Very true, I was looking at Campagnolo front mechs in the region of 90 quid on EBay... Bought one on here for 40...Stuff has got more expensive, but it is what it is, if I want something and the money is available then I'll buy it, if I haven't got the money then I won't. Inevitably that same part will turn up in better condition for half the price the week after as well!
I used to change my modern bike regularly, but the prices of the higher end bits I tend to like have gone mental, so it's stayed the same for a few years now.
Retro stuff is still loads cheaper.
A pair of jeans that were Ā£40 a few years ago are now Ā£90, if that's what you want then you pay, again, it is what it is.
I think the market will flip at some point. The exception is they very high end stuff /NOS etc.Price of parts is a double edged sword, and it can work for you just as it works against you. For me the key is accepting the situation and playing the game accordingly.
Bargains come up all the time, sometimes it's an obvious deal like the Salsa stem that just sold for Ā£12, other times more effort is required in order to turn a purchase into a profit, I've bought a couple of bikes specifically in order to turn a profit with a view to raising the funds needed to complete the next project, with each project being a step up from the last in terms of the quality of the finished bike.
But at the same time I don't try to cynically profiteer in a vulture capitalist fashion, if I get a great deal I try to spread my good fortune around, whether it's offering parts for sale on here for a fair price first, before taking them to other sites where the prices go up, or giving stuff away for postage money whenever I am able to, be it frames, parts or even whole bikes.
We are dealing in goods that only ever become more scarce, every day old bikes and their parts are being ridden to death, scrapped, they are rusting away or otherwise disappearing forever, and so as they become more popular the prices are inevitably driven skywards, it is what it is, you can only do your best to make that reality work for you.
There's no doubt that the current market is being driven primarily by nostalgia Ā£Ā£Ā£$$$, but there's also a significant number of hipsters and other younger cyclists who appreciate the actual quality of 80s - 90s mtb's, especially when you compare what you can get now for the same price, I mean we have all seen decent low mileage mid range mtb's with DX group set going for Ā£200 - Ā£400, if we're talking about quality rigid steel bikes then show me where to get something new today of similar build and ride quality that excels on and off road in equal measure, and can be used for everything from a daily commute to touring and everything in between with just minor alterations to spec.I think the market will flip at some point. The exception is they very high end stuff /NOS etc.
As letās be honest it mainly appeals to Middle Aged men currently who have some spare cash/time to build what they wanted 20-30 years ago. These will slowly lose interest/die (I know itās harsh) and the value wonāt be there for people younger. First it will happen to the 80s BMX and then to 90s mountain bikes. The question is when ā¦. Which wonāt be anytime soon I feel.
Donāt get me wrong (& perhaps I shouldnāt have used the Emperors clothes phrase) I meant that regarding bang for buck I think retro still wins, take my two regular rides as examples, if I was to repeat the nuts & bolts full restoration I did to my 1992 Antaeus today it would still be a sub Ā£1k build, the Pace RC529 build got me a bike that normally would retail at Ā£3.5k+ for sub Ā£3k. What does the nearly Ā£2k extra get me? A bike thatās a little less frightening at speed downhill.As for the 29er.....im really sorry for you, i know you put some serious effort into it and it looked brill.