In a message dated 1/1/2003 4:40:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, Bikerdaver@aol.com writes:
>
> Jay-
> In the back of my mind, I had always feared the day when I would see a
>
> posting such as yours. I for one, believe that many a greedy SOB has
> infiltrated the ranks of our purist hobby, and hence the stupid $145 price.
>
> I recognize others will say, "The price is what ever the market can
> bare. Its basic supply and demand". I disagree, someone a lot smarter than
> me
> once said, "A fool and his/her money are soon parted". Unfortunately, put
> the
> greedy and the foolish ones together and you get what we have today, ergo
> Ebay.
> I could go on about the "sold out" Regina Corsa chains ($8 max) being
> sold for $40, the "never to be made again" Brooks Pro Saddles ($45 max)
> being
> sold for $120, the "impossibly rare" cheap plastic Campy measuring tapes
> ($2
> max) being sold for $25, but I fear it doesn't stop here.
> I am by no means perfect, ubber moral, etc., but my disagreement has
> become greater by a statement I recently heard, "There is no right and
> wrong,
> there is only get as much as you can for yourself".
Snip> While Dave makes some very good points, I use the "what do you get today for....?" I look at many of today's $200 saddlkes, $1200 tig-welded frames, Chinese hi-end bikes with old names and new, and what it costs to goon a 10 day cruise, a first-class flight, six months of golf, dinner-for-4-with-wine, and so on. If something like a 30 year-old hard-to-find (but not impossible)saddle that might be with the buyer for a lifetime is goping to set him back from one- to three-days' pay (if he earn minwage) I'm not seeing the big whup.
I stared at a Fizik saddle the other day at the shop (just another seat among the hundreds available today)listing for $220 that we have to sell for $180 to match the basement bandits) and it's going to be in nowhere land in a few years and go for $50 or less at a swap meet. Then there'sa big bucket of saddles on our specials table - with which we're having little luck getting $5-$20 each, some titanium and originally up to $70.
It's all value and there are always comparisons. I will pay for something hard to find that someone has taken the trouble to save. If the Nitor sold for its fair price 30 years ago and the revenue was put into more profitable items and 'turned over' that would be a whole lot more money than $145. Whoever 'sat on' the merchandise that long might need to make up for what was not esarned the first go round.
Just another perspective.
Larry 'way too may seats' Black
Woodbine, Md.