The Golden Boy 

I hate to be the guy starting a thread about vintage parts prices... but here I am...

When I was acquiring stuff for all these great, grand plans and all this experimentation- there were parts I paid through the nose for... and then there were things that were common enough that ebay seemed to be filled with them so people were just giving them away... I was OK with paying exorbitant prices for things I wanted, even if it was a lot- If you have it - and someone wants it, they'll pay for it. Simple economics. And on the other foot, I HATE people (especially n00bs) complaining about how expensive old bike parts are. I'm a few years out from much of any buying and selling and didn't really care about prices-

I understand that these days any sort of bike shaped object is going for more money than they were a year or so ago... It wouldn't normally affect me- but this afternoon someone had asked a question about an old derailleur- I have a spare (in good shape) and before I offered it up I wanted to see what they were going for these days... I kind of figured things would have sort of held their value... but... Holy spitballs. For derailleurs that I seriously paid like $80 for a few years ago are going for $25.

Then I was thinking about redoing a build- and thought about scoring a clean, used sort of recent FD- and they're either NOS and crazy expensive or beat to hell...

Why on earth can't the crap I have be worth more than the crap I want?!

Prowler 

It was a dark and stormy night on the mountain, and prices for old bike parts were bouncing around like pandemic tennis balls on the moon, when a very fishy carp back on Earth turned out to be NOT the carp I wanted, which derailed all my best laid plans.

Howzat squirtdad ?

nomadmax 

It's buyers who set the sale price of anything, not sellers. It's not a loss until you sell it for less than you have in it. I have boxes of stuff I don't currently have use for but I'm not getting rid of it. I may need it one day or it may be the one, now impossible to find, thing that seals a C&V deal in the future. I'm here for the passion, not the money, and this is cheaper than drugs, alcohol and women.

bikemig 

I buy parts from time to time when prices are reasonable. I also buy complete bikes that don't fit me if the price and quality is right for the parts. I'll harvest the parts and sell the frame. That's actually the best way to buy parts. In fact I picked up a really small custom bicycle recently because the price was right and I wanted the parts. The bike came with campy hubs and headset; shimano 600 everywhere else.

But what really clinched the deal was a pair of REG water bottle cages. Have you checked the prices of vintage water bottle cages lately? They're crazy and these REGs will look great on a Mercier 300 I am rebuilding. REG and TA water bottle cages were both great. Not surprising that they've gotten expensive since water bottle cages tend to get beat up with use.

Now I just need to find someone who needs a beautiful custom 19 inch frame, : )

John E

Nice score on the half-step-plus-granny gearing.

cudak888 

Easy. Everyone has been reading C&V's opinions over the last 15 years or so.

Case in point:

Early 1970's Suntour V-series derailers have graduated from being a $5 junk drawer item at the LBS to a part that often brings a surprising amount of interest (and expense) on eBay. Concurrently, the days of the $100 Nuovo Record derailer are no more (excluding, of course, genuinely low-production variations). We've been repeating Frank Berto's perception of the Nuovo Record for so long - namely, that it's the best constructed, poorly-shifting derailer in history - that others have realized that the NR won't enhance their experience if they use it for anything other than a perfect period restoration - or a bike that will serve no further duties other than wall hanger. Prices have changed accordingly; the demand is up for the old V's.

-Kurt

SurferRosa

Had a local craigs buyer offer me $80 for my '77 Cyclone GT rear mech. I turned him down.

sheddle

I was considering buying some weirdo Finnish bike that happened to have a complete 600AX groupset for $200- though 600AX isn't really "popular" enough for the bother IIRC.

Has it always been easier/cheaper to buy parts bikes? I remember people advising someone building up a 3Rensho that the easiest way to get a Superbe group was to strip one off an existing used bike rather than buy one by itself...

bikemig 

Yep, nearly always cheaper to buy a complete bike for parts. The biggest return on selling a bike tends to be from parting them out.

Last ride 76 

I'll shrink, I'll shrink. Paging Dr. Procrustes, please come to the OR, stat.

Last ride 76 

I just bought an NOS std cage,black anodized cyclone (oh be still my heart) missing top bolt, including tax $16. We'll be rich, I tell you, rich!

sheddle

I just got a set of second generation Superbe Pro (sealed bearing, serviceable) hubs for $35 a pair. Scary prices for those on eBay.

conspiratemus1

I think you have summed up the human condition right there, very nicely. Time Magazine chose wisely in 2006.

dedhed

Thing with exceptionally large & small frames is limited customer base but also limited supply base.
The last super small frame bike I sold the girl drove up from Chicago to purchase. Might put it on Chi CL

SurferRosa

I just sold a set locally (without skewers) for $35!

Drillium Dude

Interesting. I listed the Suntour stuff from the Casati last week on Ebay. Final prices looked like this:

Cyclone RD: $30
Cyclone FD: $20
Superbe 4000 brake calipers: $44
Superbe NJS track pedals: $57

The derailleurs were the supposedly-less-common black/silver versions. All parts in virtually new or VVG condition. Color me surprised.

I did make good money on the first generation Super Record RD from 1978: $256. Of course, stuff like that will always get the big bux

DD

SurferRosa

Damn. Someone got a deal.

cudak888 

Horrible shifting or not, a first-gen SR RD is always going to bring ridiculous cash. Plus, they just look cool

-Kurt

Drillium Dude

Ironically, I got the pair of derailleurs for $50 from a BF member off the FSOT thread. They were both won by the same individual on Ebay, so again they sold as a pair for $50!

Weird, huh?

DD

BFisher 

On that note,

vintage Suntour is all terrible, TERRIBLE I tell you! Not worth a dime. You heard it right here, lurkers.

bikemig 

My latest build with those terrible derailleurs . . .

BFisher 

You are definitely not helping!