Club 808 members: your experience

[popetown]

I'm just curious about Bicycle's Club 808. So I thought I'd ask those who are members: Is the membership well worth it?

I'm not insane crazy about the current starter deck. I don't hate it, but it's not like I gotta have it either so I'm wondering what perks beyond having that starter are actually out there.

Are there a ton of other decks only members are able to buy? Are they notably more expensive than what you could find on Amazon? I have the Griffin deck bookmarked on my Amazon account but the secondary has that one at $15+ already and I'm mostly just interested in it due to it's possibly collectible nature. I'm just curious how the 808 decks start out price wise.

For those who are members, do you say it's worth it, would you renew and how much do you end up getting/ordering as a result of your membership?

[flyers3003]

Decks Available:

Griffin $5.99+shipping
Cigar $5.99+shipping
Speakeasy $7.99+shipping
Amber Stag $7.99+shipping
Espionage $7.99+shipping
Jules Verne $7.99+shipping

In addition Uncuts of the above decks are available for $9.99+shipping. 

You also get the Club 808 deck for free when you join.  And for two years now, I've gotten a Play More Cards kit free (1 Brick of Standard Bikes - 6 Red, 6 Blue, 2 Sets of 5 dice, Pens, Scorepads, Cups, Poster, Bottle Openers...)

[popetown]

Oh wow. Yeah, I'm definitely feeling like that may be on my wish list for my birthday coming up. Thanks for the info! I'm going to look up some of those others now, I didn't realize Jules Vernes were out yet and those prices are pretty darn decent.

[badpete69]

Decks Available:

Griffin $5.99+shipping
Cigar $5.99+shipping
Speakeasy $7.99+shipping
Amber Stag $7.99+shipping
Espionage $7.99+shipping
Jules Verne $7.99+shipping

In addition Uncuts of the above decks are available for $9.99+shipping. 

You also get the Club 808 deck for free when you join.  And for two years now, I've gotten a Play More Cards kit free (1 Brick of Standard Bikes - 6 Red, 6 Blue, 2 Sets of 5 dice, Pens, Scorepads, Cups, Poster, Bottle Openers...)

Most uncuts are sold out as only about 100 were produced. The griffin and speakeasy are the only ones available

[flyers3003]

Most uncuts are sold out as only about 100 were produced. The griffin and speakeasy are the only ones available

Yeah, I was distracted as I was typing the previous post and should've pointed that out.  However any future decks that come out will probably have the corresponding uncut as well and if you're quick enough you should get one.

[CBJ]

The 3 biggest problems I have with Club808...

- The uncuts are released before the decks.  As an international buyer, I don't want to pay shipping twice.

- The seals should be individually numbered.  They have done it on other decks.. why not these?  "5000 printed" is just not as good.

- Members should be limited to 6 decks, not 24.  That's the way it was when it launched, and that's the way it should have stayed.  I know re-sellers could have just bought multiple memberships when it was 6... but having 24 available per member floods the market with these decks through re-sellers, and makes the decks not as exclusive.


That being said, I've been a member since day 1.. and I will always be a member.  I like the articles, I like the decks, and of course.. I'm a "Bicycle" whore.

haha


CBJ

[John B.]

I am an ex member. I got it for the play more cards kit, which is worth it. Other then that I personally find it lame. The contest are kinda nice, I won 2 of them and got free stuff, I enjoy reading the articles but people occasionly share the good ones here, and all in all I just thought it was eh. I never bought the limited decks. I am more a magician (why I like the play more cards kit) and less a deck collector. you also get a bigger black friday discount, I believe it was 15% instead of 10%. I cant think of anything else. I personally would say do it for a year, after that decide if you want to continue to be a member.

[Anthony]

I'm not up for renewal for a while yet and I'll be the 1st to admit that I've gone back and forth on Club 808. I do like the information and articles, but the thing that made me a little wishy washy was the lack of customization on the Limited Edition Decks.

That being said, and I don't know if it's because I'm starting to talk to CBJ more or not, but I'm coming around a bit. I like Bikes, and I'll say that after I grabbed a Griffin deck, I was really in love with the tuck box, knowing full well the cards were standard.

So for the minimal investment I'm pretty sure I'll renew just to avoid paying "After Market" prices on the LE Decks, even if I only pick up one a year, it's worth the savings.

On a side note, did they do the Play More Cards promo this year? I was really looking forward to that goodie bag.

[shadowkat]

I am not sure how they choose the Play More Cards day Ambassadors.  I signed up for it this year, and was not chosen.  So, I wouldn't say that kit will be available to every member.  Personally for under $20.oo bucks a year, it is the best membership I have purchased as far as the price and perks. 

[Don Boyer]

Another little perk - you can combine shipping on an order with Wingra Direct/shopbicyclecards.com, throwing the Club 808 decks and merch and the widely-available decks in the same shopping cart.

Play More Cards Ambassador Kits are not just for Club 808 members.  Last year, the public at large could request one from USPC and they'd get it for free.  The difference was that 808ers were getting theirs automatically rather than by request - your membership, in essence, WAS your request.

This year it seems they weren't as generous - I never got one and PMC Day was February 22.  I ended up giving my decks away at the hospital where I perform for kids in the pediatric unit and the pediatric emergency room.

[popetown]

Thank you all for the great info! I'm definitely interested in becoming a member. I'm finding myself a fan of Bicycle among USPC's other brands as a whole and could see wanting those collectible decks. Even if the Play More Cards kits are not a guaranteed thing. Just double checked aftermarket prices again and the $18.85 would easily be paid for in savings after just 1-2 decks.

[CBJ]

I'm finding myself a fan of Bicycle

Me too... BICYCLES!

[popetown]

Holy mercy. Haha! Yeah,  I should have known of all people, you'd have a nice composite like that. But I can only imagine you having to de-catalog and then re-catalog each of those... 

Say, you wouldn't happen to have a higher res copy of that? I'd love to make a desktop wallpaper out of it.

[CBJ]

I scanned all the fronts of my tucks, straightened & cropped them.
I use a stitching program to make this.


Here's the original size version

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/12524744464_f99602f8d5_o.jpg

Give it a second to load.. zoom in .. right click and save


Enjoy!

Jay

[popetown]

Awesome, thanks! I've already resized and tiled across both screens at work!

[Anthony]

I scanned all the fronts of my tucks, straightened & cropped them.
I use a stitching program to make this.


Here's the original size version

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/12524744464_f99602f8d5_o.jpg

Give it a second to load.. zoom in .. right click and save


Enjoy!

Jay

Makes me feel all warm inside every time I see that "wall" Jay 

[ecNate]

Thanks for the insight here.  I decided it would be worth it to give it a shot.

[Paul Carpenter]

my collecting taste is aiming more at independent designers and less so the releases from the big guys, USPCC included. I enjoyed y year but don't think I got quite enough value out of the club. I think i'll pass this time around.

[popetown]

I'm definitely glad I've gotten an idea from those both interested and experienced in the 808 club. I've got it on my wish list in case someone in my family wants to gift it to me. Not that I need a lot of excuse to buy more cards regardless of availability but what can I say? I'm addicted!