I have observed the same trend Rabid Koala. Though I think places like Value(Walmart)Village probably redistribute (and also sell walmart seconds-ever notice several pairs of the same shoes which appear to be brand new?). I don't think the local salvation army or st. Vincent de Paul (sp?) do. But I have noticed the prices, in vancouver they would be asking $80-120 for a department store grade POS (think CCM steel with oversides tubing and stamped steel road bike/BMX style calipers on a MTB). The last time I got a good deal is when I TALKED DOWN the price of a 10speed apollo mixte at salvation army c.2006 to $35 which I promptly dropped another $30 or so dollars on to convert to upright cruiser bars... it was low end, cottered cranks and all but still was within reason as a flip. I have not see a bike worth buying since then. I got a bunch of free bikes from my girlfriend's dad who picked them up at the dump and otherwise my flips during 2006/2007 were taken from deals on craigslist (like 3 road bikes which had been ravaged and attempted to be turned into SS -all failed attempts- for $100 which I promptly tripled my money on). In anycase I do not flip anymore. My last "flip" was a year ago when I bought a crescent for $60 from the community bike shop for the ideale 92 saddle, stronglight competition french threaded cottered crankset, and nuovo record headset I flipped the fameset for the price I paid and kept the parts (oh yeah a 27" wienmann rim laced to a tipo hub was included in that). Since then I have had nothing. You have to watch CL and used vic like a hawk for the unknowing person trying to clean out their garage. You rarely can snag a deal and the thrift stores don't even get decent donations because people have "caught on" and try and sell their 1970s freespirit in non-functioning condition for $150. These days I just stick to combing the used bike shops for parts since they usually sell most thing for nearly flat rate or a couple bucks more. That means my flips are only parts. I fond an NOS Coloral handlebar mount bottle cage for $10 and sold it for $80 on ebay. It's less work than overhauling and in recent months it has kept food in mouth as much as financed my bike projects which are never ending anyway so fliping complete is a thing of the past for me.