Please Stop Being So Cheap!
#151
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...I think that forum might be dead now. A lot of the stuff they list as previously sold there seems above what I recognize as current market prices (local to me, anyway).
#152
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To be fair, you can't actually *cause* anyone to have feelings. It's also impossible to stop people from having feelings, even if you don't appreciate them.
We all do things, and people have feelings about them. It's part of what makes us human.
Perhaps if the response isn't what you expected, then there is something to be learned. I personally steer clear of using thread titles that suggest that other people are doing something wrong.
Commanding people to do what you think is right won't work out well in many cases, no matter how right we think we are.
We all do things, and people have feelings about them. It's part of what makes us human.
Perhaps if the response isn't what you expected, then there is something to be learned. I personally steer clear of using thread titles that suggest that other people are doing something wrong.
Commanding people to do what you think is right won't work out well in many cases, no matter how right we think we are.
I've provided my opinion and my reasons for thinking in a certain way, and anyone who reads through this thread will know I am not alone in having such sentiments regarding the topic at hand. I also realize that many people do not agree and I came into this conversation knowing full well that would be the case, or else the criticism I had to share would likely not have occurred at all.
You're absolutely right, I can't help it if other people feel things. I can also refuse to acknowledge folks who decide to make such a conversation into a personal matter. None of this is a bother to me at all and if it turns out that my bringing this up and all of these people responding will have absolutely no influence on how the appraisals sub-forum is perceived then so be it, but at this point I rather doubt that is the case and I'm happy I brought it up. (EDIT: That is despite the fact that maybe several people will distance themselves from my posts in the future based on their responses here. The "social consequences" of an online forum thread are in fact inconsequential to me.)
Cheers!
-Gregory
Last edited by Kilroy1988; 06-28-22 at 02:17 PM.
#153
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You're welcome to quote any text in this thread of mine that you perceive to be "aggressive" or "angry" and I can guarantee you I will take the time to reflect upon it and apologize if it seems that way indeed. From the moment I started the thread, when I specifically said "I don't mean to bash anyone," I have attempted to stick by that.
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You're welcome to quote any text in this thread of mine that you perceive to be "aggressive" or "angry" and I can guarantee you I will take the time to reflect upon it and apologize if it seems that way indeed. From the moment I started the thread, when I specifically said "I don't mean to bash anyone," I have attempted to stick by that.
#157
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If it's not pointed out to me then how can I hope to learn? I just took a few minutes to read everything I wrote in this thread thus far and I can see a few lines that could be perceived as passive-aggressive but were not intended to be that way. It was mostly skepticism or sarcastic banter. If someone else wishes to provide me with an outside perspective, then I'll be happy to reflect upon my words as examples of hostility and how or why I should be more careful with my language in the future. I really haven't been angry at all during this entire affair and don't have a hard time imagining that my words could be misconstrued as such but perhaps I'm wrong.
-Gregory
-Gregory
#158
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[Repeatedly presses handset plunger on rotary phone, ardently asking, "hello? Hello? Hello!"]
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....let's discuss
an $85/hour minimum wage.
a $2000 Schwinn Stingray.
a $30M Ferrari.
any house in Anaheim.
sailboats.
Pete Rose in the HOF.
Cleveland's QB issues.
Why the Professor never hit on Mary Ann.
How creepy was Lia kissing Luke.
The proper way to load a dishwasher.
an $85/hour minimum wage.
a $2000 Schwinn Stingray.
a $30M Ferrari.
any house in Anaheim.
sailboats.
Pete Rose in the HOF.
Cleveland's QB issues.
Why the Professor never hit on Mary Ann.
How creepy was Lia kissing Luke.
The proper way to load a dishwasher.
But Sailboats are where its at. Vintage fiberglass.
#161
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Fun read so far. No dog in this fight, but I'll throw in another data point.
I bought a Portage about three years ago from a guy in LA for $300, if I recall correctly he had it listed for a few days before I purchased. I ended up selling it in San Diego about a year later. Not the hottest market by any means, but I wouldn't say the SoCal market is cheap either. 23" frame, so a good size and it had all the original components. I even threw on some new Soma 650B tires before selling. I listed it at $500 on FB & Craigslist and didn't get much interest for the first week. Dropped the price down to $450 and ended up selling it for $400 a few days later.
I bought a Portage about three years ago from a guy in LA for $300, if I recall correctly he had it listed for a few days before I purchased. I ended up selling it in San Diego about a year later. Not the hottest market by any means, but I wouldn't say the SoCal market is cheap either. 23" frame, so a good size and it had all the original components. I even threw on some new Soma 650B tires before selling. I listed it at $500 on FB & Craigslist and didn't get much interest for the first week. Dropped the price down to $450 and ended up selling it for $400 a few days later.
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#162
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WolfgangVerne Thanks for taking the time to chime in! Another example that illustrates how local markets vary, especially compared to national/international ones, I think - and a reason to provide consideration for both possibilities.
If anyone else replies to me directly I apologize for a late response as I will not be around until tomorrow evening. Thankfully my current gig gives me rare opportunities such as going out into the desert in the middle of the night to trap and tag endangered giant kangaroo rats, and that's precisely what I'm doing tonight. Cheers!
-Gregory
If anyone else replies to me directly I apologize for a late response as I will not be around until tomorrow evening. Thankfully my current gig gives me rare opportunities such as going out into the desert in the middle of the night to trap and tag endangered giant kangaroo rats, and that's precisely what I'm doing tonight. Cheers!
-Gregory
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Seven Pages!
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#164
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And near the end of 6 pages of argument is an example of a Portage selling for about 20% of what the OP said it is worth. I hope tonight there are some more bamboo bikes drunken posts to give it legs to make 9.
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"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
#165
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A $400 valuation for a Portage in a local marketplace might be perfectly reasonable and I never said otherwise. I was talkinh about presenting the whole picture.
-Gregory
#166
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So you want anyone on the internet offering opinions to research all markets and methods of sale to paint a broader picture of what the bike may be worth? I'm beginning to think some of the posters that feel you started this thread to stir up dissent may be right.
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#168
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I will never stop being cheap. I invented thrift stores...ask Jeb Bush. It's the only way I/we were able to raise a family, buy a home (most of it) and send my kids to school.
However, being thrifty has never caused me to undervalue a bicycle, appraisals or otherwise.
Can we make this stop now? It's like we're in lockdown again.
However, being thrifty has never caused me to undervalue a bicycle, appraisals or otherwise.
Can we make this stop now? It's like we're in lockdown again.
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I left a good job in the city.
Working for the man every night and day.
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#171
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This started out being kinda entertaining. No longer.
Gregory, you’re a genuinely nice guy and a smart bike fella. Time to let this rest.
BB4, have a beer and go to bed.
Admins, time to lock this one up?
Gregory, you’re a genuinely nice guy and a smart bike fella. Time to let this rest.
BB4, have a beer and go to bed.
Admins, time to lock this one up?
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Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
#172
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Jeez.
Can we just get rid of the egos and admit to the facts?
1. C&V appraisals often does a poor job at helping forum newbies get their top dollar. Sometimes that's out of ignorance, sometimes a different perspective (i.e. what they'd like to pay rather than what the bike can bring in), or sometimes a desire to keep prices down by giving, well, dishonest advice.
2. The Portage is an $1800 bike. It's also a $200 bike. Products sell at the price the market can support. Marketing and audience play a huge role. Kilroy never said every single Portage should sell for $1800 or that every single Portage has, he merely wanted to call attention to the low-balling and that he's perturbed by the forum's culture of giving low prices for bikes/components that can certainly bring in more.
3. It's the internet, it's anonymous, and the social contract is tenuous at best, even on an old-school forum like BF. Especially when it's some random person that's using our knowledge to make money, rather than a discussion between regular forum members. I can certainly see how one could start rationalizing a quid pro quo attitude to giving appraisal askers a price lower than market-value. Maybe that's fair, maybe that isn't, but we can agree that it's dishonest, no?
I think all Kilroy wanted to do was inject a bit more honesty and/or thought behind the prices we give to strangers who come asking for help. I think the thread has had a bit of mission creep and now we're all carving up each other's posts like lawyers. We ought to reign it in a bit.
1. C&V appraisals often does a poor job at helping forum newbies get their top dollar. Sometimes that's out of ignorance, sometimes a different perspective (i.e. what they'd like to pay rather than what the bike can bring in), or sometimes a desire to keep prices down by giving, well, dishonest advice.
2. The Portage is an $1800 bike. It's also a $200 bike. Products sell at the price the market can support. Marketing and audience play a huge role. Kilroy never said every single Portage should sell for $1800 or that every single Portage has, he merely wanted to call attention to the low-balling and that he's perturbed by the forum's culture of giving low prices for bikes/components that can certainly bring in more.
3. It's the internet, it's anonymous, and the social contract is tenuous at best, even on an old-school forum like BF. Especially when it's some random person that's using our knowledge to make money, rather than a discussion between regular forum members. I can certainly see how one could start rationalizing a quid pro quo attitude to giving appraisal askers a price lower than market-value. Maybe that's fair, maybe that isn't, but we can agree that it's dishonest, no?
I think all Kilroy wanted to do was inject a bit more honesty and/or thought behind the prices we give to strangers who come asking for help. I think the thread has had a bit of mission creep and now we're all carving up each other's posts like lawyers. We ought to reign it in a bit.
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#173
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I don’t frequent the C&V Appraisal forum. I do think it is good to keep all of that away from the normal C&V threads. I wouldn’t get rid of it.
To be honest, except for exceptional rare and/or high end bikes, the appraisals/opinions/whatever for production bikes are just guesses made by a particular generation about stuff that, pretty much, only that generation cares about.
If you think a number is too low, just wait long enough and it will be sitting at some Goodwill. So sell it for whatever you can while you can get it.
But older bikes will never lose their charm. Someday people will be paying big bucks to find that ebike they wanted when they were a kid.
John
To be honest, except for exceptional rare and/or high end bikes, the appraisals/opinions/whatever for production bikes are just guesses made by a particular generation about stuff that, pretty much, only that generation cares about.
If you think a number is too low, just wait long enough and it will be sitting at some Goodwill. So sell it for whatever you can while you can get it.
But older bikes will never lose their charm. Someday people will be paying big bucks to find that ebike they wanted when they were a kid.
John
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"dishonest"
You sure about that?
You sure about that?