Maybe not the right forum to post this in, but just more evidence that Craigslist has gone crazy- or at least the person posting this bike... I hope nobody buys it.

https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/bik/1856330550.html

ONLY $650!!! Maybe I can find someone to facilitate!

2008 GMC Denali LTD Road Bike (Like New) - $650 (Beaverton, OR)

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Date: 2010-07-21, 9:02PM PDT
Reply to: sale-a73sf-1856330550@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

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Mint Condition GMC Denali LTd Road Bike...All Shimano sora and Tektro components... Carbon front and rear forks for ultra stiff ride... Vitesse wheels with Kenda tires and Vitesse racing saddle... always kept in garage or indoors... no cosmetic flaws or mechanicals issues... rides great... under 50 miles on the bike and all components


Location: Beaverton, OR
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests



PostingID: 1856330550

Craigslist has not gone crazy.
eBay has not gone crazy.

The individuals who inhabit both websites have not gone crazy.
They've always been crazy.

Pull your lower jaw back into its socket.
This ain't breaking news.

We have a thread for this.
It's called "Wacky World of Craigslist and eBay."

The thread has been active since April of last year.
It also existed prior to April.

It used to be named "Numbskull of the Day, part Deux."
Before that, it was "Numbskull of the Day" (part 1).

The first Numbskull of the Day post began in February of 2006.
"Wacky World of Craigslist and eBay" remains active on page #1 of C&V.

So the moral of this crappy pseudo-haiku is:
Post in those existing discussions.

We've had enough of these renegade "crazy eBay/Craigslist pricing" threads already.
Stop adding to it.

-Kurt

Is he still crazy if someone pays him his asking price?

My bad for posting more...

As for the question above- great point.

I think you're pointing out how crazy CL has gotten. I don't agree with Kurt on this (and that's a rare event in itself). I've noticed lately it's off the wall, especially with vintage bikes. So I'm gong to join in and ask some high prices for a couple of vintage bikes I'm selling and see what happens. I recenlty flipped a couple of late model mountain bikes. Both sold within a few days for asking. According to the flood of e-mails, my slightly higher than what I usually ask prices were not out of line and were actually considered good.

GB's correct, no one's pointing a gun to our heads when we go shopping at CL and eBay, so no logical reason to buy any bike or component we like everytime we find it. I know it's hard to let go of something you might have been looking for for a long time and let the deeper pockets take the prize, but I found out that making sure you delete the item from you Favorite's list helps a lot to forget it quickly and move on.
We all feel the frustration of spiralling prices that don't seem to have any good basis other than maybe buyer feeding frenzies, but there's really nothing we can do other than vent once in a while.
Heck, maybe 100 dollar+ retrofriction shifters won't sound too expensive in a couple of years anyway, once we get used to it.

Chombi

I agree with Kurt on this and I don't think it has anything to do with the accuracy or inaccuracy of the thesis (that CL has gotten more crazy). It has to do with there already being a sticky thread for this and there have been something like half a dozen of these posts in the past week. It's getting annoying and it strikes me as silly.

Stop the presses...there are some people over charging on the free market.

One can always find discrete examples of "crazy" behavior in the marketplace. What can be more interesting and informative - and valuable - is what these examples say about the inevitably changing culture.

It's easy, cheap entertainment to ridicule aberration but it's nourishment for the sociologist and for the smart marketeer who can "read" trend indicators for practical benefit. This little BF world may just be the tail on the dog of a larger resurgent bicycle universe, and what goes on there.

The discovery and healthy discussion of evolving aspects of cycling is important beyond the conceit of individual cases. There's more to cycling than "nuts" and bolts.

BTW, I predicted an explosion of pricing this year. Look it up.

Actually I think prices have dropped substantially this year, at l;east on higher end road stuff. Campagnolo parts prices are down a LOT.

I suspect what's happening is that unemployment is high...people are getting desperate and some are flipping bikes without really knowing the market. They're over charging and not selling...so we see their stuff OVER AND OVER again.

It's June = TDF fever = new C&Vers coming out from haitus and after watching a little bit of the Schleck and Contador mountain battles they suddenly need to satisfy thier cycling desires with doses of C&V gear from eBay and CL for a quick C&V nostalgia fix......Supply and demand = higher prices
Just check back in CL and eBay around November and things should have "calmed down" sufficiently.

Chombi

I'm seeing some softening in the market as well. 2009 prices were above 2008, but 2010 appears to be dropping price wise around here. I have had to recalibrate my pricing accordingly.

I am seeing the same thing, some people are really hurting, and they are digging out everything they can and selling it on C/L. More people are strapped, and getting $50 or $100 for a bike that has been sitting in the garage for ten years makes a difference for them. Occasionally, you will get someone that thinks they hit the jackpot, and puts a ridiculous price on it.

I agree about that thread being the best place for this, but the problem is that the "Wacky World" thread isn't a sticky, while the previous versions of it were. This being a pretty fast moving forum, it's not uncommon for that thread to get moved on down the list at times, to be brought back up by someone who already knows it exists. It's probably not realistic to expect people who don't know it's there to go find it and post there instead of creating a new one.

No big deal though since this thread will most likely be gone, never to be heard from again, before we all even go to bed tonight.

The season is young and so is the thread.

J

That bike sold new for $699, so $650 seems high, but with a little bargaining room? Knock a hundred off of it and a good buy if it is indeed in as good of shape as represented.

You can buy it for $520 on Amazon currently, less from some other online retailers.

Did it really sell for $699 new? Is it the same as the one a neighbor dropped by for tuneup. This one is also a GMC Denali. It's a total piece of excrement.

I think this is a different bike than what I've seen, which is the $149 or so Wal-Mart bike. It's probably still a Wal-Mart bike, but a level or two higher. I saw one for $450 or so new doing a quick search.

Not surprising. I have been scouring craigslist for a used mountain bike and have learned

(1) that if it is about two years old it should sell for current list or slightly above
(2) if it is old and rusty is is vintage. sorry folks, to me a schwinn varsity is still scrap metal - and not worth $250.

In times like these .... with prices on Craig's List and e-bay seeming to be totally insane .... there is only one thing to do .....

SELL, SELL, SELL!!!

Or, some time in the not so distant future, you will be saying "gee, I could have gotten $X for my 25 year old bike". Just about 5 years ago they were plentiful at $10 to $25 a piece.

Unfortunately, when you are buying something to ride these prices are a nightmare. On the brighter side, there are some halfway decent new bikes selling relatively inexpensively if you know where to shop.