There's a ongoing thread on the iBOB list about roughly the same subject. One member who responded is Steve Hodges of Tallahassee, Florida:
> All this discussion about the cost of "retro/classic/BOBish/etc." frames
>and parts is arguing about how many angels can fit onto the head of a
>pin. With the possible exception of certain French touring bicycles and
>some old Campy parts, virtually everything having to do with bicycles is
>cheap compared to what people spend on cars and houses.
>
>OK, I'll admit that I'm sometimes cheap, but I'm often stunned when I
>read in the weekend paper about some precious couple who spent $30-50K
>or more on their kitchen (and never have the time to really give it a
>workout), or a local lobbyist or lawyer who spends the equivalent on
>some fancy SUV or Euro-sedan so he can sit in traffic like the rest of
>us slobs. And then there's boats...have you priced a new Grady-White 18
>or Sabre 30 with all the trimmings lately? Talk about a hole in the
>water where you pour your money. Considering that such kitchens don't
>get used anywhere as often as they're built for, or the fancy cars get
>dirty and rust and fall apart just as much as the cheap ones, or most
>expensive boats don't get used at all 85 to 90 percent of the time,
>where's the real value here?
>
>Don't get me wrong--I like granite countertops and leather upholstery
>just fine, but spending $1500-$2000 on a beautiful bicycle (the best are
>functional works of art) that you can use for 20 or 25 years (or more)
>is quite a bargain. I spent $300 on a full mid-80s Suntour groupo a
>while back that had never been mounted, and put it on a handmade,
>lugged, custom frame. I get a lot of enjoyment out of those parts on
>that frame, and they look and work great.
>
>Cheap is good, but even most expensive bikes are cheap, especially the
>handmade ones with a lot of thought in the design.
I imagine if I ordered a custom Baylis frame and put a Campagnolo 50th groupo, and all the rest of the fancy, bike-jewelry trimmings on it, I'd be hard-pressed to spend over $6K, which wouldn't even get a minivan at the used car lot next door...
Roy "breaking the budget for another Brooks saddle" Drinkwater Lititz, PA
p.s. If I've broken a rule quoting another list, I'm sorry... ;^)