Hoarding Season
Saturday morning I started sorting and doing a rough inventory in the garage.
I've been needed to do this for a while, or I would end up extra items that I didn't need. Actually, I really don't need any of it, but I want it. I want more.
I started with the front derailleurs, because that's what I picked up first. Braze-on and clamp mounts of various sizes. Apex, Rival, Force, and Red. I boxed them up as neatly as possible, knowing that organization would only last until the next bike build.
Then it was rear derailleurs. Short cage and medium cage, again spanning the full SRAM range. Box them up and set them aside.
Shifters. Brake calipers. Cranksets. Cassettes. Chains. Brake pads for aluminum rims. Brake pads for carbon rims. Tubular tires. Tubular glue. Tubular tape. Tubes. Tires. Valve extenders. Bottom brackets. Bar tape. Brake cables. Derailleur Cables. Brake housing. Derailleur housing. Housing ferrules. Cable crimps. The list is endless, and each item was noted and tucked away.
I'm hoarding. Some of it I can explain away because I run 10-speed drivetrains. The majority of my wheels are 10-speed, and replacing them would be cost prohibitive. I haven't found a compelling reason to move to an 11-speed drivetrain yet. Instead, I'm buying stocks of SRAM 10-speed components (when they're cheap) so I'm not forced to upgrade. Eventually SRAM will stop making 10-speed components, and stocks will dry up or prices will get ridiculous. It's that way for 8- and 9-speed components of a certain level now, and in time 10-speed components will follow the same pattern as stocks dry up. It's better to buy now at a reasonable price than wait until some eBay hack decides that they're old enough to be antiques.
Other stuff I buy because I consume a certain quantity of them every year. When I buy consumables and find a good price, I usually buy several so I save money in the long run. At least, that's what I tell myself.
The remainder is stuff I buy because I want to. No other reason. I'm a gear whore and I like buying stuff. Beats smoking when you compare ROI. Besides, bikes are awesome. Bikes are made of bike parts. Therefore, bike parts are awesome. It's science.
Once everything is sorted, I'll start bike building. I'm going to tear down Pete's old DBR bike that I've upgraded over the years and return it to a semi-original state so he can sell it on Craigslist. When that's done, I'll tear down the Cannondale System Six and build it up with the parts I removed from the DBR, so Pete will have a new bike to hide from his wife. Then I'll tear down my faithful Ridley Orion and build it up to sell. If I have time, I may pull down one of the frames off the garage ceiling and build that up too.
You know what? I'll still have enough components to build a handful of bikes after that. I have a theory about this. While they were thrown in a huge, disorganized pile, the various components had a huge bike parts orgy, copulating in an unprotected manner that resulted in a population explosion. Red begat Force. Force begat Rival. Rival begat Apex.
Now that they're organized, boxed up properly, and moved out to the suburbs, perhaps their hedonistic tendencies will be tempered somewhat.
...until I start buying again.
I've been needed to do this for a while, or I would end up extra items that I didn't need. Actually, I really don't need any of it, but I want it. I want more.
I started with the front derailleurs, because that's what I picked up first. Braze-on and clamp mounts of various sizes. Apex, Rival, Force, and Red. I boxed them up as neatly as possible, knowing that organization would only last until the next bike build.
Then it was rear derailleurs. Short cage and medium cage, again spanning the full SRAM range. Box them up and set them aside.
Shifters. Brake calipers. Cranksets. Cassettes. Chains. Brake pads for aluminum rims. Brake pads for carbon rims. Tubular tires. Tubular glue. Tubular tape. Tubes. Tires. Valve extenders. Bottom brackets. Bar tape. Brake cables. Derailleur Cables. Brake housing. Derailleur housing. Housing ferrules. Cable crimps. The list is endless, and each item was noted and tucked away.
I'm hoarding. Some of it I can explain away because I run 10-speed drivetrains. The majority of my wheels are 10-speed, and replacing them would be cost prohibitive. I haven't found a compelling reason to move to an 11-speed drivetrain yet. Instead, I'm buying stocks of SRAM 10-speed components (when they're cheap) so I'm not forced to upgrade. Eventually SRAM will stop making 10-speed components, and stocks will dry up or prices will get ridiculous. It's that way for 8- and 9-speed components of a certain level now, and in time 10-speed components will follow the same pattern as stocks dry up. It's better to buy now at a reasonable price than wait until some eBay hack decides that they're old enough to be antiques.
Other stuff I buy because I consume a certain quantity of them every year. When I buy consumables and find a good price, I usually buy several so I save money in the long run. At least, that's what I tell myself.
The remainder is stuff I buy because I want to. No other reason. I'm a gear whore and I like buying stuff. Beats smoking when you compare ROI. Besides, bikes are awesome. Bikes are made of bike parts. Therefore, bike parts are awesome. It's science.
Once everything is sorted, I'll start bike building. I'm going to tear down Pete's old DBR bike that I've upgraded over the years and return it to a semi-original state so he can sell it on Craigslist. When that's done, I'll tear down the Cannondale System Six and build it up with the parts I removed from the DBR, so Pete will have a new bike to hide from his wife. Then I'll tear down my faithful Ridley Orion and build it up to sell. If I have time, I may pull down one of the frames off the garage ceiling and build that up too.
You know what? I'll still have enough components to build a handful of bikes after that. I have a theory about this. While they were thrown in a huge, disorganized pile, the various components had a huge bike parts orgy, copulating in an unprotected manner that resulted in a population explosion. Red begat Force. Force begat Rival. Rival begat Apex.
Now that they're organized, boxed up properly, and moved out to the suburbs, perhaps their hedonistic tendencies will be tempered somewhat.
...until I start buying again.
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