Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

veloswap worth it??

911 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  kristian 
#1 ·
have heard many stories about it but have never been, so can i find new stuff at bargains like tires, gloves, drive train etc.... i don't want to look at someone's pile of junk from their garage (sorry)...is it insanely crowded...are the bargains worth the hassle?? thanks
 
#2 ·
I think yes...

But the real answer is just go one year and you decide.

Yes there are bargains that range from decent to incredible. Yes you do have to look, yes it can be crowded. But I don't know you, to know what you call a bargain or how much you may dislike crowds or hunting. So just give it a shot and decide for yourself.
 
#3 ·
Yeah, it's crazy. Get there early. Ideally before it opens if you can get in with a group that has a table. Good deals are early and then late when people are wheeling and dealing to keep from dragging their crap back home. It's weird though. Two years ago I was there with a Turner RFX frame for like $750 or something and no one bought it. I was there with some roadie buddies and they were like "who's Turner and why are you asking so much!" Argh! Ended up selling it through mtbr classifieds for like $1200. Now you see em going for even more. But I digress... It's worth the trip just for fun if you aren't looking for anything in particular. It's like a grand celebration of cycling and capitalism. S
 
#4 ·
The Stever said:
But the real answer is just go one year and you decide.

Yes there are bargains that range from decent to incredible. Yes you do have to look, yes it can be crowded. But I don't know you, to know what you call a bargain or how much you may dislike crowds or hunting. So just give it a shot and decide for yourself.
yeah i agree with you but just trying to get some input from people with experiences before i subject myself to the mass hysteria...
 
#7 ·
I think it's worth it

billybobzia said:
yeah i agree with you but just trying to get some input from people with experiences before i subject myself to the mass hysteria...
I have been there every year for the past 5 or 6 and swear by it. I try to buy as many "consumables" (tires, gloves, seats) as possible so I never have to buy any of those things retail. Most of the stuff I buy is brand new too. I have stacks of tires purchased at the swap and have never paid more than $15 for a new tire ($50 DH tires). I think I calculated that I saved $200 over retail last year and I didn't buy ALL that much stuff.

And on the intangible side, it's a great place to people watch--you see everyone from Huffy riders to Pro racers in the crowd. Come once. Unless you have issues with crowds, I guarentee you will have a decent time and find at least one deal you can't pass up. And who knows, you might come home with a bunch of cool, inexpensive stuff.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top