GOOD STUFF ONLY IN THE U.S.

[dbmtb]

I think it's a cultural thing.

It seems that the whole VRC scene has existed over there since forever, where it's only really taken off in Europe fairly recently.

There are places that cottoned onto this very early on - I kept my "keep it original" urge sated before I discovered Retrobike by dealing with now-defunct ebay outlets like Jones bikes, who had loads of NOS stuff at very reasonable rates - Ateks for £15 a PAIR! M730 hubs for £30 etc.....

Heck - even my Gios cost me less than £300 to build including the postage! When parts were a lot cheaper from Campyoldy.

Now everyone seems to have realised that all the old "junk" they never scrapped can now be sold at a premium, and since the accountants have probably written it all off as a loss, it's great stuff to sell.

 

[andrewh]

A lot of Sellers under-value the parcel on the paperwork to avoid the Import Duty/VAT but most manufacturers put the full value on new items or they won't get the full compo if it goes missing.

This is correct. Also, VAT shouldn't be charged on used items and import duty only applies on goods above a certain value

 

[DegsUk]

USA is a lot bigger than the UK. There is more stuff there to start with.
Shops are probably bigger and do not have to chuck out the old so they can squeeze in the new like my LBS who recently dumped all their old stuff, including a good batch of MAG and Judy spares and tools

Did you manage to salvage any

 

[Maxipedia]

I guess it's different for every single one of us, but in the end it's about what you like, about money and priorities.

Logical explanations are, as someone said above, the fact that the U.S. is bigger and let's not forget that most of the companies people look up to and are willing to pay ridiculous amounts of money for hail from the U.S.

I don't care much for mint or NOS stuff, but that's just me. Cosmetics are not so important as (my) bikes are meant to be ridden and patina is a beautiful thing.

When I buy stuff from overseas it's mostly Britain. I ship to a friend who is studying in Cardiff and the he makes me a a bigger package before he comes home for vacation. I guess it will be the same with the U.S. as I have somebody who will be there for the next 6 months. Otherwise, I find a great pleasure in finding stuff here in shady old Romania. It's a challenge and sometimes it's a treat, as people rarely have a clue what they are selling. To me, this is what the game is all about: rescuing things and giving them the right treatment. True connoisseurs are maybe a handful, but you end up knowing them all and sharing your prey, which is rather nice.

NOS and mint stuff sometimes pops up and then the first thing I do is laugh about it. An example? Brandnew amberwall Michelin Wildgrippers (Front) for circa 8 USD (I guess) a piece. I knew this shop since I was 14. Back then I dreamed about those, now I am getting them rid of their stock, buying ca. 2 tires every 2 weeks. So everybody's happy! ) This is rather the exception, though...

Mx

 

[DegsUk]

Great stuff !

 

[stauqmuk]

Umm is it just my math skills or is Europe with around 700 million people a whole bunch bigger than the good ol US of A with our 307 million? That said, I think that the multitude of old bike shops with a bunch of storage space is to blame. I've worked in a few shops around NYC and currently work at Brooklyn's oldest operating shop. Every one of them has had a basement or attic that anyone here would give their first born to rummage through. Just the other day I spent a few hours organizing a closet at Roy's and came home with most of a superbe pro group, an M900 front hub, a set of mag 21s and a NOS Project Two fork. All of this and tons more had been completely forgotten, probably within minutes of getting stuck in there, until I brought it out into the light. I think a lot of this stuff just fell through the cracks, things in the bike business change and evolve so often that last years kit is next to worthless so it gets stashed away for those customers daft enough to want the old junk. After a few years sitting on a shelf they get moved to a box then under the counter and then the basement where they stay until someone goes and unearths these treasures. Now none of that is scientific research but I'm relatively sure nobody hung up a torelli track frame in 1982 and thought I'll stash this until 2012 and it'll feed my kids for years.

 

[Maxipedia]

I guess when people said the U.S. is bigger they didn't refer to the number of inhabitants, but to to sheer size of land. All we are talking about is specialty product and the mountainbike culture is at home in the U.S. while in Europe the ground layer are mostly city bikes and road bikes. I don't say Europe lacks mountainbiking culture, no, but it's a bit different and it's more plausible to find all sorts of desired goods over there than over here. Your example is just perfect.

On the other hand I remember looking at the MBA fine printede shop ads from ca. 1997 which were loaded with components and read like wishlists. Call me wrong, but I am sure that at least a part of all that stuff still has to be around somewhere, maybe a warehouse, maybe a basement, waiting for guys like to to discover it.

Mx

 

[guymuttley21]

Thanx

Thanks for your opinions. Some fair points raised.

I have also bought parts from other countries and had reasonable luck too. However delivery times and issues ary from country to country.
France was 1-2 days
Poland- nearly 4-5 weeks?!!!
Iceland- once parcelforce had sent to the right postcode- 2/3 weeks

Wondered if some countries still use horse and cart for the postal services?

 

[rumpfy]

At least us Septics are good for somethin' eh? p

 

[Tazio]

At least us Septics are good for somethin' eh? p

Your steaks are good. Especially Lugers in Brooklyn and Circus Circus in Las Vegas.

And San Diego is one of my favourite cities in the world.