cudak888 

Does that mean we can move this to Valuations now?

I'll see myself out.

-Kurt

3alarmer 

...not me. I'll be here all week. Please remember to tip your waiter, folks.

cb400bill

The veal isn’t that great.

cudak888 

So where do I slip the bribe money again?

-Kurt

cb400bill

Into the bars of the 22.5" Paramount that you're sending me.

cudak888 

Package incoming courtesy of @SurferRosa. I hope you like them in blue.

-Kurt

krakhaus 

Hey neighbor. Good to see another Coachella Valley rider here in the C&V.

SurferRosa

I took a ton of pics about two weeks ago and posted a few to that Paramount thread. But I still haven't listed it. I'll get around to it eventually. It really doesn't take up that much room.

WilliamK1974

Here's one from my neck of the woods:

https://chattanooga.craigslist.org/b...316029315.html

Not sure whether to laugh or cry. Just the addition of the Brooks saddle probably doubled the value. But the trouble here is that with all the work the person did and all the time they expended, they've got far more in than they'll be able to get out of it. Makes you want to ask why, because surly the person knew that a Varsity isn't considered a classic rarity.

There was also a recent post on the Facebook marketplace where someone was selling a Huffy Aerowind (I think) that was still NOS and in the original box asking $250. Sure, it would be interesting to get to unpack something like that, but not for $250. Wonder what its original MSRP was.

-William

gthomson

Yup, that's what I'm talking about only without taking apart every item down to the screw and re-finished. I see them with full rust, dried up tires, 35 year old dried out grease and handlebar tape that looks like lizard skin for the same price.

Cougrrcj

I won't even consider those sellers/bikes outside of my price point. So where's the 'crime' that needs the 'price police?

The seller can ASK whatever they want - it all comes down to what I am willing to spend! I 'self-police'.

treebound 

I finally recently sold one bike I was very upside down on. It went through several iterations while I had it, and it also had most of the components upgraded over time as parts bikes came through my hands. The buyer was happy and seemed to appreciate the upgrades. The tires and wheels were probably worth close to my asking price.

Deals are out there, but sometimes a good deal sits unsold for various reasons.

I was almost to the point of having no redundancy in my stable. I have redundancy again. As I said, deals are out there and I’ve missed quite a few of them. I’ve also passed on some after looking them over for various reasons.

The ebb and flow of the tides of the bicycle marketplace. ‘Tis what it is.

3alarmer 

...this has been a perennial problem in the used bicycle marketplace, since I started reading the local CL and responding in the C+V valuations subforum. It's the reason everyone always asks for photos in that subforum, because all 40 year old Paramount's are not equivalent in value. Less knowledgeable people see a 1971 Paramount on ebay, see that they are trying to sell dad's old 1971 Paramount, and presume they are equivalent.

I would let this go, were I you. I understand the frustration, but it's not something that's within your control, other than to simply ignore it. I see bicycles all the time on the local CL that I could assume as projects, full dismantle, repaint, decal, and reassemble with new wheels to result in a classic frame that is a fun ride. But they are often too expensive in their asking price, because someone has the idea it's a nice bike, in spite of the current condition. I now presume they are doing me a favor, because I can only do three or four complete repaint projects a year. Otherwise it's not fun any more.

Korina

And here I am. I found a beautiful bike on Pink Bike; a ‘93 RockHopper Expert, in really excellent condition if you ignore the dent in the chainstay; the owner had it tuned up to sell. It’s one year newer, several models higher, and one size smaller than my beloved Pretty Purple Princess Penelope; it’s even purple. I can ride an 18”, but 17” would be better. I could buy the bike, swap parts, and sell the old bike, if he hadn’t priced it at $700.
C’est la vie, I guess.

cs1

There are so many folks living in the good old days here. They can't get over the fact that the supply of nice old bikes is dwindling and the price is increasing. It's just economics. In todays COVID ravaged market it's just going to get worse.

oddjob2

In 1st Q 2021, picked up an early 1970's Raleigh Competition Carlton, all black, with a newish Brooks with springs for $160, about $15 under asking. Also picked up a Raleigh Gran Sort in 2020 for $170. IMHO, both bought below FMV. This spring, hard to find MTBa with rigid front forks for a friends boys, so I paid $70 Trek 700, $125 Hard Rock, $165 Gary Fisher. Trek seat post is stuck.

Sold a refurbished 1987 Schwinn Tempo with new tire yesterday for $350,

Keep hunting deals are out there.

dkatz1

There is a complicated and somewhat radical solution to this problem.
If you dont' like the price, don't buy it.

genejockey 

"Posted a month ago" So, it's still for sale? Wouldn't that mean it's NOT worth $350?

Just because there's a high ASKING price doesn't mean there's a high SELLING price. I mean, I got $75 knocked off the Lotus Classique I just bought, just for being willing to drive across The Bay!

genejockey 

And then there are folks like me, who only just got into vintage bikes, who see bargains everywhere! Where else can you pay $150, and with two weeks worth of evenings have a really nice bike you like riding?

Marci

As production comes back the cheapo bike prices will lower to where they belong. Sit tight, but if you have an old beater now is the time to get rid of it. LOL
Just be glad your not car shopping like I am. Even high mileage bad cars are bringing big bucks. But I really didn't use my car much the last year (tranny went-wasn't worth fixing) I have a bike, Lots of baskets and bags for shopping, am retired so I can sit it out. Actually am finding out how much I do not need a car really. LOL

cs1

Probably nowhere.

genejockey 

I guess I limited it to bikes by having it end up with a bike, didn't I?

RiddleOfSteel

Yeah, the used vehicle market has just gone crazy the last year, on top of already heading in that direction the last several years. There are the usual suspects still sitting at the bottom of the proverbial sea, cheap as ever, but there's been strong updrafts in other segments, some quite surprising. Truck market, especially in the NW, is just silly. I would like to think that I am not so hard up for a truck that I'd be willing to pay $10k+ for a 200,000 mile rig that's 25 years old and needs some work. So until things get their heads on straight (lol), I'll just keep driving my car. [also of note, looking for a manual transmission 4x4 requires patience, so I box myself in pretty good there--still, I look at the overall truck market without those stipulations and see a sea of hilarity!]

cudak888 

I think it's time that we send the cops in.


-Kurt

SurferRosa

I think it would more likely mean that it's not worth $350 to anyone in the market that viewed that particular listing in the month it was viewed.