Used Rivendell market and pricing

[cyclot...@gmail.com]

Judging by what's happening on the 'bay, custom Rivendells aren't
fairing so well. Yet Bleriots, Atlanti, and Rambouillets seem to be
selling well, even for more than the customs. It's definitely a
buyers market for the customs, but fairly mixed for their production
bikes. Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

[PATRICK MOORE]

That's not surprising, given that the standards have good reputations, while someone else's custom is always something of an uknown quantity. I doubt I'd get XO-1 prices for my 2 26" wheel custom Roads (though IMO the XOs, though nice, are overrated). The '95 559 wheel road custom I sold a few years ago cost me $950 in 1995 and I thought myself lucky to get $300 for it -- although I had gleefully chopped off all the brazeons (I did a good job) to make it a dedicated commuter fixed gear.

 

BTW, my Rivs have been smallwheeled not because I am short but because I am weird.

[Jim Bronson]

It takes the right person to buy a custom, one with similar
measurements and similar usage in mind, and they have to be convinced
your build will work for them.

In my case, the custom I bought used had been for sale in the local
cycling club's classified ads for at least a year. With full Campy
Record build, Brooks Swift Ti, and Joe Young custom wheels, I paid the
previous owner $1500 complete. Quite a bargain I think.

I actually owned an orange Rambouillet 68cm frame at that time and I
sold it after acquiring the custom. I already had $950 into the
Rambouillet, no way for another $550 I could have built it up to the
same quality level. Plus, after thinking about it more, the TT on the
custom was way longer, even though both have 68 cm ST's. I thought
the Ram would be too cramped for me.

Probably ridden it 20,000 miles since then. My tool of choice for
brevet riding, club riding, commuting, etc.

On 5/14/08, cyclot...@gmail.com <cyclot...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

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[David Estes]

Yes, yes, yes, their production bikes have a GREAT reputation, but their customs do, too!  :)

Heres' an example of a well-used Atlantis with basic Rivendell build:  http://tinyurl.com/6dw9ln

And a custom A/R that's in nicer condition:  http://tinyurl.com/4gcf9g

Yes, they're different sizes and everything, which might have a little something to do with it, but I don't know... 

I don't think the Atlantis should necessary go for less, just that the custom should go for more.
--
Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

[David Estes]

That's a great deal!  Similar to this one:  http://tinyurl.com/5wl7of but with even more bicycle goodness:-)

Doesn't it take the right person to buy any bike for sale?  It has to fit you and be built up the way you want it?  There's no one build for a Riv, which is why they're soooo versatile!  That does make it harder to find the "right" one, but that goes the same for production as well as custom frames.

The link I put above really surprised me.  I bid on it, but it was low and I knew I wouldn't end up with it.  I was expecting it to go higher than $1645 though.  That seems reallly low for an all Campy bike in great condition (although the auction was written poorly with crap pictures).

Like I mentioned in the initial observation, this is an EXCELLENT time to be in the market for a used Rivendell!

DE

[Esteban]

This is kind of an interesting situation. Personally, I loathe
dealing with Ebay. I don't have a very good reason, but I just don't
buy stuff on there. Here are two thoughts:

1. I think sellers should always post to RBW OB and iBob (hell - even
bike forums) first to find people of like-minds
2. Maybe sell the frame and fork only, as the components are more
personal choices?

Otherwise, its just a nice buyers market. Great way to spend the
stimulus package checks - on sustainable transportation!

[Jim Bronson]

I agree, too many games on eBay. Sellers having multiple I'd's to bid
up their own auctions, incomplete information, etc.

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[David Estes]

I kind of live outside of a major metro area, so there isn't much C.L. action going on.  Various lists are GREAT, and I sell probably 90% of my stuff via them.  I also end up buying too much from them as well :-)  I like selling (and buying) on the lists as most are "iBOB prices" which lets everyone benefit a bit.  That being said, I've only had good experience on ebaby.  Never been burnt, and able to have won some good stuff @ good prices over the years.

Cheers,
DE

[David Faller]

Agreed.  I've sold hundreds of items, many of them bike parts, on ebay; and I've bought countless parts, too, and I've always had good luck.  You just have to know what you're doing, just like anything else in life.

 

Dave

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[Invisible]

Hey! I'm Famous!

That's me who picked up the 64cm Atlantis, above, so maybe I can offer
a little insight. The Atlantis had nine unique bidders, six of whom
seemed to put in serious bids. The A/R had seven unique bidders, with
five that were serious, and all six of the bidders on the custom
seemed serious. So, each bike had five or six people who knew what
they were bidding on and seemed prepared to pay for it. The Atlantis
and custom were both medium-large (64 and 62cm, repectively). The A/R
is fairly small (by Rivendell standards - 53cm).

I actually fought pretty hard against my desire to bid on the custom.
As nice a bike as I'm sure it is, it's built for 28mm tires and short-
reach brakes, and like (I think) most Rivendell customers, I wanted a
more comfortable bike with extra clearance for fenders and big tires.
The Atlantis fits that niche nicely. Maybe a custom would, too, but
with the Atlantis you KNOW, because each one is the same and you've
lusted over thousands of photos.

This Atlantis also includes a SON28 dynohub and E6 light, which help
drive up the price (these might find their way back onto the market
after I get the bike, keep an eye out). But of course, the components
are a mix of medium quality stuff, not shiny Campagnolo throughout.
Maybe the custom should have brought more.

I think the sellers of all these bikes would get more for their bikes
if they sold the frame and components separately. After all, people
who want Rivendells are people who know bikes, and people who know
bikes are people with boxes of parts stashed in their closets, just
waiting for a frame. People who might not bid on a complete bike.

Not that I'm going to complain about getting a screaming deal on my
dream bike. This will allow me to replace my 58cm Soma Double Cross
AND my cruiser-modded Redline Monocog, freeing up space in my
apartment and (I hope) not costing me much after I unload the excess.

So what kind of person buys a used Riv on eBay? I'm 25, with a couple
years of use on my engineering degree and a bicycle obsession. For me,
the dings and scrapes are a relief, since they make the bike less
theft-worthy, and also take away any worry over avoiding that first
scratch. I live in Alaska, so a bike that can take fat tires for snow
riding is good. And I wanted a frame that will fit and encourage me to
ride it, not punish me for doing so.

I hope this helps people understand the used market just a little. I
will now become invisible.
-Wesley

[David Estes]

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Wow.  Actually wouldn't be surprised if the winners of the other bikes were on this or the ibob list!!!!

The SON wheel was the wild card in all this.  That was a value-added feature on the bike, for sure.  I'm still wondering if this is a trend in sales for Rivendell bikes, either on the bay or wherever (custom vs. production).   It just seems with all the Campy bling that custom sold really low.  I think I mentioned originally that the write up and pics sucked, which might have something to do with it???  But there was also a Rambouillet framset that went for ~$1,300, which was only $300 less than the complete custom.  Used is the only way I would get a bike anymore as if you're patient, it seems like whatever you're waiting for comes along at some point.  Luckily I'm not really looking to buy or sell at the moment, so this is more of an academic discussion.  I sure thought about putting some $$$ down on the custom though... :-)

Glad you were able to get a great bike, in one of the rarer large sizes!

[Philip Williamson]

I think the Rivendell market would pay more for a complete Suntour build than full Campagnolo.
There must be an overlap; people who'd be really excited for both the Rivendell frame and the Campy components, but I'd think, "crap. then I'd have to sell all the parts..." because they're monetarily valuable, but not emotionally valuable. To me. So what should be a bonus, is actually a hassle.

Not that I buy bikes or sell parts on eBay...

 Philip

[Jim Bronson]

Heck I think the Rivendell market would pay more for full 105 than
they would for Campy Record stuff. High-zoot Campy just doesn't seem
that common on the Rivendells that I have seen. I have to admit, I've
been switching out my Record parts over time. The Record cranks were
taken off in favor of TA Carmina, rear der was switched out for a long
cage silver 03 Chorus that was new in the box, casette is now a
Veloce, chain is now KMC.

--

[Bill Connell]

On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 1:12 PM, Invisible <brooks...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think the sellers of all these bikes would get more for their bikes
> if they sold the frame and components separately. After all, people
> who want Rivendells are people who know bikes, and people who know
> bikes are people with boxes of parts stashed in their closets, just
> waiting for a frame. People who might not bid on a complete bike.

I'd think most people would prefer to get a complete bike, even if
they plan to swap out components. For the buyer, it's almost always a
better deal than building a bike from scratch, and they can resell any
individual components they don't want. Unless you already have a full
build kit sitting in a box, the only real downside is higher shipping
cost than a frame-only.

Granted, Rivendell customer more than probably most people have some
pretty nice parts stashed away. Still, it seems like there would be a
strong tendency to use nicer parts on a Rivendell than the average
used bike from ebay, and presumably if you're bike shopping on ebay,
budget is an issue that would make a complete bike more economical.

From a seller's standpoint, no doubt that parting it out is the most
lucrative route, assuming they have the knowledge to disassemble the
bike and the parts are desirable on their own.

--
Bill Connell
St. Paul, MN

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

Our genius mechanic Mark has a couple funny stories about a former
coworker that got through a prolonged unemployment period by hunting
craigslist and garage sales looking for bikes with fancy parts. One
day Mark saw him taking a set of Campy brakes down to the small bits
and pieces. Turns out the small parts go for a much higher cumulative
price on ebay than the entire brakeset sells for.

On May 16, 9:04 am, "Bill Connell" <bconn...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Kelt]

David SAid:

> Wow.  Actually wouldn't be surprised if the winners of the other bikes were
> on this or the ibob list!!!!

I just joined both lists, having won the Bleriot that was on
auction.
Hi, my name is Trev and I too have a bike addiction, it's been five
days since my last bike purchase.

Ok, it's a little sporadic, some garage sale bikes, and a few others,
I have a Heron Touring that I used for commuting til I got laid off
(an Ebay find) , a few others that keep me busy, including an
Xtracycle conversion, a couple older Raleighs, a fixed gear project,
and a late eighties/early nineties Bottec**** I'd never heard of them
til I found it for next to nothing at a sale, now hear they are
terrible..anyone got info? (off list preferred)

I'm nearly 40 and not a fan of spandex, and hope that the Bleriot will
introduce me to 650b and possibly become a willing steed for my wife,
though I plan on riding it too. (we're similar heights and builds )
I was serious about this auction, having had a Bleriot jones for a
while, and some problems fulfilling it (hence the Heron).

Funny thing is, I won't see the bike for another two weeks, as I am
moving to the sellers area, and elected to have a family member
collect it for me and hold it there til I arrive.

Well, that's my piece, Hello.
sitting down again.

Trev.
Florida, soon to be Ohio.

[djdau]

Invisible:

Ah! I figured if I watched the list long enough I'd find out who got
the Atlantis. (I believe this was the e-bay Atlantis that sold on May
14 at 14:48:55 PDT) Waiting until 12 seconds before bidding is up
before posting a single, final winning bid is dirty, dirty pool :>))

It was such a nice day here in Iowa I was out riding my Quickbeam
instead of paying attention to the bidding.

Your bid was a good guess. You beat my bid by $25. My wife was
relieved, however :>) Plus, we aren't sure where to store yet another
bike. A Qbeam, Soma Double Cross, 2 vintage Schwinns, and a mtn bike
just aren't enough. Like you, I have a serious bike jones as well.

Enjoy the Atlantis, I'm sure you'll love it. I'm glad someone who
will really appreciate, enjoy and use it won the bid. I'll continue
saving up for a new one.

-DJ

[Invisible]

DJ,

Glad I could save you the burden of owning such a fine machine ;-]

As for the timing... and I hate to write this out, because just the
name of the thing makes me feel somehow unclean... but you should take
a look at AuctionSniper (www.auctionsniper.com). It will automatically
put your bid in for you while you're out riding or whatever, and too
late to give anyone a chance to pawn the wedding silver and come back
with a higher bid. Just an FYI.

[Invisible]

<Everybody>
Hi, Trev!
<\Everybody>

--

I will now become invisible.
-Wesley

[David Estes]

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I hope you love your Bleriot!  Deep down inside, I know 650b works better for me, but I can't quite give up the 700c... :-)

[djdau]

Wesley,

Regarding your saving me from the burden of owning a fine machine ($
$), my wife thanks you :>)

Thanks for the tip. I checked AuctionSniper out, good information to
know next time I find myself bidding seriously on E-Bay.

Drop the list a line after you get the Atlantis and let us know how
you like it. I've been a Riv fan for a few years and finally decided
to splurge on an orange Quickbeam. It's a fantastic ride!

Check it out here:
http://www.cyclofiend.com/ssg/2007/ssg089-dwightdau0607.html

..and two other rides...
http://www.cyclofiend.com/ssg/2008/ssg152-dwightdau0408.html

http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2007/cc353-dwightdau0807.html

Did I really NEED another bike? Not really. But when you see all
those nice, shiny Nitto bits attached to a fine steel frame it's way
too hard to resist!

DJ