Originally Posted by
wrk101
To the "poor college student" my standard reply is: "I completely understand. I am a broke old guy, living on a fixed income. I sure wish I could give you a discount..."
The strange thing to me, is back in my college days (mid 1970s), I paid $169 for my college bike (UO8). Meanwhile, a semester's tuition was $450 at University of Illinois, and a technical college textbook was $30. Now the equivalent book is $250 to $300, tuition is ~ $5000+. And my UO8 in today's dollars would be $750.
Yet college students today budget $100 for a bike.
You forgot, gas was $.30 a gallon when you went to college.
The solution to raising used bike prices is to sell them via a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit, then ask the government for a clean energy bicycle loan purchase program. Then you can keep raising prices and add a 55% fringe benefit program on top of your wage.
The Detroit bike coop currently has a well worn, but overhauled Trek 800 MTB, listed for $300. Must be pretty rare!
