On 10/19/07, Paul Park <pauljosephpark@gmail.com> wrote:

great idea, beth

On 10/19/07, Velocipede Bike Project < info@velocipedebikeproject.org> wrote:
We do someithing at Velocipede that I like. Even though we do try to set
the price of the bike using all the factors people have mentioned, I also
like to ask people interested in the bike how much they want to pay.  If
they say something ridiculously low, I'll give them a counter offer that
is more reasonable, but still with in their means.  This works for us for
now because our overhead is still so low.

I came to this method just cause I never know what to charge for bikes,
and never have the time to do the research on each bike to find out.  I
also like how it throws people for a loop and emphasizes that we are here
to make bikes available to the public and while the money helps us to keep
doing that, it is not our primary focus.

-beth
velocipede bike project
baltimore , md

> I actually can't remember if I've answered this question before...
> Here goes:
> At the Bike Church in Santa Cruz, bikes are sold either 'as is' (no
> wrenching done, although it is important to remember that we all spend a
> lot
> of time and intellectual labor GETTING the bike onto a hook in the shop)
> or
> as a mechanic's pet project. 'As is' bikes are typically priced between
> $15-$75 depending on all of the concerns that everyone else is posting to
> the list, and how much work needs to be done to make it safe and
> efficient.
> Desireability also plays a role in pricing. Bikes that mechanics
> (core/staff
> members) work over are priced by deducting the WHOLESALE price of new
> parts
> put on the bike, and then splitting the remainder between the mechanic and
> the shop. Thus, if a bike sells for $150, and there are $50 of new parts
> on
> it, the mechanic would take $50 and the shop would take $50. The mechanic
> sets the asking price based on the amount of labor put in and the
> desirability factors mentioned above. True, such systems do result in some
> cherrypicking, so a bike has to be kicking around 'as is' for a month
> before
> a mechanic can take it on, and, honestly, NOONE is ever gonna get rich
> fixing up busted bikes in the middle of the night, no matter how sweet the
> frame is.
>
> At BICAS, where I am about to rush off to a collective meeting for, things
> are slightly different. the 'as-is' bikes are called 'pergatory; bikes in
> waiting' (which I just love) and though the factors for pricing are pretty
> similar the prices tend to be a bit lower here than in Santa Cruz (the
> bikes, overall, are a bit more toward the huffy side though; in Santa Cruz
> we turn those back at the gate, no room, no desire to haul other peoples
> metal recycling, whereas BICAS has a lot more room and need for all types
> of, uh, 'bikes'). At BICAS the 'floor bikes' (those that a mechanic has
> gone
> over) include in the price the RETAIL value of new parts, the 'as-is'
> value
> of the bike, and a designation for labor. The labor part is a little
> unclear
> policy-wise, as the mechanic approximates the amount of labor that went
> into
> the bike, but is paid as an an employee (each staff member is allocated
> 4hrs
> of paid work/week to wrench on floor bikes, and if it is slow in the shop
> staff can work on them then too). This is the main difference from the
> Bike
> Church, where all of the core mechanics are independent contractors
> (convenient for income taxes as well as being the actual truth of how
> tasks
> are accomplished).
> Sorry that was kinda lenghty; I hope it is helpful.
> ride prone but ride proud,
> kyle
>
>>From: "Liza Mattana" <pedals2people@gmail.com >
>>Reply-To: The Think Tank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org>
>>To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org>
>>Subject: [TheThinkTank] selling bikes
>>Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:43:13 -0700
>>
>>if this has been answered before, can you link me to the archive thread?
>>
>>    my questions is how does your org price used bikes? we've come across
>>    some nice older bikes (bridgestone CB-0 and an old stumpjumper), and
>>    we're trying to figure out a way to price them, kind of a way to
>>    standardize the process.
>>
>>    we'll be turning them into commuter bikes with fenders and racks and
>>    making them safe and rideable, but we're not doing complete
>> overhauls.
>>i
>>    know this is a tricky question, but any advice you have will be
>>    helpful!
>>
>>    thanks,
>>    liza
>>
>>
>>--
>>Liza Mattana
>> www.pedals2people.org
>>Spokane, WA
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>>http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org
>
>
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--
PJ Park
http://www.biketobrazil.blogspot.com
http://www.imagestation.com/members/pjpark
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