Dear CR Mates---
John Barron's decision to wind down his cycle parts operation is possibly indicative of where the hobby is headed in terms of parts supply. Fewer available NOS or "nice" parts in large enough quantities to make it worth the effort of gentlemen-sellers such as John to obtain them and pass them along to hobbyists like us. (A possible exception may be the ultra-high-end French randonneur "boutique" parts market, where the margins are undoubtedly higher).
That is why we should never begrudge such sellers their fair price. To me they are invaluable detectives, prospectors, archaeologists and purveyors of the otherwise impossible-to-find. And while we may not always HAVE the money in our wallets to afford a particular part (thereby making the part "expensive" to us), there is no doubt in my mind that sellers such as John ask a pittance for the part + the sweat equity they put into the search, selling and customer service process.
I agree with John. I don't think there are many parts sellers growing rich. Many hobbyist-sellers like John prove their love of the hobby by walking the walk with their time, money, hustle and expertise. Many a seller (John, Greg Parker, Peter Paine, Ray Etherton, Alexander Von Tutschek, Martin Coopland, et. al.) has educated a relative neophyte like me in the hobby even about matters in which they had no financial stake. Witness, for example, John's outstanding "show and tell" at 2006 Cirque, which took tremendous logistical planning.
Besides, even if you discount a seller's ephemeral worth, where else are you going to find a Constrictor alloy lamp bracket, a Cinelli Bi-Valent hub, or that NOS Ideale 57 saddle with duraluminum rails? Even the more mundane and less expensive stuff is brought to us by these guys at a far smaller percentage margin than in, say, the classic car hobby market.
Though I certainly don't have the right to speak for others, I am sure many in the hobby will agree with the following------------
***********THANK YOU, JOHN!***************
Peter Jourdain
Whitewater, Wisconsin US of A
> My hobby business, Velostuf, is a ton of fun, but it
> also is a lot of work.
> In the 12+ years that I have been doing this, my net
> profit so far totals
> $6,122. When I divide this by the number of hours
> that I have spent
> "working", it comes to well over 30 cents per hour.
> So, as you can see, John
> Barron, vintage bicycle parts *DEALER* is really
> just a hobbiest who can
> fund modest beer purchases with his earnings. [EDIT]
>
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