Well, some of the guys "in the business" seem to have decided that the millenium has finally arrived in terms of classic bike part prices. We've also seen John Barron offering what would have been shockingly high prices a few yeras ago for certain select NOS bits. Now maybe John just has a lot of personal projects lacking that one last correct bit, but I suspect he plans on reselling at least some of this stuff either individually or as part of a restoration for a customer. So he seems to have a view of prices in line with the Via Cycles guys.
Certainly don't begrudge CR members the higher prices if they can get them. But, while I've bought from most sellers on the CR list, I won't be the one to buy these particular items. If a TA HS is going to go for $600, I'll content myself with a Stronglight for about 10% of that price.
The other notable fact is that most or all of these very pricey items are NOS. Since many of these parts are now 30 years old or more, NOS examples are becomoing increasingly rare. So those buyers who feel they must have NOS will have to pay increasingly high prices. But an excellent used example might go for 25% of the NOS one. Personally, I've never had a lot of desire for NOS parts, unless they were available at a modest premium to excellent used. This was often the case 10 years ago, but is much less often the case now.
I figure an NOS part is only NOS until you mount it, so what's the point of paying top price? I'm personally quite happy with good to excellent used parts at still modest prices. But some buyers do insist on NOS and the recent prices reflect that.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Tom Dalton <tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com> wrote: Whatever this headset might realize, I have noticed a distinct pattern with the 'senditnow' sellers. Lots of items with a starting bid right around the absolute highest price I've ever seen the same item sell for on Eaby. Lots of auctions that get zero bids. Lots of items relisted, at the same high price.
They seem to know the actual value of their items, and just put stuff up with the very highest realistic price as the opener. It's their strategy, and I hope works for them, but with all the Ebay fees, I'm not sure I get how it works.
That said, I have no idea what this headset might fetch.
Tom Dalton Bethlehem PA USA
---------------------------------
Have a burning question? Go to Yahoo! Answers and get answers from real people who know.