WTF?

Rather than apparently taking it personally and getting disappointed, why don't you just read the
foolish posts and laugh to yourself?

This newsgroup provides a wealth of humor if you let it. The astronomically high asking prices for
run-of-the mill bikes or components (yeah, a DA cannondale "custom, mint" will DEFINITELY fetch
$3000 of the $3200 you paid for it two years ago ;-), the occasional rants by insane (but
beautifully articulate) jackasses, the fearful admonitions of people too cautious (or clueless) to
find good deals on eBay or here in RBM. Yup, it's a rich tapestry.

I think about 85% of the posts are from people who are trying to buy or sell something at a very
reasonable price. The other 15% are transients who get annoyed quickly and don't post again. You've
been here for a long time, so unless your message is a troll I am surprised you let the few kooks
get to you!

Cheers,

Jordan

Tom Kunich said:

Why do you suppose that people are beginning to ask nearly new prices for used equipment? Why
would I pay new prices for a NIB part from 1999 when I can pay the same thing for a brand new part
with all of the intervening improvements? Why would I buy a group over the net for $150 less than
new, take the chance of getting screwed by some con and pay the postage besides?

Apparently this group is either attracting nitwits who think that they can turn it into a
commercial proposition or nitwits who are so stupid they'll pay anything for a part.

You can also watch the bidding on parts over on ebay where used - sometimes VERY used - parts will
go into bidding wars and someone will pay more than new prices on junk.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Personally I think it's time to revert to buying only from my local shops where I can hold the
stuff I want in my hands before buying.

You got the nitwit part right.

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why do you suppose that people are beginning to ask nearly new prices for used equipment? Why
would I pay new prices for a NIB part from 1999 when I can pay the same thing for a brand new part
with all of the intervening improvements? Why would I buy a group over the net for $150 less than
new, take the chance of getting screwed by some con and pay the postage

besides?

Quoted message said:

Apparently this group is either attracting nitwits who think that they can turn it into a
commercial proposition or nitwits who are so stupid they'll pay anything for a part.

You can also watch the bidding on parts over on ebay where used -

sometimes

Quoted message said:

VERY used - parts will go into bidding wars and someone will pay more than new prices on junk.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Personally I think it's time to revert to buying only from my local shops where I can hold the
stuff I want in my hands before buying.

Tom Kunich said:

Why do you suppose that people are beginning to ask nearly new prices for used equipment? Why
would I pay new prices for a NIB part from 1999 when I can pay the same thing for a brand new part
with all of the intervening improvements? Why would I buy a group over the net for $150 less than
new, take the chance of getting screwed by some con and pay the postage besides?

Apparently this group is either attracting nitwits who think that they can turn it into a
commercial proposition or nitwits who are so stupid they'll pay anything for a part.

We've always had people posting to r.b.m who overestimated the value of their used bike stuff. That
ain't new. But I think the dynamic is changed by:

Quoted message said:

You can also watch the bidding on parts over on ebay where used - sometimes VERY used - parts will
go into bidding wars and someone will pay more than new prices on junk.

Bingo! It's about market factors. In r.b.m, we have a traditional competitive marketplace in which
sellers compete for buyers. This is a normal market situation which tends, through competition, to
drive prices down. On eBay, this is reversed and it's the buyers who are competing. This in not a
normal marketplace and tends to drive prices up. Every auction is won by the person most willing to
overpay for an item.

Now, because buyers think eBay is more secure than r.b.m (which is far from the truth), they look
there. Because sellers think they can get more money on eBay (which is often true) they
preferentially sell their stuff there. The net result is that everyone sees inflated prices for junk
and [censored], which in turn results in that same type of [censored] being posted on r.b.m for 90% of retail
even though it's 5 years old and has been raced on for thousands of miles.

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Why do you suppose that people are beginning to ask nearly new prices for used equipment? Why
would I pay new prices for a NIB part from 1999 when I can pay the same thing for a brand new part
with all of the intervening improvements? Why would I buy a group over the net for $150 less than
new, take the chance of getting screwed by some con and pay the postage besides?

Apparently this group is either attracting nitwits who think that they can turn it into a
commercial proposition or nitwits who are so stupid they'll pay anything for a part.

You can also watch the bidding on parts over on ebay where used - sometimes VERY used - parts will
go into bidding wars and someone will pay more than new prices on junk.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Personally I think it's time to revert to buying only from my local shops where I can hold the
stuff I want in my hands before buying.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Value is in the eye of the buyer.

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Why do you suppose that people are beginning to ask nearly new prices for used equipment? Why
would I pay new prices for a NIB part from 1999 <snip>

Apparently this group is either attracting nitwits who think that they can turn it into a
commercial proposition or nitwits who are so stupid they'll pay anything for a part.

You can also watch the bidding on parts over on ebay where used - sometimes VERY used - parts will
go into bidding wars and someone will pay more than new prices on junk. <snip>

Tom, US currency has trended down against the Euro and the Yen over the last year. Since nearly all
of our hobby's products are sourced in Europe and Asia, it's just a matter of time before new
product prices filter down to the used market. The market will always set prices or product will
sit. But it still takes a nitwit to charge or pay above retail.