Tubes are probably Taiwan or China. Maybe the bar wrap?

I’ve seen some really bizarre things at the co-op but this is a first. Someone pulled a tire liner out of an old tire that I thought was one of the kevlar ones. Nope. It was Norton emery cloth, 224 grit. That begs the question of what was it supposed to do? Sand off whatever makes the puncture? Or was it there to keep the tire from creeping at low pressures?


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...641a1b270.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...16068c6b1.jpeg

That Gios, we've put a $375 price on it.

Not a proper groupo, but them thar parts alone could net that. swap a couple out. Or just ride it.

a very good asking price, IMO, especially if it's in ready-to-ride shape

Robvolz ,
I might be interested in the Gios, if Alexthe is not. It is my size, and even though I don't need it, it might be one I would be able to save using Campy parts and restoring it to original specs. I would be interested in what the shipping costs to Middle Indiana might be. Smiles, MH

very weird.
Maybe somebody thought anything the right width made from fabric was a reasonable substitute for Velox or Zefal rim strip?

Tonight was an interesting shift at the co-op.

I had known for some time that the external threading on a Uniglide / early Hyperglide freehub mechanism was 1.37 x 24 - same as English-threaded freewheels and bottom brackets. I'd even used BB lockrings as a guide/shield while grinding down a few freehub bodies to fit 11 tooth small cogs as suggested on Sheldon's site. And I suppose I could have conceived that someone might try to thread a freewheel onto a freehub. But I didn't put two and two together until a customer said "I found the gears, but now the axle is too short", and brought this to the counter:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7f337ad6f.jpeg

Not only had they tried to thread a freewheel onto a freehub, but a 9-speed e-bike freewheel at that.

Fortunately, it was easily dismantled with a puller and large pliers.

Then a complaint about a brand-new tube going flat. Turned out this big nasty was still in the carcass, plain as day:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5ebc1d7ca.jpeg

Pulled it out plus several more, explained to the kid how to check and clean a tire, then patched the tube.

Ended up staying late to finish up, and was very happy to have the Ridekick trailer help my tired legs home.

[MENTION=546542]RCMoeur[/MENTION], wow, customers think of new stuff all the time. The human mind is an amazing thing.

The gios…still here
sequoia, still here

and today….

this screw and glue specialized Allez
size 58 c-c and top tube 57 c-c…$200
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a0745fa3c.jpeg

plus this Houston based Romac in size 60
now $300

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a931bbc2d.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b5adca3da.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8f299c254.jpeg

and lowered the price of this Faggin to $250
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ace3fa8e4a.jpg
and this just happened

epic w mostly dura ace 7800

Titanium dura ace cogs

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...151b106681.jpg

Maybe I'm too cheap, but the prices I see at co-ops are too high. They get all this for free. If it is around for more than a month or two, it's too expensive. A co-op near me has had the same Colnago for like 2 years now. Obviously it is priced too high, but the price is never adjusted. It's not the only bike hanging out for that long, either. At this same co-op, I recently tried to buy a seatpost, picked from their seatpost bin, and when I got to the counter, I was asked to pay more because it was a nicer than average seatpost. When I asked what were they expecting someone to pay for it, they said eBay has these all the time for about $70-$80, so in that range. Bin says $15. I handed it back to them so they could put a $75 tag on it and let it hang out in their glass case indefinitely. Co-ops are the thrift stores of the bike world. Nobody goes to a thrift store and expects to pay retail, and a local co-op trying to compete with eBay on prices seems like a losing strategy.

About the only good prices I see are on the complete bikes that they don't have the time to go through and garner zero interest from anyone except nerdy people like you and me. Once it goes through the hands of the co-op volunteer mechanic, it is a 500%-1000% increase in price (i.e. price btw $500-$700, regardless of the tier of the bike).


EDIT: Its worth reiterating that I'm too cheap:D

Those lowered are high priced compared to what I see at the local coop, bike thrifts, even more than local brick & morter new/used shop.

Show me a Romec comp and I'll lower the price.

They can't all be $25 Huffy Aerowinds.

"Market price" all depends on where the market is. If they are expecting eBay prices, then they should be selling on eBay. My aunt did that at a gift shop where she worked when they had excess inventory that they wanted to liquidate and the local market was limited.

It is completely my subjective opinion, and the only thing I can do is either choose to shop there and be okay with this prices, or not.

I think what it means is I may stop by to look at recent donations that they haven’t gone through, but nothing else. In a world where we keep hearing how the used market is tanking, especially on older stuff, it was an amusing experience to instead see prices get raised - which has also happened before with this co-op. Regardless…I’m but one, spitting into the wind and I know it:thumb:

It was $30, FYI :D


On a serious note, I would simply let the market decide on those prices. Put whatever price you want on it, if it doesn’t sell in a month, reduce by half, if it doesn’t sell for another month, reduce by half again, and if it still doesn’t sell it gets recycled.


Using comps to determine co-op prices doesn’t compute for me, because for an equitable comparison, you would need to find Romecs from other co-ops that recently sold, which you won’t find.

Its not my co-op.

For pricing, you gather three people, two volunteers and a paid individual and you say, "price?, 1,2,3."

All three blurt out a price and you take the middle.

If it doesn't sell, we build bikes and give them to those in need of transportation.

Avoiding the landfill is the whole game.

The co-op is funded more from grants than sales, followed by repairs.

Lastly, we take kids and have them pick a frame and build a bike from parts, making it their own.

Given your name and the description of the shop, I know which one you are talking about. I have a very long association with them as a volunteer. You are mistaken on several points. First, the bikes that they retail are not prepped by volunteers. They have a staff mechanic that does all that work and he is only one who does it.

Second on price of components, I have never heard any one of the staff asking a much higher price than the bin price. Often, they are sold for less because the shop practices a “price optional” pricing structure. You can pay as little or as much as you like. Yes, there are parts in the case that are more expensive but even those are priced relatively low for what they are.

Third, the “as-is” bikes get sold more often than the prepared retail bikes and there are real gems out on the sidewalk, along with a lot of dirt. People buy the “as-is” bike and go into the volunteer side to work on them.

Finally, yes, the shop works because people donate bikes. They then provide most of those donated bikes at either a very low cost or even no cost depending on the customer and their financial circumstances. The bikes that they do refurbish go to support people who can’t pay more for a much nicer bike. The person who donated the bike wanted it to be used for that purpose. The people who usually buy that kind of bike do so, at least in some part, to support the shop and their mission and programs.

I don’t know what the price on the Colnago that you’ve mentions is but I don’t think it is the price you’ll find in various places on-line. Consider what you would sell the bike for if you owned it or what you would claim the value of the bike for insurance. If you want the bike, buy it and enjoy it while know that the people who work at the shop are trying to do good things for people. The good things those people do has more value than a few hundred dollars.

Why cut the price? It’s not like a co-op has the same pressures are retail shop selling new bikes has. Someone will come along and buy the bike eventually. There’s really no need to go all fire sale on the bikes. The “as-is” bikes out on the sidewalk can be treated more like that then the retail bikes that already have a fair amount of money sunk into them.

Using comparisons to determine prices is perfectly valid. In my long experience with this co-op and others, I generally find their prices to be quite low. As a volunteer, I can pretty much set my own price but often have to get the staff to charge me more​​​​​​​ for the parts I buy because they are priced too low.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2bf0f7290.jpeg
From the Bike Works yellow house, local bike thrift shop. This was $80, I think I waited a few months before buying.

I also bought a black Romic bike last year, it as a whole bike was less than the bare frame’s lowered price.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1cf68d6a8.jpeg

I posted the pictures, the red is a comp, the black I don’t know the model.

What’s the new price?

I have not been able to volunteer since summer of 2023. If things have not changed, this is the situation:

The coop where I volunteer has a haphazard pricing technique. The volunteer gives a gut feeling. The prices are shockingly low. And they are willing to go down from asking price based on the customer's finances. I remember when we asked $120 for a bike in good working order. The customer said he had no money. So we gave it to him. One of the missions of the coop is to get people rolling. A subway ride is only $2.90, but that is a hardship for some people. It means a lot to us that we can get people going to work or wherever they are going. It's economic enabling.

I saw a high end racing bike (in bad but salvageable condition) go for $250. I objected, but a higher-ranking volunteer said that was in line with the policy, and I accept that.

I volunteer there to show people how to fix their bikes. It gives me a lot of joy. As much as humanly possible, I don't touch the bike. I show them what to do with their hands, because I believe we learn better with our hands than with our eyes.

you must live in Houston. That's where ROMEC is from if I recall. Cool builds! Congrats on the Viner too.


I will match your price, but shipping is $500.

I kid.

As a collective, I can not price on my own. But, I plan on a "lugged frame sale" real soon and try to blow some of these things out.

All the kids want now are V brakes.

Houston?! Nah, just up the road from you in the PNW

people, people...spelling matters.
it's Romic (not ROMEC) and Ray G. (I won't even try with his Polish surname) was originally from Chicago where he raced but also worked for Schwinn, then for AMF, before migrating to Houston and his own frame-bulding business

ROMAN (Ray) J GASIOROWSKI

Born: 09/28/1928 - Passed: 11/16/1996

Ray learned much about bicycle building at the Schwinn factory in Chicago and was close to Rudy Schwinn, one of the old school European engineers that helped make Schwinn the quality name it was. Ray worked as a bicycle design and products engineer. Schwinn actually help fund his industrial engineering studies at IIT Institute. He was involved with Paramount frame building

Ray was a first line racer in Chicago. Ray rode in the Vuelta de Mexico, and was a finalist in Olympic trials back in the '50's. He also raced the "Tour of Somerville" (New Jersey) and did well in it. His army service took him to Europe where he was sponsored by the Army to participate in the Olympic road trials.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...49e7368847.jpg
Polish eagle on his logo
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3e51cdee76.jpg
Ted Ernst in the lead (Ted's still with us in SoCal)

-----

Mr. 66 -

do you know what years the yellow/orange/red/black Nerozzi transfers in you posted image were in use?

asking because have not seen them previously


---

unworthy1 -

suspect gentleman shown in the race finish photo you posted be Ted Ernst, Senior

the Ted Ernst (Il Grillo) who be yet with us methimks be Ted Ernst Junior


-----

I encountered this attitude quite often. You get it for free, the customer expects you to sell it for free. Like, I didn't have expenses like feeding myself or rent or electricity.

All in, the break even point was $500/day, 5 days/week, however the shop got there.

What people often fail to realize is the amount of time, labor, or materials that went into each and every single bike. A complete and total overhau and replacement of worn pads/cables, etc...at other local Bikeshops is around $300. Our Co-Op gave every bike the same treatment and a bike too for an average price of around $200-225.

We had a dozen regular volunteers and could hardly keep bikes in stock. The problem is that for every $400 Olmo Corsica or $300 Windsor Carrera Sport with $350 worth of Phil hubs, or un-ridden Peugeot or Merz Allez that came in taking up retail space, we had a dozen Treks or Bridgestones MB4's or CB's or other early '90's mountain bikes that would sell instead. The high priced nice bikes simply sat giving the wrong impression because everything cheaper sold first.

Simply managing and disposing of the onslaught of BSO's and Bike Boom garbage in and of itself was a full time job. Let alone inventory recovery of anything even remotely valuable or salvageable for bike repair.

Maybe you should get involved in actually running a Co-Op before you pass judgement on how/why the prices are what they are. I lasted 2 years. Making magic from nothing is hard work.

Here's me on the local station. I'm in the green shirt.
https://www.fox13seattle.com/video/1111188