Are we killing this hobby with our prices?

[bigfatolly]

Just a bit of healthy debate.....

Been keeping my eye on for sale threads,eBay,Facebook etc and prices seem to be way over the top now,even for bang average stuff.
Very little high end items are coming up for sale now,although when it does it gets snapped up.
I have just split a build and I try and make my prices low so that I can sell quickly and the gear goes to someone on here who will appreciate it.
I really think if we keep trying to sell stuff too high,no one will buy it and the hobby will slowly die.
I have 3 bikes left out of the 5 I had ,I will split one more but I really cannot see me building another as whatever I build will cost over a grand as I like to use quality parts.
I have got into Grifters lately and may do one or two of them as parts are way cheaper and you can pick up a decent complete rider for £50-£75.
As it's the building I enjoy it's starting to be a no brainer as I think I will get the same fun out of building a Grifter as I would a BMX.
I just think with everyone wanting big money for stuff and hoarding it all as they want to sell big ,soon it won't be worth fook all as nobody will be building.
Thoughts??

[Gnarlyscoots]

The trouble I seem to get is selling for the prices I paid. I do want back what I pay for things if I sell but some seem to think the prices are high. When I buy from the US, I dont add the custom charges as some do, just my initial outlay and postage. Is that not right?

Like you, I like to build and ride it. When I get bored, I split, sell and use the funds to build something else.

Too many hoarders now imo. Just look at some of the pictures of hoards people post on FB. Certain items are really hard to get and for us impatient guys, its hard lol. If you're not using things guys, share the love. I mean, I will sell it a couple of months down the line. You can buy it back at same price 

[boofy44]

it seems like some people get impatient and pay over the the odds for things then
still want back more than they themselves paid.then the fooker that buys said item
from them then does the same thing and a vicious circle starts.either that or a lot
of sellers are just fookin bellends.i cant believe some of the prices people ask for
stuff that was cheap crap back in the 80's,certainly on the rad facebook page
and the facebook old school sales and trades page.

[bigfatolly]

Don't get me started on that Facebook selling page,some of the threads on there are pure comedy with some of the shit that gets posted.
The way I see it, I bought a lot of my stuff when prices were low,or I got lucky with completes I bought or stuff I got in trades in the early days.
I have been pretty canny with stuff I have bought over the years as I am tight but I don't really sell for what I have paid for stuff as I think,well,I have had the fun out of it so I sell it on cheap to get shot,nothing worse than splitting a build and being left with a load of it lying around in boxes.....

[Betty]

I've lost money on almost everything I've sold, must be doing summat wrong 

Agree with the above, some right shite gets touted on faceache and owt decent is way overpriced

Sold my last remaining old bike a couple of weeks ago doubt I'll be building anymore 

[ron burgundy]

Prices go up, prices come down. Some people are chancers and others are impatient.

I searched through ebay tonight for 'old school bmx'. First time in years... It's full of tat.

[stidds]

I have honestly never lost money on parts for 2 reasons.. 1st is that I don't buy run of the mill parts that cost shit loads of money, 2nd reason is that I don't buy stuff with the thought of selling it on again.

[Gnarlyscoots]

I have honestly never lost money on parts for 2 reasons.. 1st is that I don't buy run of the mill parts that cost shit loads of money, 2nd reason is that I don't buy stuff with the thought of selling it on again.

Some of us don't have a choice though Sean. I would keep all my bikes if I had the space. Keeping hold of 4 main bikes is about my limit. The rest get built and ridden, moved on so I can build something else. I love to build but, I also love to ride them. I want to do that before I shut down so waiting 5 years for say, a set of pedals to come along cheap, is out of the question 

Saying that though, I don't get pulled into stupid payouts although, I have been ripped by a few on here during my stay 

[stidds]

I have honestly never lost money on parts for 2 reasons.. 1st is that I don't buy run of the mill parts that cost shit loads of money, 2nd reason is that I don't buy stuff with the thought of selling it on again.

Some of us don't have a choice though Sean. I would keep all my bikes if I had the space. Keeping hold of 4 main bikes is about my limit. The rest get built and ridden, moved on so I can build something else. I love to build but, I also love to ride them. I want to do that before I shut down so waiting 5 years for say, a set of pedals to come along cheap, is out of the question 

Saying that though, I don't get pulled into stupid payouts although, I have been ripped by a few on here during my stay 

Don't get me wrong, I am in not way rich, I want to build a bike I have to fund it, but what you will find is that I will look at parts that are not used much (you will not see many Dia-Compe MX1000's on my bikes, unless they were restored by me or already in my spares box).  I look outside the box with everything I build and that way I do not get ass raped by twats on ebay wanting £200 for a brake or £150 for a seat.

However if you are just in it for building pleasure and not willing to wait for the right parts you will get stung as you have no patience and no wiggle room.  And if having that bike sat around 1/2 finished for 12 months is out of the question then you are unfortunately at the mercy of market prices.

[JimBowen]

Just the way things are at the moment i think.

People have bought stuff, ie bikes, parts and are keeping hold of them. Hence alot less stuff around, hence a higher price for the stuff that does come up for sale.

Noticed this with high end stuff that just is'nt coming up for sale much anymore. Then when it does so many people are after that certain part that the price goes up. Its just the way of the world really.

Supply and Demand 


I think Old School BMX is a cheap Hobbie as well . Check out the prices for some other hobbies or interests and your looking at Hundres, Thousands for parts or items. Not just a tenner here and there

[griff]

Here we go again

[WINI]

Fact is, some people take the p1ss and want to make a sh1t load of cash when they sell parts on.

Two of my old frames have been on eBay/forums recently.  One has almost tripled since I sold it (couple of years ago now) and the other was bought for around 330 quid and he was hawking it on eBay 3 months later for 1200 quid.  It's still there of course, I hope nobody is quite that stupid

[stuntmaster]

yes we are killing the hobby as i used to love buying bits and bobs to do bmx`s up , these days i don`t buy anything as everything i want either goes for too much or the listing get ended so never get the chance to bid on it , i never buy from here as most stuff on here is more expensive than ebay . last time i bought anything bmx related was mk last year .
sad times 

[Retrodan72]

Ah, the old 6 week 'prices are ruining the hobby/bubble bursting' thread cycle returns. 


This hobby is, what it is, if prices dictate how you like to enjoy it and it doesn't suit you, then either accept it, or jump off.

It's simple, if you can't afford parts, don't buy them.
If you're concerned that you won't get your money back when selling, don't buy them.
If you are impatient and can wait for 'that' part, expect to pay out.

I've had some absolute bargains lately, all off 

[pickle]

anyone want to buy the air from my inner tubes for £500, it's original Raleigh you know

[Bigfrawg]

If everyone is building the same bikes with the same parts then said parts will be thin on the ground and therefore expensive . Why not build something less mainstream ? I appreciate that rippers , haro's , quads and TA 's are nice but they all seem to get built the same with all the same parts .
I myself am to fookin tight to gentlemans relish £400 , £500 on some cranks or £200 on some pedals just so my bike can be the same as everybody else's . Don't get me wrong , if this is your deal I'm not knocking you or your bikes it's just my opinion .

[chubby]

If everyone is building the same bikes with the same parts then said parts will be thin on the ground and therefore expensive . Why not build something less mainstream ? I appreciate that rippers , haro's , quads and TA 's are nice but they all seem to get built the same with all the same parts .
I myself am to fookin tight to gentlemans relish £400 , £500 on some cranks or £200 on some pedals just so my bike can be the same as everybody else's . Don't get me wrong , if this is your deal I'm not knocking you or your bikes it's just my opinion .

Spot on, build weird shit with odd parts nobody else could love . It's fookin great 

[Dark Diggler]

I spend all my money on heroin

[BMX1973]

Any popular hobby will command higher prices. I really would love to buy a classic car. Been thinking about an old Mini Cooper. But they sell for £15k-£25k for something decent. Those prices have rocketed over these last few years. Same with Ford Escort MK1 and 2. At those prices you can get a really, really nice car you can use every day. In comparison BMX's are cheap so I will stick with them for the time being. 


I wrote this in "bigfatolly" other thread.

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,174372.0.html

I also think it helps keeping you occupied and out of trouble. 

I would love to get into owning classic cars. But that could cost ten's of thousands and then you need to put them somewhere. Where as bikes and parts you can hide all over place. Although the number of times I've been looking for something and come across something I bought years ago and forgotten I had.

[Jaan]

anyone want to buy the air from my inner tubes for £500, it's original Raleigh you know

I'll take it, only if you can guarantee that it stinks of rotting fish

[pickle]

I'm not willing to open the valves as this will devalue the item in question.  you'll just have to take my word for it..........but yes it'll stink like a pro's snatch who's done a double shift 

[Badbaldie]

and once again its the BIG money debate .

"its not about the money , money , money
we dont need your money , money , money
we just wana make the world RAD
forget about the price tag
Aint about the (uh) cha-ching-cha-ching
and your shiney chain ring ba-bling ba-bling
wanna make the world RAD
forget about the price tag ."

[Jaan]

I've got to say this, and I'll probably get shot down in flames...

I try to get my money back but I don't care if I lose £20 or even £50 here and there as I've enjoyed the part whilst I've owned and if it means I'm helping someone else enjoy the hobby then great, that's probably narcissistic but I don't care.

What I don't get, and here's where it gets contentious, is if like in Terry's example, you buy something, ride it, use it or whatever, why should you then expect to sell it at the price you paid for it? Isn't it just the way of the world that most things depreciate with use?

[pickle]

What I don't get, and here's where it gets contentious, is if like in Terry's example, you buy something, ride it, use it or whatever, why should you then expect to sell it at the price you paid for it? Isn't it just the way of the world that most things depreciate with use?

agreed

[Jono]

I buy top dollar, sell cheap, then buy Back at top dollar  pair over the top, n had some great decals too but if anything i have bought was for investment purposes id mate more on a barrel of Fosters at the bar Its like in the end u send to Your mean, i csme into this quite recently so have had to pay top dollar Im not as lucky as some of you guy reminicing about How cheap stuff used to Be,  if only