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brentville

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So, I got a box full of cheeep bikes and parts and put together a sting ray style banana seat bike and listed it on craigslist. No headbadge, probably an AMF or Western Flyer, crank makes it a 1979. The pictures show it's clearly just a boys bike, nothing special but in good shape with a new paint job and everything working. Getting the $30 asking price would have thrilled me.

So big bubba and his wife come out to look at the bike. He looks it over like he's expecting it to be a 1963 Solo Polo Sting ray. Playing with the headset, looking at the tires and the cranks. Definitely not looking to buy a bike for his kid. He turns his nose up and says he'll have to pass, "it's just a bike".

No kidding, that's why it said exactly that in the ad! What did he expect for a bike listed for $30??

It seems that people are more often trying to sell their ok common bikes for a lot more than they are worth or expecting to buy the first Stingray for a song. Everybody is out scheming and dreaming up then next big steal or deal.
 
Been watching my local listings for years and I've seen the prices increasing and the expectations getting higher. Not sure why. I think people see others sell some choice bikes and a high price, and feel their trash is worth the same. Of course there are those that want to find that great deal on some obscure bicycle for $20. Even going to the local Goodwill or Salvation Army outlets now, most of the stuff is picked over and not worth the time nor effort, yet still bike come out of the wood work.
 
I went to a Goodwill recently and I saw a nice Huffy mountain bike. I was expecting to see a price tag of $10 or $20 dollars. But it was $49.99. :? I thought this was Goodwill?

But occasionally I do run across those who want way more for their buck. We see it on Craigslist frequently. When people say stuff like, "I want a very nice high quality 27" wheeled 58cm mens road bike with no rust but I only have $15 to spend." I think in my brain... sure you can come across a deal like that. But it takes time to find those deals as it is difficult to find a bike nicer than the price. When I post bike ads on Craigslist, I put them at a higher price than I think I can get for them. But it turns out I actually can get that higher asking price. I guess there's a buyer for everything. :wink:
 
Goodwill is a "for profit" business, unlike Salvation Army and others. They sell donated items, and go by what people are paying. I've seen walmart bikes in there for nearly the same price as new. Right next to those was a Trek 1000 for $19.99. My hand was glued to that bike, although I thought it must have problems, I would be happy with a good frame. The whole bike was in good shape.

Always keep looking.

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On the Toronto Craigslist you are looking at a minimum of $120 for any complete bike, regardless of age. If you mention 'Classic' or 'Vintage' then you are looking to pay at least $200... If I saw $30 for any decent bike I would jump at it in a second, no questions asked :)

http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/bik/
 
I think it's been like that for a long time, not just for bikes either. I installed a patio door at my boss' friends' parents' place, and among the cars, barns, and assorted country junk were a few dozen cheap bmx's and mtb's. Of course, I had to ask about 'em, and he said he used to fix 'em up and sell 'em at the flea market, but people started griping about $20-$30 bikes. Said they could just get a new one at WalMart.. True, but if you have to put new tires & tubes on a bike, there's $20 at least.. Just wasn't worth it anymore. It's an odd mix of sellers that think their junk is gold, and buyers who want something for nothing! Like someone asking $1500+ for an old pickup that needs a motor/trans, when it's barely a $1500 truck RUNNING! But, there are still occasional finds out there. I got that JC Higgins boy's 26" w/springer fork for $25, and an early 50's BF Goodrich/Schwinn ladie's for $35.. Caveat Emptor... ~Adam
 
like any thing else these days if theres a resale market there will be speculators trying to drive the price higher for bigger profits. :roll: Just watch if old bikes become antique shop comodities the vultures will destroy everything in there path like they have done with other hobbies. Hot Wheels,Hot Rods and vintage cars never mind the real estate markets in most major citys untill the banks screwed them up.Just wait and watch as they send our jobs to China and Mexico for more profit for the speculators are all the same. Buy low sell high line my pockets.Thats why I try to trade or only sell to other like minded people I refuse to sell to speculators and have turned down good money if I didnt like the person buying.
 
I think that a lot of people have an over inflated sense of value for their stuff, or they're attaching too much centimental value to it. I've seen some folks trying to sell the schwinn choppers for 200-300.00. They paint them flat black with some rattle can and jack the price up on a used bike that sells for way less brand new. Whenever, I post something, I try to be as honest as I possibly can and price the item a little higher, so I can have some negotiating room.
 
cycle junk said:
like any thing else these days if theres a resale market there will be speculators trying to drive the price higher for bigger profits. :roll: Just watch if old bikes become antique shop comodities the vultures will destroy everything in there path like they have done with other hobbies. Hot Wheels,Hot Rods and vintage cars never mind the real estate markets in most major citys untill the banks screwed them up.Just wait and watch as they send our jobs to China and Mexico for more profit for the speculators are all the same. Buy low sell high line my pockets.Thats why I try to trade or only sell to other like minded people I refuse to sell to speculators and have turned down good money if I didnt like the person buying.
Click to expand...

A good case, is what happened with the motorcycle market in the early 90's. For some reason now an 84 suzuki GS model motorcycle that's under 900cc's sells for 2500.00 or more. In case your wondering what a GS model motorcycle is, then you just proved my point that now 2500.00 is way to much. Bikes like these are not 48' panheads. It's getting difficult to find a generic beach cruiser on Craigslist for under 100.00.
 
There has to be an added portion to this because of gas prices. All last year when prices were huge, bikes were selling like crazy, now that the gas prices have come down I think people still believe they can get a ton of money for them.

I personally have become very selective in my bikes. I have been trying to just collect a few and finish a few and not sell any. The selling thing makes me angry because people are pains in the cans......
 
I went once to a Goodwill store but there were no bikes; are all those stores the same or some have like bigger and bulkier items (furniture, bikes, garden tools, etc)?
 
I have some luck on craigs list, considering most of my calls are an hour and a half to two and a half hours away. I like the ones that say "I really want your bike but your so far away".........SO MOVE!!!! and to take my time to call up long distance to tell me this :roll:
 
I have gone on more than a 3 hour ride to find good bicycles. I sit an auction for 3 or 4 hours just for a bike that I will get for $5. Sometimes it just driving through some small town and stopping at a yard sale. Trash picking is fun. I try to stay away from the wally bikes and go for bicycles that were made in England, Europe, Taiwan or Japan that are 20 to 40 year old.
I have been getting about $100 to $150 for a bicycle that I fixed up. One person wanted me to deliver the bicycle 40 miles and drop $20 off the price. Others want me to know the weight of the bicycle and can not convert inches into millimetres. I saw an old Raleigh DL1 for 200 on Craigslist that was not up to snuff and they said it is ready for restoration.

I have to look out all the time for nice bicycles that I can flip. Of course I keep the really nice English bicycles for myself.
 
i like one of the first comments, how people wanna ask alot more for ok bikes than what they are worth and expect to pick up a cherry stingray for a steal. i gotta agree, your bike definatly sounds like its worth at least the $30 you were asking, and sounds like to me that they thought they could pick up a bike for $30 (in this case) and perhaps flip it for alot more, and got dissapointed when it wasn't what they expected. "its just a bike", is hard for any of us to here.
 

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