Like perhaps many of you, I check in on Craig's List and eBay from time to time. And over and over I see ads for 5 year old bikes offered at 80-90% of their original list prices. Hey, it's a free market and more power to them if they can get their price...but they can't. I've contacted people with month old or older listings, and invariably find, a) the bike is still available, and, b) they get very testy and offended if I suggest that perhaps $800 for a 2009 Trek 7.5 is a tad on the high side. That in a month or so, when the 2016s come out, bike shops will be selling 2015 models at 20% off, brand new, with warranty, and after sale service. "But it's only been ridden twice!", they howl. I try to break it to them gently that it's the nature of the beast (kind of like gym memberships) that there will always be a goodly number of bicycles for sale that have "only been ridden twice".

People with, for example, 5 year old golf clubs seem to have no trouble with the concept that they've depreciated considerably, but bike owners -- particularly ones who aren't really bike riders -- seem inherently resistant to the notion. Is it that during one of the two rides they took they fell on their heads?

Just an idle observation.