Classic & Vintage - What in the name of god is wrong with you people????

I came here innocently enough... lurked for a couple days... oohing and ahhing at the shiny bikes and well composed photographs.
Then I starts a' thinkin'......

"Hell, I could do that too"

So now, in the space of 5 short days, I have bought 6- that's right- SIX bicycles!
My front door won't open completely because there are bikes in the living room...bikes in the hallway...bikes on the porch...bikes in the truck.
I have bikes on lay away because I don't have room at the house....
I have:
kid's bikes ( I don't have any kids!)
cruisers (never gave cruisers a 2nd look until I met U folks)
road bikes
and a mountain bike.

What in the name of all that is good and pure, have you people done to me???


( I'm starting a support group for sufferers of B.A.D.-
Bicycle
Aquisition
Disease )

Join the club. I bought my "first" bike two years ago to commute to work and back...Tuesday I just bought bike #15, and I've yet to sell any of them!

Join the club. I bought my "first" bike two years ago to commute to work and back...Tuesday I just bought bike #15, and I've yet to sell any of them!

My wife asks the same thing, "who needs five bikes? You can only ride one." I tell her that off-road demonds a mountain bike (given). The carbon bike is for going fast. The touring bike is for loaded touring. The winter steel bike with fenders is for, well, winter road crap. The steel racer is for fun. All get ridden...

Glad to hear you're afflicted...there was a thread earlier this year wherein people admitted to being Classic and Vintage enthusiast and had no power over their addiction. Sincerely, the guy with a bike rack in the alcove of his bedroom.

kid's bikes ( I don't have any kids!) FINANCIALY DISASTEROUS
cruisers (never gave cruisers a 2nd look until I met U folks)FINANCIALY DISASTEROUS
road bikes
and a mountain bike.FIANACIALY DIASTEROUS (unless you actualy ride one on a regular basis)

That being said I think I have 14 or 15.....I dont keep count. When I run out of room I sell some and when space is free'd up I buy more.

Be careful with the bikes you buy - not all "deals" are worth the money, kids bikes especially.

Know your interests with regards to bikes (or market if you're going to flip) and pursue those.

BAD ... musicians call their version of the disease GAS - "Gear Acquisition Syndrome". I've got both. Which, I guess, means I have BAD GAS.

BAD ... musicians call their version of the disease GAS - "Gear Acquisition Syndrome". I've got both. Which, I guess, means I have BAD GAS.

THAT'S good....

BAD ... musicians call their version of the disease GAS - "Gear Acquisition Syndrome". I've got both. Which, I guess, means I have BAD GAS.

That's VERY good ! :lol:

haha it happens to all of us. i had 4.5 bikes in the apartment once. that said, I have tried to trim down - I spent a lot of time scouring CL for deals, and I'd rather be a rider than a gear junkie :).

and unlike you yankees, i don't have a real enough winter to require a winter bike :(.

I've lost count. Although they have'nt invaded the house yet... except for some parts on the wall as interior decorating.I dont have a wife.

Running out of room....start buying parts for bikes that you don't own ...yet!

Sick-os, all of you. Need professional help.

20 in the attic, 11 in the garage, 3 in the hallway, 3 in the kitchen, 6 in the living room, 4 in the bedroom. But... NONE in the bathroom! :D

I think you're going to be in trouble.


BAD ... musicians call their version of the disease GAS - "Gear Acquisition Syndrome". I've got both. Which, I guess, means I have BAD GAS.
I appear to have the same affliction: 6 guitars, 2 mandolins, 2 banjos *shudder*, a violin, and a piano. Do I really need to mention that I don't have a girlfriend?

Hi Keep SA Lame -

We are happy to have you join the club. Fyi, THIS was the thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?631622-My-name-is-______-and-I-m-a-bike-a-holic) referred to earlier, wherein each of us stepped up to the plate and told our sordid bike-a-holic tales.

Since we knew from experience that this is a pretty supportive group, we were contemplating some sort of group therapy at the time, to rid us once and for all of this terrible obsession we share.

-It did not quite work out. In fact, we learned only one thing from that exercise:

"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'entrate."



(All hope abandon, ye who enter in.)
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/auchencrow/Bike%20Forums/toomanybikes.jpg

I've lost count. Although they have'nt invaded the house yet... except for some parts on the wall as interior decorating.I dont have a wife.

Shocking!

I've lost count. Although they have'nt invaded the house yet... except for some parts on the wall as interior decorating.I dont have a wife.

Wife's take even more room, although it's relatively easier to not fill the house with them.

Wife's take even more room, although it's relatively easier to not fill the house with them.

Then you're doing it wrong:innocent:

20 in the attic, 11 in the garage, 3 in the hallway, 3 in the kitchen, 6 in the living room, 4 in the bedroom. But... NONE in the bathroom! :D

My bathroom is good for two bikes...one in the shower and one leaning against the wall.

*sigh*, I've also got the hang of buying them; Just bought my second 24" True Temper Trek 400, a 1992 to match my 1989. Now I need to get over the hump of selling a few.

Don't come here looking for help to beat this addiction. That's like holding an AA meeting at a bar.

This forum is really awful. I started reading it 18 months ago, and I went from about 12 bikes to about 50.

When I first started fooling around with bikes, I would just bring ANYTHING home --- including tons of total junk, kids bikes, xmart mountain bikes, free spirit road bikes, etc. It's been about six years now.

I have been culling steadily for the last, say three years. I was up to nearly 50 bikes. I don't flip. I don't even know why I had them.

I started a new rule: If you get one new bike, you have to get rid of two. I've gotten rid of just about everthing that I could never possibly ride myself. It's really helped me prioritize. (Why do I want this? Am I ever going to ride or sell it .... really?) I have several frames (e.g., varsities) that I keep just because I might want to do some silly project. Those will be on the chopping block next. I'm down to (goes to count):

9 more or less complete bikes (some fully assembled)
14 bare frames
1 tandem
1 recumbent bike
3 recumbent trikes

YES!!! I'm UNDER 40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've even caught myself recently, breaking my neck whenever I see a wheel with spokes in a thrift store...and I've found about 3 old wheelchairs for my trouble...

I went to a town-wide garage sale and ended up going door-to-door and packing my van with $20.00 Raleighs. Some friends came and got me at some point. I don't remember.

Six? Only six? What is the hold up? Bought 15 in the last two weeks..... Sold two. So I am up 13. And tomorrow is garage sale day (I usually come home with at least a couple). Good thing I no longer pick up hybrids and MTBs...

I hesitate to suggest this, because most likely none of you really wants to be cured, but here's what I do: work at the local bike coop. We have huge numbers of bikes, and more come in every week. It's very satisfying and doesn't clutter up my garage (where I only have, let's see, my commuter, my road bike, my kid's road bike, my partner's old Raleigh, my old Motobecane mixte from the thrift store, a tandem and a kid's '40s Schwinn...)

I hesitate to suggest this, because most likely none of you really wants to be cured, but here's what I do: work at the local bike coop.

I did the reverse... I moved from a city with a co-op to a town without one. And thus began the descent...

I just spent $20 on Meguire's cleaner wax, some micro-fiber towels and applicators pads....

and I've never waxed my truck.

well whatever you call it #15 touched down on my porch today :)

After owning only one bike at a time since forever, I thought it would be fun to attend a police auction...

No problem here.....and welcome.
162397

Sick-os, all of you. Need professional help.

I'm MUCH better now...(John Astin on Night Court):lol:

These were only the RIDABLE bikes, btw! There were more..


http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n267/Kustombyker/OMG2.jpg

Good Gawd man, Right crank forward and horizontal, chain on front big ring and back small ring. Get your pictures correct! :)

I need to direct my wife to this thread tonight, she's been nagging about the 10 bikes and the couple of boxes of assorted parts filling MY garage. All but 1 is rideable and two are even hers. sheesh

The way to partially cure the disease is to fix one up so that it's a club rider and ride it on Saturday. It cut down my acquisition problem to a point where I can manage it. But there is no doubt that when I do get to go to yard sales, I buy everything I can. THe problem around here is, we're up to five or six bike flippers. Most are flipping Magnas and Roadmasters, one or two are flipping nice vintage bikes.
EDIT: I'm on a bike diet now, down to around 55 of which at least 50 are rideable. Robbie won't recognize the basement, you can actually walk to the rear now.

I'm new, and broke...so I only have 3.

When I get a job again, I know I am going to be in trouble. Need to get a repair stand and more tools first however....

You’re lying awake, unable to sleep because you know someone, somewhere is selling a vintage bike for a pittance. You get up silently, sneak off to your computer, make the coffee, and call up CL to peruse the bikes, hitting the refresh button incessantly, hoping that something will pop. Your wife finds you the next morning slumped over the keyboard.

You’re late for work – you blame it on your 6-year-old son, saying he was sick all over the place last night, but your associates all know you son is 23 and in graduate school 500 miles away.

You’re in a meeting with an important customer – your mind wanders. You can’t focus on anything and all you can think about is bikes, bikes, bikes. “What am I doing?” You ask yourself. “- I must be losing it altogether – sitting here, when out there, my grail bike awaits me!” - You suddenly lunge across the conference table, grab the customer by her neck and throttle her, screaming out “You’re trying to make me lose it!”

After 34 years of service, Security walks you out, and you spend the rest of day scouring thrift shops and garage sales – more than a few, and a few after hours, alone.

It’s after midnight. You’re walking into the house- there are bikes everywhere. You hear some rustling and some gentle swearing as your wife weaves her way through a mass of down tubes, top tubes, and cable housing. She says “Honey, I have something to tell you: I’m leaving.” “HOT DIGGITY!” You exclaim. “Room for one more bike!”


If this sounds like you, then you must admit you have a problem. Only an addict with a serious caffeine problem would make coffee in the middle of the night.

LOL, just aqquired two old raleigh three speeds that need tlc, have two ten speeds though one is on loan to a friend and it is a toy/junk type from a no name, but i find myself wanting to buy everything on craigslist. hell, i spend more time on the bikes section than any other web site. I know how you guys feel, but i don't understand why, I want them ALL. If it wasn't for the lack of money i would probably have about 50.

The way to partially cure the disease is to fix one up so that it's a club rider and ride it on Saturday. It cut down my acquisition problem to a point where I can manage it. But there is no doubt that when I do get to go to yard sales, I buy everything I can. THe problem around here is, we're up to five or six bike flippers. Most are flipping Magnas and Roadmasters, one or two are flipping nice vintage bikes.
EDIT: I'm on a bike diet now, down to around 55 of which at least 50 are rideable. Robbie won't recognize the basement, you can actually walk to the rear now.


A club rider??

what's that?

I don't have one of those... do I need to get one??

Hey Keep SAL, great thread. Welcome to the forum! I honestly don't know how many bikes I have. I maintain a fiction that I have a bike for each of a number of different purposes; though when it comes right down to it I have redundant bikes, useless bikes, and bikes I just like... it's hard to explain. Much easier to explain to my wife "but I just sold one!" She knows that's true, I made her take it to the UPS office for me.....

I appear to have the same affliction: 6 guitars, 2 mandolins, 2 banjos *shudder*, a violin, and a piano. Do I really need to mention that I don't have a girlfriend?

No, it was redundant as soon as you mentioned the banjos.:roflmao2:

I had almost 50 once. I had to take 6 kids bikes to get at this nice Varsity that was at the bottom of the pile. The Varsity had everything. Lights, rack, shiny yellow paint. I gave a bike to every kid inthe neighborhood that summer.
I moved to a place with a smaller basement. I had to narrow it down to my 16 favorite.

You’re lying awake, unable to sleep because you know someone, somewhere is selling a vintage bike for a pittance. You get up silently, sneak off to your computer, make the coffee, and call up CL to peruse the bikes, hitting the refresh button incessantly, hoping that something will pop. Your wife finds you the next morning slumped over the keyboard.

You’re late for work – you blame it on your 6-year-old son, saying he was sick all over the place last night, but your associates all know you son is 23 and in graduate school 500 miles away.

You’re in a meeting with an important customer – your mind wanders. You can’t focus on anything and all you can think about is bikes, bikes, bikes. “What am I doing?” You ask yourself. “- I must be losing it altogether – sitting here, when out there, my grail bike awaits me!” - You suddenly lunge across the conference table, grab the customer by her neck and throttle her, screaming out “You’re trying to make me lose it!”

After 34 years of service, Security walks you out, and you spend the rest of day scouring thrift shops and garage sales – more than a few, and a few after hours, alone.

It’s after midnight. You’re walking into the house- there are bikes everywhere. You hear some rustling and some gentle swearing as your wife weaves her way through a mass of down tubes, top tubes, and cable housing. She says “Honey, I have something to tell you: I’m leaving.” “HOT DIGGITY!” You exclaim. “Room for one more bike!”


If this sounds like you, then you must admit you have a problem. Only an addict with a serious caffeine problem would make coffee in the middle of the night.Yes, that's me.

It used to be a "problem." Now my wife is up to 3 bikes.... (Evil grin)

You’re lying awake, unable to sleep because you know someone, somewhere is selling a vintage bike for a pittance. You get up silently, sneak off to your computer, make the coffee, and call up CL to peruse the bikes, hitting the refresh button incessantly, hoping that something will pop. Your wife finds you the next morning slumped over the keyboard.

You’re late for work – you blame it on your 6-year-old son, saying he was sick all over the place last night, but your associates all know you son is 23 and in graduate school 500 miles away.

You’re in a meeting with an important customer – your mind wanders. You can’t focus on anything and all you can think about is bikes, bikes, bikes. “What am I doing?” You ask yourself. “- I must be losing it altogether – sitting here, when out there, my grail bike awaits me!” - You suddenly lunge across the conference table, grab the customer by her neck and throttle her, screaming out “You’re trying to make me lose it!”

After 34 years of service, Security walks you out, and you spend the rest of day scouring thrift shops and garage sales – more than a few, and a few after hours, alone.

It’s after midnight. You’re walking into the house- there are bikes everywhere. You hear some rustling and some gentle swearing as your wife weaves her way through a mass of down tubes, top tubes, and cable housing. She says “Honey, I have something to tell you: I’m leaving.” “HOT DIGGITY!” You exclaim. “Room for one more bike!”


If this sounds like you, then you must admit you have a problem. Only an addict with a serious caffeine problem would make coffee in the middle of the night.

Wow, that was extremely hilarious (and scarily accurate). :lol:

I used to have this problem with vintage musical instruments (mostly organs and synthesizers, muscle and sports cars, audio equipment, and more. To this day, there several varieties of gear that I can spot from a 1/4 mile away, in a moving car... at night. :twitchy:

Three years later, I'm now a minimalist. Life is simpler, and I am content. Why, I can even have healthy relationships, now! :thumb:

20 in the attic, 11 in the garage, 3 in the hallway, 3 in the kitchen, 6 in the living room, 4 in the bedroom. But... NONE in the bathroom! :D

I think you're going to be in trouble.


I appear to have the same affliction: 6 guitars, 2 mandolins, 2 banjos *shudder*, a violin, and a piano. Do I really need to mention that I don't have a girlfriend?

When I had it at it's worst, I had 31 keyboards (9 organs, 2 pianos, the rest were vintage synths), 3 guitars, a banjo, a trombone, autoharp, harmonicas, and lot's effects.

Well...I can see where I'm headed. Bought 2 this weekend after 25 year hiatus. Looking on ebay and craiglist for more. It's scary.

When I had it at it's worst, I had 31 keyboards (9 organs, 2 pianos, the rest were vintage synths), 3 guitars, a banjo, a trombone, autoharp, harmonicas, and lot's effects.

Can you get me a good deal on a Roland JP-6?

-Kurt

The problem is not that there is anything wrong with us.

The truth is...we breed.

i bought my first road bike last summer. got hooked on vintage last fall. I currently have 6 - not too bad... 2 more on the way.

i have the most fun shopping for friends (we're all grad students) who know nothing about bikes, but through my excitement want to get into it - they give me a budget and I get to spend their money buying the bust deal i can find. i've helped 5 of my friends get road bikes - none had one before. most of the deals end up being awesome flippers, but i'd rather see their faces light up and feel good about getting them a good deal. every single one of them got a very good deal well below street value. of course, the "killer" deals usually end up with me. :)

I tend to keep it around 2 or 3.

i bought my first road bike last summer. got hooked on vintage last fall. I currently have 6 - not too bad... 2 more on the way.

i have the most fun shopping for friends (we're all grad students) who know nothing about bikes, but through my excitement want to get into it - they give me a budget and I get to spend their money buying the bust deal i can find. i've helped 5 of my friends get road bikes - none had one before. most of the deals end up being awesome flippers, but i'd rather see their faces light up and feel good about getting them a good deal. every single one of them got a very good deal well below street value. of course, the "killer" deals usually end up with me. :)

I've been an addict for a about 18 months now, and started riding at lunchtime at work as a stress reliever. I have brought in at least 4 friend/coworker converts by "finding" them a screaming vintage steel deal they couldn't pass on (those that they could pass on got flipped for a profit by me). They are slowly spreading the disease to their family and friends.....Now when I want to go for a lunchtime ride at work, there is almost always someone to ride with me, and several of them are commuting regularly now as well.
My wife just walked past the computer and noticed the all-to-familiar Bike Forums logo and commented that I could have worse habits than being hooked on "bike porn".
CMC