Citoyen du monde
rBotM Winner
As has already been pointed out, asking prices do not necessarily correspond to selling prices. I believe that PB bikes is using teh following technique: ask a super high price to draw the attention of potential buyers (the technique seems to have worked as we are all discussing the items here!), then hope for eventual buyers to contact them and buy outside of ebay. In so doing saving the more than 10% fees. As an added bonus, he does from time to time also find some collector who absolutely can't wait to find a specific hard-to-find component, who will actually pay his high prices. So he comes out the winner all around. The buyer is also happy in that they can perhaps complete a bike that had been waiting for only one last part to be complete. When I look at my bikes, I rarely look at the cost of the individual components, but rather at the total cost of the bike, so if I have already got a great deal on everything else, I am often more than willing to splurge for one single item needed to complete it the way I want.
As regards the items that have been outed, they are all highly sought after and in short supply. The Dura ace stems in desirable lengths are severely limited in supply and can often make or break the appearance of a bike. If they were available at the same price of a Cinelli 1R, I would fit them on all of my bikes (and I am not alone in this). Likewise the chromed ICS stem. Contrary to what has been said, the ICS stems are not mirror-polished! They are chromed. They were also available in a gold-plated version. They do not need any special care like mirror-polished ones. They are also very very rare, like virtually all ICS components. The Cinelli city bike bars are likewise very rare and were always a premium price items, even when new. When you then think it combines a rare Cinelli steel stem, a rare Cinelli steel handlebar, a rare Cinelli stem badge, Cinelli brake levers and bone grips and the price is not all that hard to explain. Besides which, the $1000 price has been pretty well standard for these bars for close to a decade. Indeed, I sold a set to a British collector close to 10 years ago for just over $1000. I also sold a similar set to an American collector and to a Japanese collector.
One last consideration is related to the fact that nothing has any value whatsoever until it is sold.
As regards the items that have been outed, they are all highly sought after and in short supply. The Dura ace stems in desirable lengths are severely limited in supply and can often make or break the appearance of a bike. If they were available at the same price of a Cinelli 1R, I would fit them on all of my bikes (and I am not alone in this). Likewise the chromed ICS stem. Contrary to what has been said, the ICS stems are not mirror-polished! They are chromed. They were also available in a gold-plated version. They do not need any special care like mirror-polished ones. They are also very very rare, like virtually all ICS components. The Cinelli city bike bars are likewise very rare and were always a premium price items, even when new. When you then think it combines a rare Cinelli steel stem, a rare Cinelli steel handlebar, a rare Cinelli stem badge, Cinelli brake levers and bone grips and the price is not all that hard to explain. Besides which, the $1000 price has been pretty well standard for these bars for close to a decade. Indeed, I sold a set to a British collector close to 10 years ago for just over $1000. I also sold a similar set to an American collector and to a Japanese collector.
One last consideration is related to the fact that nothing has any value whatsoever until it is sold.
