Rare, scarce, desirable, valuable

[oldschoolace]

Irrespective of inherent quality some parts or framesets fetch top dollar when they are relatively plentiful.
others fetch little though they may be few or even singular.

how do we judge what value an item has?

thoughts 

[deeman]

Simple supply and demand I reckon Clint....
Dp Firebird's cost fook all bitd...lots of people had them...lots of people broke them.
Fast forward  20 yrs and everyone wants them again, not too many about so they end up costing what a Haro costs.....

[Gnarlyscoots]

I have found too many people just hold onto everything or sell 'behind closed doors' these days Clint. When an item pops up for sale that someone really wants, they are seen to be paying the asking price. I say seen, as we do not know if a deal was done via pm or phone call for a lesser price, so we just assume it sold for the asking price.

Why do people hold onto the parts? I really don't know. There are many people out there that are holding masses of parts and frame sets with no intention of ever moving them on. Crazy really, but it keeps the desirability of the said items high too 

[steve69]

Why do people hold onto the parts? I really don't know. There are many people out there that are holding masses of parts and frame sets with no intention of ever moving them on. Crazy really, but it keeps the desirability of the said items high too 

I could be accused of this to a degree but I don't have masses. I have a selection of parts that have accumulated over the years which allows me to build a bike in almost any colour as soon as a frame set arrives. This in turn helps me choose a colour combo but not necessarily a build spec, some parts stay on and the rest go back in the stash for the next one. I don't like the thought of selling something on knowing I will need it on a future build but will have to pay more for it when the time comes.

As for the original question. As said, supply and demand, but what drives demand? Desire which a lot of the time is born from nothing more than sombody elses hype of the brands/parts they have. I don't know if they do it to make themselves feel special or if It's to protct their so called investments. you know the types... BOOM

[factory pilot]

I think you have your answers already there Clint ... Supply/Demand, Hoarders ( like Steve !    ) and what I called the revisionist view of OSBMX. Rare=expensive these days.
To be honest a lot of parts aren't selling on here,FB or EBay at the moment ... Perhaps the bubble while not bursting has hit it's maximum.
The "lesser" desirable parts are too expensive for what they are and people aren't fussed enough to spend the dosh on them.

Mind you I've also seen some Nice NOS parts at reasonable ( not cheap ) prices also not sell at the moment on FB.

For me I've paid top dollar for items recently ( I must be a mug!  )
.. I pay because I want things to be mint/NOS ... Others are happy with used OG parts ( for a lot less money ) but I like my bikes to look minty mint and as original in finish as possible, where possible 

[chubby]

Think back to the 80's. Most people wanted / aspired to something made by one of the big hitting companies. Fast forward & people into the hobby with a bit of spare cash want what they dreamed of as a kid, there's very few into the so called "low end " weirdo stuff & that's fine by me 
I'd happily take some odd thing nobody knows much about over a brand that has a million identical bikes any day, the fact they can be found relatively cheap cheers me up no end ....

[Gnarlyscoots]

Desire which a lot of the time is born from nothing more than sombody elses hype of the brands/parts they have. I don't know if they do it to make themselves feel special or if It's to protct their so called investments. you know the types... BOOM

OOOSH!   

[Jt]

I've got a few bits here and there.

say 5 completes and enough nice bits to build a couple more top end bikes.

Haventtouched a spanner for years though, but can't be arsed to do anything either way.

Common sense says sell a few bikes, build something really nice and then trim down the parts.

bottom line is i'm lazy.

[oldschoolace]

So using tyres as an example. Pools aren't that rare and are pretty much useless to ride on yet they can fetch up to 5 times what you could buy something really scarce like a tioga pro hex 

[factory pilot]

So using tyres as an example. Pools aren't that rare and are pretty much useless to ride on yet they can fetch up to 5 times what you could buy something really scarce like a tioga pro hex 

I think a lot of parts are/can be bought out of ignorance ... Pools are seen to be cool but what year are they actually from ? 86/87? So not era correct for my builds ...

I like Chubby's ethos ... Let's see more builds with wiedo parts or  Landar, Victor it YES copy parts on .... It's what most of us used BITD .., can't see it  happening though .. Many of us are BMX snobs ( myself included )

[Gnarlyscoots]

I like Chubby's ethos ... Let's see more builds with wiedo parts or  Landar, Victor it YES copy parts on .... It's what most of us used BITD .., can't see it  happening though.

Sadly that will not happen. Too many people are tied to the idea that expensive means better and that is what everyone else wants to see on your bike.

Even back in the day, we were swapping out parts for better ones, and we all knew Dia Compe, Sugino, Tioga etc were better than the cheaper products.

[dinglem]

My tastes have changed a fair bit since I started collecting and building, possibly based on the opinion of others I must admit, and also due to research and curiosity. There are some parts I have now that I totally missed bitd, but I now find interesting.

I always liked Brum WHEELS so that was always going to be a huge part of my interest, and always will be, and I like that there aren't many out there and that they are not on the top of other people's lists. Mine is one of only 4 known Pro's for example, and only 2 in the UK and yet it probably wouldn't sell for as much as a Haro or a Skyway of which there are loads.

My third resto was a Skyway TA, mainly because they were splashed all over everything in the 80's and I always wanted one back then. It was my first really cash-intensive resto and I loved building it, and I was lucky to stumble across the lowest known US serial number frame. Over the subsequent years I really went off it though, and when somebody contacted me out-of-the-blue trying to buy it (and offered me CrAzY money for it I might add.... and I mean car money) I had zero issues letting it go.

My biggest issue is there are a few parts on every build that I just hate buying. I hate spending money on brakes for example. They are a necessity rather than something I find exciting to source.

Chasing something specific like mega-lightweight parts for my WHEELS Ti prototype has been fab as I have had to research lightweight period parts and try to unearth them, and that is what I like.  I learn things along the way, which is part of the fun for me. I had never heard of HarborLite bikes or parts until I started looking into this build, and now have a very rare set of their lightweight bars which I never would have done before. Obscure and unusual, yes. Valuable?? Probably not as few know what they actually are, especially in the UK.

I have a stash of nice parts waiting for the right F&F to come along, but to be honest I have actually started thinning that collection out a bit as there are only a few other bikes I would like to build now. I still have my BW Cruiser to finish, but that's about it apart from the Ti. I held my Bottema forks waiting until I found the WHEELS Pro, and when it arrived I had the whole build ready to go. I'd love a pair of skatepark Bottema forks also, and will get a pair at some point, but then i'll have to decide what frame to mount them on.

Not really sure where I am going with this, but I seem to now prefer the rarer British brands, and actively avoid the well known mainstream US ones. I took a punt on 'Rusty Rick' to see if I could salvage it, and because it was cheap!

I haven't paid top dollar for anything for a while now. I have things like Son-Lites, Bottema forks and ClemTwin cranks, and fortunately I got my hands on those before prices went crazy. I've also got obscure stuff that I am into, like Hanabishi cranks, Vector PV-1 pedals, Akron BMX grips (3 pairs of) and recently I developed a fascination for ACS Stoker pedals too.

I am not too sure the 4 words in the thread title are at all related, it comes down to individuality and personal tastes.   

[factory pilot]

Going to back to tyres Clint .. A lot of prices are driven by ignorance/availability .. Remember when Rainbow labels commanded big money    ... It's like my knarler knobby tyres on my quad ..people think the label is late but they are cleared dated 83 on the sidewall.

I've recently spent a lot of money on a skyway platform ... I paid top dollar because it was NOS .., it's a part that has very limited appeal .. I can't see myself ever getting my money back but it's not about that for me .... I'm mega excited .. It's another part I always wanted as a kid ... This is the biggest driving force for me ...

[portypaul]

Why are dirt skirts so expensive for what they are.

[chubby]

So using tyres as an example. Pools aren't that rare and are pretty much useless to ride on yet they can fetch up to 5 times what you could buy something really scarce like a tioga pro hex 

I think a lot of parts are/can be bought out of ignorance ... Pools are seen to be cool but what year are they actually from ? 86/87? So not era correct for my builds ...

I like Chubby's ethos ... Let's see more builds with wiedo parts or  Landar, Victor it YES copy parts on .... It's what most of us used BITD .., can't see it  happening though .. Many of us are BMX snobs ( myself included )

Exactly where I'm heading with a build Ant, trying to find some half decent comp 3 copies at the min. The whole build should cost less than a wank sent of redline cranks.....

Far as I can find out the frame is the only one in the UK too   

[Retrodan72]

Repop parts, sorted. 

[CustardLips]

So using tyres as an example. Pools aren't that rare and are pretty much useless to ride on yet they can fetch up to 5 times what you could buy something really scarce like a tioga pro hex 

I think a lot of parts are/can be bought out of ignorance ... Pools are seen to be cool but what year are they actually from ? 86/87? So not era correct for my builds ...

I like Chubby's ethos ... Let's see more builds with wiedo parts or  Landar, Victor it YES copy parts on .... It's what most of us used BITD .., can't see it  happening though .. Many of us are BMX snobs ( myself included )

Exactly where I'm heading with a build Ant, trying to find some half decent comp 3 copies at the min. The whole build should cost less than a wank sent of redline cranks.....

Far as I can find out the frame is the only one in the UK too   

Got some unused Duro comp 3's if they're any good to you Rich.

[chubby]

So using tyres as an example. Pools aren't that rare and are pretty much useless to ride on yet they can fetch up to 5 times what you could buy something really scarce like a tioga pro hex 

I think a lot of parts are/can be bought out of ignorance ... Pools are seen to be cool but what year are they actually from ? 86/87? So not era correct for my builds ...

I like Chubby's ethos ... Let's see more builds with wiedo parts or  Landar, Victor it YES copy parts on .... It's what most of us used BITD .., can't see it  happening though .. Many of us are BMX snobs ( myself included )

Exactly where I'm heading with a build Ant, trying to find some half decent comp 3 copies at the min. The whole build should cost less than a wank sent of redline cranks.....

Far as I can find out the frame is the only one in the UK too   LolLolLol:

Got some unused Duro comp 3's if they're any good to you Rich.

They black Nick ??

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[chrisv39]

Two bikes I'd love to build that I had as a kid are a Pro Star and a Curtis. Firstly the Pro Star which while I loved it as it was my first BMX was a heavy POS with mostly cheap and nasty parts yet seem to command stupid money these days. I know that they were only produced for a short time and understand this is part of the reason as they aren't many about.
My Curtis which was a beautifully made bike and in a different league to my Pro Star was a relatively cheap frameset compared to my mates rippers, ta's, etc, looking at adverts in old mags you're looking at £100 for a Curtis and £150+ for a TA etc, which at the time was a massive difference. I know round our area (Middlesbrough) I can't recall seeing another one as they just weren't desirable like the big American brands were, yet again these days bring big money.
Wish I'd started off with a Burner then got a Californian at least I'd be able to afford to build my childhood bikes

[rooski]

When judging the cost of an item, its the going rate whatever that may be.

Rare, but undesirable parts are literally what its worth to you, as there will be NO "going rate" as they don't come up that often.

This is not a static environment though, as a certain part can be seen on a bike and spark interest!

Same goes with frames etc, someone does a stunning one, whatever that f+f may be, others may also want to build one and prices can rise.

[Jaymz]

People covet what they remember. It's as simple as that. Same with classic cars fords and vws clear up in scene tax. But rarities like a Talbot samba, hyundai stellar of FSO are worth peanuts in comparison even though fords probably outstrip them thousands to one in rarity.

[Swivel]

Bob Haro's wank sock has to be very scarce!    

[Retrodan72]

Bob Haro's wank sock has to be very scarce!    

As too is Ashley Little's now. 

[Drawn]

I would say it also comes down to people now being able to afford what they have always wanted or aspired to.
not sure how it is over there with cars, but it follows a similar story to bikes over here. not that long ago some where nearly not able to be given away, then all the sudden the price of them now is crazy. People who used to look at them when they were younger now have the "disposable" income and were able to get themselves into their childhood dreams.

I'd say its the same with bikes. Take one that people wanted, even if it was popular, add the disposable income and you have a combo that makes the prices rise.
then again, you get the people that don't want to pay the prices, but on the other hand people out there are willing if its what they need or are chasing.

[dinglem]

Here's a great example.

I love Spencer rims. I spent ages trying to source a tidy pair (oh MATRON) of 20 x 1.75's and now have them ready to be built up. Happy days. They weren't particularly expensive or even popular bitd as they were presumably considered a bit 'low-end' compared to their foreign rivals. I like them because they are 

Today I presume they are considered rare, and I am basing that around the fact that they don't come up for sale very often or appear on many builds. They are, however, relatively cheap to purchase as and when they do pop up for sale (usually one rim at a time). By cheap I mean my set probably only cost me about 25nuggets. Almost zero demand you see.

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What I would REALLY kill for, and by that I mean would most likely pay way over the odds, is a pair of Spencer skinnies. I know they made them - I have an advert for them, and from what I gather it is what they were supposedly famed for, and yet in all my years of collecting I have never ever seen or heard of a pair. Not for sale, nor on any builds.

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Rare - yes.
Desirable - not really for anybody except me (and most likely Phil Sawzall).
Valuable - ??