Re: [CR]Thoughts on cash for NOS parts

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

From: <"brianbaylis@juno.com">
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:31:58 GMT
To: jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Re: [CR]Thoughts on cash for NOS parts
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

Jerry,

Thanks for the logical and obvious practical perspective on this subject . Mike Kone is most certainly one of the most valuable, straight up, hon est and ethical persons I've ever met in my life.

I find it hard to believe that there are cheapskates in a hobby as inexp ensive as collecting bikes; and yet they exist. The same cheapskate woul d pitch a fit if the shoe was on the other foot and someone was telling them that they make too much money at their job and they shouldn't make a profit at it. Get real or go away. Mike and his kind are doing a lot o f us a huge favor by providing what they do.

If you want cheapness, collect Huffys.

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA


-- Jerome & Elizabeth Moos wrote:


I was frankly surprised by the contraversy.  Mike has been buying and sel ling classic parts for over a decade, and for most of that time he has l arg ely bought NOS parts, in quantity when he could find such, and resold at pr ices that were profitable but never outrageous.  Some of those a bit y oun ger or newer to the sport may not recall that a decade ago eBay was not the force it has now become,  and it was Mikes's Bicycle Classics, along wit h a few others like Bicycle Trader, Harris, Bill Ward and John Barron wh ere one turned to find a classic part for a project.

Now maybe those sources aren't quite as crucial as they were then, but t hey still provide a large service by offering classic bits at a reasonable pri ce.  And while one can certainly sometimes get a cheaper price at a sw ap

meet or maybe on eBay, one may also wait months to do so, especially if one is seaking NOS.  I thought Mike's posting made perfect sense.  In a n e conomic downturn, some people choose to sell off collectibles to improve th eir personal liquidity.  Mike simply offered to buy if anyone wanted t o s ell.  How does one take offense at that?  If you don't want to sell, th en don't.  I've never been offended at someone offering to buy somethi ng

from me, although I often decline offers.

I've noted a similar thing in UK, where some criticize Hilary for making a

profit buying at jumbles and reselling on eBay.  Now I do appreciate " fri endly prices", but Hilary does provide a great service, especially for t hos e outside UK who have more trouble sourcing British bits.  Besides, I sus pect the total profit Hilary has made in his life is less than what thes e S OB's on Wall Street stole one day before breakfast on the way to a $1 Tr ill ion scam.  So let's save our hostility for those who deserve it, not t hos e providing a valuable service at an affordable price.

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA


--- On Sat, 10/18/08, George Albaugh wrote:


From: George Albaugh <albaughg@comcast.net> Subject: [CR]Thoughts on cash for NOS parts To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Saturday, October 18, 2008, 8:23 AM

It occurs to me that most of the controversy swirling around this

issue can be explained in the difference between making a profit on

new goods and soliciting a special interest group for rare, out of

production, NOS parts (i.e.: parts that can not be routinely sourced

from a LBS)--for the obvious purpose of resale. All LBS, like any

other businesses must make a profit or close their doors. However

they are, for the most, part dealing in currently available items and

not rare collectables. Wheeling and dealing in antiques is a legit

trade but again, if one goes to antique auctions one often hears

grumbling among the amateur bidders about having to bid against

professional dealers--who again will take their winnings back to

their shops for resale at a profit. This competition between dealer

and collector does not exist in the case of non-antique items since

those are generally easily obtained from multiple sources and the

buyer can often do comparison shopping and buy an item at the lowest

cost. With antiques there is a tension due to the perceived lack of

supply: a buyer either pays the dealer's price or does without.

That, friends, is the difference under discussion here. The fact that

the solicitation comes during a time of economic downturn contributes

to the heightened sensation of opportunism. I view all this as

neither good or bad, but rather another market force. For me the

real bottom line is that if demand becomes strong enough, replica

replacement parts will be offered, much as they are for the antique

auto restoration hobby. Again purists will moan but the causal

restorer will buy the cheaper reproduction parts (assuming they are

of the same or better quality as the NOS parts) and get on with life.

George Albaugh Bowie, Maryland USA

>Attaboy Mike. Oops, sorry Dale, forget I said that. But seriously >Mike, I think your critics are absolutely un-American. Profit is >good. In moderation of course. And face it, we're all opportunists. >In moderation of course.

>Mark Fulton
>Redwood City
>California
>USA