Originally Posted by
70sSanO
While I agree that you can find new lower quality replacements pretty easily, the good stuff is pretty much gone. Or the price is so high it is hardly worth it.
5/6 years ago I could go onto eBay and find very nice derailleurs, cranks, brakes, etc. at pretty good prices.
This past year, it took my a few months to find a decent set of SD7 V-brakes, and I still paid more for them used than I had paid for new ones in 2013. Obviously the recall had some impact, but you’d think no one is using V-brakes anymore, they should be giving them away.
John
Maybe it depends on where you are, but I can buy <$100 rigid mtbs with good components all day long on CL and in thrift shops. These are the basis of almost all of my project rebuilds. But that takes a little work for looking.
FWIW, I never shop of ebay as it seems to be the easy international click and buy option that drives prices up. Too many people looking at the same thing. In thrift shops or on CL/FB marketplace, the only competition are locals looking for a cheap bike or project seekers such as myself.