Purple Haze

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Ok after last nights $650 Cranks and those Xt pedals that went for $130 one of you Moderator Guys have to declaire year 1. Like in Star Trek when they first leave the hyper-speed trail or in Terminator when the computer becomes selfaware, time restarts.

Because this isnt some blokes collecting old parts. There are people who will say:
"Look I've just finished getting my retro bike together"
"But its just a pile of boxes..?"
"Well yea I dont want to take the parts out of their original packing do I!"

Year 1? Or am I sort of loosing it?
 
I should have just called it "Mad ranting".
Some blue Cook cranks sold on E-bay for $650 last night. Who would buy them to put on a bike and then ride it. No one.
I guess its me realizing that it isnt just us anymore. There are people who are also involved with collecting retro MTB stuff and probably just keeping this stuff in bloody boxes.
Total Retro Grouch moment.
 
Oh it's dinky toys isn't it. I always love finding NOS stuff, but always use it, never put it away as an investment. I'm one of those people who thinks that dinky toys that have been kept in their boxes and never played with in 60 years are things to be pitied as they have never reached their true goal ie Toy=play with me, equally bike part=ride me.

Somewhere there is an uber-cliche that have some bizarre fixation with retro or know something that we obviously don't (like cooks hid diamonds in their cranks, or that white onzas are actually compressed cocaine), either way these poor parts are destined to live in a very pretty display cabinet of a german or californian house and never see the dirt they deserve.
 
It pains me to think that there are Cook Bros cranks or XTR mechs out there that aren't going to get ridden. These things may appreciate in value in their boxes, but what price would you put on the smile on your face after thrashing your retro bike round the woods?

I'll open the boxes and use the parts and accept that my payment is increased fitness and happiness, some people want the money instead... their loss.
 
Interesting point this, I really like Pete's Dinky toy comparison.

There are two ends of the spectrum with the retro stuff with only a small grey area between.
At one end you have the collectors who just want to hoard stuff to look at and have it for the sake of having it.
At the end other you have those who buy the retro stuff to ride. This is pretty much the category I fall into. After all the stuff that is collectable and interesting is normally the stuff which is best and therefor rides nicest :D
 
It's funny actually, I suppose my Yo is probably now worth double the £420 I paid for her only a couple of months ago...!

I find it weird thinking that some people who lust after a Yo would cherish getting their hands on one, and repaint it, build it up with all NOS exotica, then only use it on dry sunny days... :(

Mine's serving as my daily hack to work at the mo, and is festooned with lights, a computer, and a saddle pack that isn't colour co-ordinated...!

And I bet you I get more enjoyment out of mine that someone who rides theirs once a fortnight at the height of summer... things are meant to be used - you can't take it with you once you're gone!
 
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