Blame Pickers?

[jwm]

I just clicked on the 'bay to check and see if there was something I couldn't live without. I entered "Schwinn" in the search, and sorted by high price.
Un-flipping-believable.:eek: Do these guys really think someone's going to kick down almost three grand for a 60's middleweight?
I'm all for the free market. I'm all for selling something for as much as you can get for it, but this is just ridiculous.
Maybe they watched Pickers, and got the idea that they can make a fortune from anything Schwinn. At any rate, I hope they like their bikes, because they'll be sitting on them for a while.

JWM

 

[Talewinds]

You nailed it.

 

[chitown]

I blame Auction Hunters

I blame Auction Hunters more than Pickers. The Auction Hunter episode where they had the '36 Autocycle was too funny how they were soooo surprised they had a Schwinn and said it like no one had ever heard of the company before. I guess they were educating us viewers about American bike history or something. Even better was when they had no idea what it was worth until the eventual buyer told them it was worth 8k (seemed a little bit over market value) then proceeded to bargain with the buyer to pay 4k for it (much closer to market value). I believe if the buyer would have told them it was worth 1k they would have been just as blown away.

At least with Pickers they know the market (retail vs picking price).

 

[Classicriders]

Before all of this, it was Antiques Roadshow that had everyone in an uproar. There are lots of shows that show what something is alledgedly worth, but... It's the viewer that is the most guilty. They are the ones who say, "I saw one just like it on TV that was worth $1500" but it is NEVER "just like it". Most viewers "want" it to be "just like it" but they don't bother paying attention to the details. For that matter, they don't bother to actually educate themselves properly (which takes time) and instead rely on a snap shot (TV show) to educate them.
Like the old proverb goes... If you give a monkey a razor and he cuts himself, who's fault is it? The Monkey's or the person who gave him the razor?

 

[militarymonark]

THE MONKEY!!!! I've done that myself but I did learn a lesson so when people throw some ridiculous price on something thats def not worth that it they'll learn eventually. Its the people that dont like constructive criticism that dont want to learn

 

[militarymonark]

matter of fact the first time I started researching my dad's bike, my dad told me that the person he bought the bike from came from Montgomery wards but of course it was a shelby and I insisted thats the message relayed by the original owner. Once I started getting into some real research and talked to the newmeyers I was able to get a full understanding of what I had and where it was originally purchased and had to tell my dad the bad news that the bike didn't come from wards. So once I humbled myself and learn it opened a whole world of learning. So I see where these people come from.

 

[jwm]

You know- now that I think about it, this isn't really anything new. When I first got the classic bike bug in the late 70's the word got around that old bikes were worth a lot of money (at least here in So Cal). Even then, people were bitten by the myth of the thousand dollar bicycle, and tried to get huge sums for any rusty old junker they had in the back yard. I paid over five hundred for my B6 in 1980, and it was missing a lot of parts. Live and learn. What I've found, is very often the people who are bitten by the thousand dollar bike myth end up being the ones who spend the thousand bucks.

JWM

 

[Flat Tire]

Heres a funny story. I went to an auction to try and win some bike parts, they also had a 1930's Elgin motobike. I overheard folks talking about American Pickers, and thought to myself 'uh oh' here we go! Well they brought the Elgin up, then to my surprise they put a 1980's girls huffy, dirty and scratched, next to the Elgin and said 'choice'. If that wasnt funny enough they called the Elgin a Western Flyer, it was missing the headbadge but the tires said WF so thats what they called it. I figured there were other folks in the know, and it would still get bid up because of the numerous folks speaking of the 'Pickers' show. After a total of only 6 low ball bids I was surprised I won, then came the inevitable question from the auctioneer "which one do you want?".....so I says "I'll take the Western Flyer".

 

[Ozark Flyer]

Same on CL

I'm seing the same thing on my local C List. People asking stupid money for junk. I guess it goes both ways. I listed high and sold a bike today for much more than I expected. As Waylon said, what goes around comes around.

 

[Talewinds]

NOTHING has polarized the mind and is as prolific as "American Pickers Syndrome" (APS). I've bought close to 30 bikes in the last 6 months, in almost EVERY circumstance the sellers have mentioned AP by name specifically. One even mentioned that they contacted AP directly to ask if they wanted to come buy their bike (my goodness if you could see the sad condition of that bike you'd know how funny that was).

I have years of experience in business, sales, and marketing, so I'd like to think I "get" the big picture, but AP is really complicating this otherwise modest hobby. I really wish this could remain a $50/bike hobby instead of a $500/bike hobby. Kinda ruins it when the almighty dollar becomes such a significant factor.