"I've got to say I'm really critical about the condition grades. Though I have had one person who bought some Suntour shifters a year ago and was pissed about the condition of them, but he refused to send them back. What's that mean? After that experience I've been really careful. It's just an example of how little people in the bike community agree on condition." Bike/component grading may seem bad, but it is nothing compared to coins. The uncirculated grades are the most debatable, where a difference of one point (ten points on the uncirculated portion of the scale) may mean tens of thousands of dollars. There are grading companies which will actually encapsolate coins (for a price.) There are stories of dealers submitting the same coin thirteen times. The first twelve were all one grade. The thirteenth time it came back one point higher. The twenty bucks the guy had paid each of those original twelve times were easily repaid by the amount of money he made on selling the coin encapsulated at the barely higher grade. Jeff - "Bicycles are debatable, but coins infinitely so" -- Jeff Widman Reputable Part Time Dealer in Error/Variety Coins Member ANA, CONECA, NCADD, BCC, WINS, Coinmasters, Error World
> >This is prompted by me receiving a used chainring I bought unseen. It
was
> >listed as "G" and I thought that meant in good riding shape, but it's got
> >such worn teeth that I suspect few on this list would ride it.
>
> Are you sure the "G" didn't mean "gone"? At best it's "fair" since there
> aren't any teeth missing. You could look at it that if it was on Ebay it
> would be listed; "very good" "rare" "hard-to-find". It all true if your
> talking about a windchime part, but not a chainring.
>
> I've got to say I'm really critical about the condition grades. Though I
> have had one person who bought some Suntour shifters a year ago and was
> pissed about the condition of them, but he refused to send them back.
> What's that mean? After that experience I've been really careful. It's
> just an example of how little people in the bike community agree on
> condition.
>
> The crusier bike market has it really together about condition and most of
> the price guides include a condition guide too. In fact one of the
crusier
> bike web pages has a virtual guide showing parts and bikes and talks anout
> condition, it's a really great guide but I don't remember the URL.
>
> enjoy,
> Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
> Sunny again Goleta, California
>
>
> Brandon and Mitzi's-- "Wurld uv Wunder"
> http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/
>
> Monkeyman's on going bicycle part garage sale <<<NEW LISTINGS>>>
> http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/
>
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Nobody can do everything,
> but if everybody did something
> everything would get done.
> -Gil Scott Heron-
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!