Turn the frown upside down! Retro goldmine!

[Gtpulse]

I’ve sold him loads and loads of bits at what I’d class as market value or slightly under. They then appear as 2 or 3x the price. I guess they eventually sell at some point.

I’m maybe a bit too risk averse and a bit too lazy for that strategy! I look at parts like that and think there must be a lot of work to do stripping, cleaning and photographing in the right way, that’s before you’ve done a description and postage cost etc. EBay does surprise me sometimes. When I list stuff it’s usually been off the back of an expense usually car/pet/house related that I’m trying to offset. Then it sits there sometimes for months but someone eventually buys it.

 

[Tootyred]

Fool and his money.........

 

[bikeworkshop]

The relative value of classic bike kit is irrelevant if you aren't buying or selling anything.

If values are falling,
you're a loser of you want to flog your collection and make a profit.

You're a winner if you want to buy more stuff, or upgrade what you already have.

I buy and sell continuously so as prices fluctuate (or the economy booms or enters a recession), I have to modify my perception of value pretty quickly.

It's quite challenging sometimes.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Made me think of this thread when this popped up in my eBay searches. I thought surely it’s not worth that much so checked the sellers sold items - stuff I don’t class as high end seems to be selling for decent prices for them? Some of it a bit all over the place makes me wonder who is buying it at that price when so much is available for less?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17656455...jBPcoA6Tqi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Another granniegear, always overpriced.

 

[d8mok]

I’m maybe a bit too risk averse and a bit too lazy for that strategy! I look at parts like that and think there must be a lot of work to do stripping, cleaning and photographing in the right way, that’s before you’ve done a description and postage cost etc. EBay does surprise me sometimes. When I list stuff it’s usually been off the back of an expense usually car/pet/house related that I’m trying to offset. Then it sits there sometimes for months but someone eventually buys it.

To be fair I’ve done the cleaning already , and sometimes even the description. So it’ll take him less than a minute to relist them.

Some parts don’t fluctuate much and kinda have their selling price. For example a couple of XT bits that haven’t really moved much in last few years

XT M739 brakes £40-45
XT M739 levers £30
XT M740 shifters £40
XT m737 chainset £50

This is what I would sell them for. Usually straight away after listing. He then lists them at double or slightly more. I guess at some point someone needs that final part to finish a build and is prepared to overpay.

 

[Gtpulse]

To be fair I’ve done the cleaning already , and sometimes even the description. So it’ll take him less than a minute to relist them.

Some parts don’t fluctuate much and kinda have their selling price. For example a couple of XT bits that haven’t really moved much in last few years

XT M739 brakes £40-45
XT M739 levers £30
XT M740 shifters £40
XT m737 chainset £50

This is what I would sell them for. Usually straight away after listing. He then lists them at double or slightly more. I guess at some point someone needs that final part to finish a build and is prepared to overpay.

That’s an interesting insight in to the market. Sounds like XT and above is fairly stable if it’s complete/good condition which I guess is what you’ve said all along - the good stuff in good condition is still popular with buyers.

It’s easy to place a monetary value on stuff, true it fluctuates with supply and demand which only really matters if you want your money back at some point.

When I think of the enjoyment/relaxtion/mindfulness I get out of tinkering with my bikes and casting an eye over the ones I’ve built/ridden/posted threads on they are priceless. When I meet and talk with people who I realise don’t have a hobby or get outside much it brings home how rich you are!

 

[d8mok]

XTR seems to have dropped slightly from its heights of 2021/22 etc. but it’s fairly stable too for the nice stuff

People try to get top money for tatty stuff but it never works. It’s either nice XTR and worth good money or worth very little if worn.

People who are building XT and XTR level bikes want the appearance to look good.

 

[ThePrivateer]

Been a member here for quite a while now, love the place, generally full of decent people who share my interests …
At the moment I'm still loving it so will carry on.

I could not say it any better way.

This is the nicest online community I’ve ever been part of.
Lots of very committed people, helpful comments.
I’ve learned a lot from reading old posts.
And it is always fun just browsing the forums

I can’t compare it to social media, as I do not use them at all - I think they are a danger to our democracies - but that is an aside.

I just hope this forum will live on for a long time.
Thanks to all who maintain it.

 

[al-onestare]

Couple of observations:

- This sites (and forums in general) USP is, and remains, the ability to tell a story and converse in a structured conversation. None of the social media sites do that well. The upgrade from a few years back was long overdue and I think it gave everyone a shot in the arm and continues to facilitate what we love and are passionate about. In other words, as of today, there's no rival, there is no better place to be.
- Post COVID, the selling market is pretty much back to "normal". Thank goodness for that. Where the site has lost out is the marketplace. It still provides a platform, but there are many more options than in 2008 when I joined.
- We have to remember this is niche hobby, and with time ticking on, parts and bikes, and frankly, us, are decreasing in availability. That's a threat as much as it's an opportunity. I firmly believe if we want to keep our history alive, we need to seriously think about extending the parameters of what's generally considered "retro". As an example, the free-ride movement, or at least the birth of it, is 20 years old give or take. That changed a lot of peoples lives and gave birth to a whole "new" scene, and with anything like that, at a certain age, it become nostalgic. Wouldn't it be great if we could encourage participation and be more inclusive to the post 2000 scene. We have the 1998 section but every year that gets bigger and bigger. I realise this has been debated many, many times so I'll stop here.
- Picking up on us, the community, that's the best part about the site. Sure the bikes are amazing, but it's the people we meet and converse with, their knowledge and their experiences that make this what it is. We must cherish and take care of each other. We've lost some amazing people to time, and that's going to accelerate.
- For all that's great about the community, naturally there are folks who have a different take and different values. I'm glad that bad behaviours are not accepted and for the most part, the forum rules are followed. Action is taken when it's needed; the mod's do a fantastic job. Big kudos to them.

For now, the scene is active and remains relatively healthy

 

[d8mok]

I’d be interested to see the data of new members joining and the footfall weekly.

If we embraced the 98-2005 bikes we would attract a whole new group to the forum which will be in their prime now