a new hyper-lightweight build with 130 front suspension. That was fun; I enjoyed it. I built a C16R up as my son's school hack. And a tiny P7 as his first 26 inch wheel bike. Then a COTIC Soul 26 for him, a second Commercial DH bike, an Orange Alpine 160 for me so I could at least do Alpine DH runs, and a COTIC Soul 26 for me.

Frankly, I had too many bikes. Nearly 20. Four P7s. Two C16Rs. One Alpine 160. One Bontrager Racelite OR. An AMP B3. A Proflex 855 in bits. A Marin ti. And many more. The workshop was a pain, and basically you just couldn't move for bikes. I had no idea what any of them were worth, and wanted to know what to keep and what to send on. I found RetroBike and had great help from members, particularly Regan_ev, who was exceptionally generous with his time and knowledge. The new builds for Alex, the retroGrom, were exceptionally expensive. The two DH bikes were nearly 2000 apiece, even with the very generous help of a friend in Switzerland who got me the tiny youth frames direct from commencal (thanks Yves). Hope, Fox, handbuilt rims, milled cranks (down to 140) and so on. The first XC bike for him was well over 1000, in order to get something under 9kg which would have front suspension which actually worked for a tiny one. I have bikes and components going back to 1985, and I wanted to sell some of them at a price which meant the buyer got something genuinely nice and for a good price, but also gave me funds for more builds. I wanted to sell things in that 'sweet spot' where both people are really happy with what they paid and what they got. I can see that it is very upsetting, genuinely, for people who have been on RB for years to have people descend on the site just to sell things, and not to contribute to community.

I joined to get advice on which bikes to sell (the Racelite and B3 are not going anywhere; not least I have promised Alex they are staying - he loves both of them) and to make sure that the heaps of kit I have accumulated go to the right people. I hope that I have not only taken (advice, knowledge) from others, but also given (my own memories of times and things past, as well as passing on kit which is wanted by others - including karma items).

But the times they are a changin' and I cannot believe the prices which some things go for .... Kleins, Graftons, stuff which seem more bling than engineering. The classic car market has seen a mad set of valuations for things; it's nice to see old things valued and restored, but sad to see them so heavily monetised. I imagine it must be frustrating for many RB members of long-standing to see the culture changing, and people only interested in selling for the highest price, not exchanging things for mutual benefit within a community, albeit one which will have old members leaving and new ones joining.....

 

[mk one]

Personally i would prefer people to come here to sell retro bike parts, then having to buy them off of profit generating sites like e ay

Some people may not have any interest in retro bikes but may have bikes and parts from relatives or previous lives, where better to go sell them than a site dedicated to such things

mark

 

[kingbling]

Fair play building bikes can get expensive

 

[Peachy!]

Nothing cooler than having your man cub getting involved in something outside of the x-box

 

[k-rod]

Re:

at least most retro mountain-bike parts are useful/mechanically functional ... the extreme monetization of certain pieces of both modern and classical art - for whatever reasons it happens - is one of the most befuddling and infuriating phenomena of our modern world (one could feed an entire nation for eons, for the multi-millions that some paintings or sculptures sell for).

That (the original post) was a well presented, candid, and heartfelt dissertation.

(there should be a thumbs up emoji)

 

[legrandefromage]

Well, I'm up the road aways near Huntingdon so you're always welcome round for a chat and tea and biscuits and stuff and more stuff.

How can I put this carefully? I'll try: Certain very vocal members who complain have 'only' been here 3 years with the majority of their posts in the off topic section. This can mean absolutely nothing but it has happened before. Back in around 2007, a lot of new people appeared and upset a few of the established members. The same happened again in 2010, a few 'left' the site due to the then influx.

A lot of those 'new' members have stayed and contributed a lot to the site, those that left, well, thats their choice but it has been to the detriment of the site as a whole. Some have popped up again and had found the place welcoming, pretty much as they'd left it.

To get angry about new members joining just to sell is misguided at best, that would have precluded 90% of the people that joined. We all joined because of an interest in something and wanted to buy and sell. Some have a very high budget to purchase whereas many simply fund their purchases with sales. Many joined just to sell as they thought this was a better place than ebay or gumtree etc.

Many exciting bikes and parts have been 'found' this way - if new members were turned away how is the site expected to carry on the hobby/ obsession/ disease if the supply of 'stuff' is cut off. We wouldnt have found prototype Oranges or Saracens or titanium Marins down the tip.

Anyway dont worry about it, anyone reading with something they might think we're interested in, join away! Theres tea and biscuits in the foyer.

 

[Cheshire1980]

Agree that many bikes would not of surfaced without this site, facilitating all. I guess with all sites whatever interest/hobby, you will have the stalwarts, the regular contributors, the occassional browser and folk who just want to sell something.. But as you point out LGF, it could be a real gem, Prototype etc.. that an occassional browser or a one off seller might want sell on. So its for the sites best interest to welcome all.

 

[Gerard]

I've found it a friendly site having got back into bikes 2 or so years ago. Good people, lots of help and great rides organized. Yes there are moments, as there are anywhere in life, just a matter of counting to 5 and chewing you tongue for a while.
Wish I did sell....but I only seem able to buy :facepalm: :facepalm:

Those gems are out there and this site is a window to opportunity for those who may not know what they have....think how many have probably ended up in the skip :shock:

Anyway sounds like a dash up the A14 for tea & biscuits then

 

[Graham_hkr]

Re:

And then there are people like me who was totally unaware of retro bikes been a thing at all, I only took up cycling due to the awesome summer we've had.
So stumbling across this site via FB I am amazed & totally taken back by the amount of knowledge probably most of which you just couldn't buy, of course, I haven't made that much of a contribution as yet simply because I know next to nothing about Retro Bikes.
So for me, this is purely a site for learning at the moment, I've slightly dipped my toe in the water & purchased a Saracen frameset from a member & I intend to try & build for next summer only doing so on being fairly confident that there are members on here who are all to willing to help me do that.
So really people join for a variety of reasons & indeed it's important that people come along to sell because I for one need to buy, so thanks for that!
Cheers
G

 

[gradeAfailure]

When joined in '06, bikes at the latter end of (what is now) the -->1997 era were just coming up to ten years old and "modern" bikes were't all that great, being either heavy freeride monsters or steep-angled XC stuff. The interest in "retro" bikes was kind of in its infancy, stories were as yet untold and fascinating gems were as yet to be uncovered.

It's now 12 years later, and most of the significant stuff has been outed. Stuff like Kona Hahannas, Marin Palisades et al, that used to be available as decent starting points for retro-entry for buttons are now either up for way over what they're worth, or are all knackered. Plus, low-end stuff isn't really interesting anymore! Modern bikes have progressed in superlative leaps and bounds, and are now genuinely all-round bikes that are capable of taking on full-on DH tracks one day then being pedalled round a 50k loop the next (I have one, it's great). For me, the buzz of it being a scene in its infancy has waned.

Saying that, I've just picked up a completely original '88 Saracen Blizzard survivor for buttons and will be pressing it into use as a commuter to save using the big bike over winter. Made the cost of the bike back from selling the original tyres (on eBay, after no-one here offered a value ), so it just owes me the cost of service parts. Who knows, I may even stick some skinwall Nobby Nics on it in the summer and attend a retroride...