What the heck happened to me?

[sancho]

Not more than a month or so ago, I re-acquired my old Grove Innovations Ti bike.

Pics?!?

EDIT: Never mind. I found them.

 

[r0gue]

... in addition, you can get stuff for about 1/4 of the original cost because (1) it's used, and (2) it's old technology.....

This has not been my experience. In fact, having memory of the old days, I remember when M730 XT equipment could be had for a dollar or two as it was considered old heavy junk. Now I'm paying $15 for a Fugly as heck old u-brake that I hope to recondition a bit for a Fisher I'm working on. Some of this stuff has appreciated quite a bit. And bargains are hard to find (so far).

By the way, and recommendations for where to look for this stuff. The classifieds on this board aren't working well for me because of the high shipping costs to the US and for complete bikes, the risk of duties.

Thanks for the warm welcome I've been receiving. This is now my main board for web hanging out!

Cheers!

 

[incorrigible]

... in addition, you can get stuff for about 1/4 of the original cost because (1) it's used, and (2) it's old technology.....

This has not been my experience. In fact, having memory of the old days, I remember when M730 XT equipment could be had for a dollar or two as it was considered old heavy junk. Now I'm paying $15 for a Fugly as heck old u-brake that I hope to recondition a bit for a Fisher I'm working on. Some of this stuff has appreciated quite a bit. And bargains are hard to find (so far).

By the way, and recommendations for where to look for this stuff. The classifieds on this board aren't working well for me because of the high shipping costs to the US and for complete bikes, the risk of duties.

Thanks for the warm welcome I've been receiving. This is now my main board for web hanging out!

Cheers!

I've had good luck using Google to find listings on Craigslist and eBay. Bargains can be found, but not necessarily from collectors or internet or market savvy sellers (although there are exceptions; RB's MTB For Sale forum is hard to beat). The bargains I find are typically from someone that bought a nice bike 20 years ago, rode it a handful of times, and has decided to finally sell it. That said, however, I have had to drive some long distances, sometimes several hours, in order to buy a bike, so obviously I spent a lot of time and money driving, but most times I did that I still spent less money than I would have if I had bought that bike 20 years ago new from a bike shop.

I've also talked Craigslist sellers across the country into selling to me. They take the bike to their LBS to get it packed, and I pay them for the bike and the packing, and then I pay UPS to pick it up and deliver it to me. I also search Craigslist for bikes in my immediate area, and every now and then I find something poorly listed, i.e., listed simply as "bike", or "alpine bike" or "alpine stars" (2 words, not one) for an Alpinestars bike. I wouldn't have found them, though, unless I searched diligently on a regular basis.

NOS stuff is another situation entirely, as it definitely commands a premium price. Another situation - the opposite of NOS - is a bike that has been well-worn. Whether or not the seller is an expert about bikes doesn't affect the price that I'm willing to pay for a beater bike because it will cost time and money to repair/rebuild it.

 

[Vinevo]

When the bug bites it bites hard, beware!

You know your in trouble when a) your not entirely honest about the haul and b) you can justify a full build around a pair of thumbshifters!

 

[Mr Panda]

Count yourself lucky your not trying to buy NOS Campagnolo roadbike components, especially brakes ££££££££££££/$$$$$$$$$$$$$ :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Eddie King]

... in addition, you can get stuff for about 1/4 of the original cost because (1) it's used, and (2) it's old technology.....

Indeed....time and technology have moved on but speaking on a purely personal level I haven't

....and so I can have fun riding and building bikes that I could never even have considered owning when they were going at original prices

....don't like to think how much all the bargains have actually cost tho'