Classic & Vintage - Would you donate your bikes to a museum?

Those of you that have collections of nice bikes - would you donate them to a museum? I'm thinking of starting a non profit bicycle museum and wonder if any of you would donate when it is time to stop riding. This is a serious question - and I'm not asking you to donate today, but if I build it, will your bikes come?

I won't care about my bikes when I am dead... hope you can wait another 50 years for my donation.

:D

Funny you should mention it. The Velognome Bicycle Museum just opened in NJ....donations gladly accepted!

But, yes. If I had something of importance, I'd gladly loan it to a museum or gift it at my repose,

NO! They're all going in the box with me!! :)

Sure, and I'll be there in spirit, as my ashes will be poured down the seat tube.
:)

No. I have taken pictures in every which way of my bikes. If someone wants to look at them, they are on wooljersey, flikr and photobucket. No need to keep them behind a velvet rope. If they are rideable, someone should ride them.

If I've amassed a collection good enough yes. If not, my loves ones can ride them afterwards. If I die in a situation lonely and destitute, without loved ones, I'd probably meet my end beside the only bike I have - an old utility bike loaded with grocery bags full of crap. I'll be happy to let it rust.

It all depends on which moment I have to jump ship.

What an interesting question. I suppose, depending on the venue, I would donate a bike once I was done with it. Of course, it would have to be worthy of a museum I guess. What do you have in mind Custermustache?

I have one bike I would like to see in a Italian cycling museum when the time comes, the rest are going to cash for my wife (who I know will outlive me).

If it had historical value, sure.

I would loan my bicycle.

Why not, I have my 39 motorcycle on loan to one right now!

If it had historical value, sure.

I would loan my bicycle.

Why not, I have my 39 motorcycle on loan to one right now!

Smart, you don't have to pay for additional storage facility...and someone will dust them off too. :D

A fair question. My sons are too tall for my road bikes, and my wife is slightly too short for the 55cm Bianchi and Capos and prefers riding offroad, anyway. She could take over the Peugeot, which I originally custom built from a bare frame just for her in 1973.

The Capos might make nice museum pieces, but my first choice would be that they go to someone would would enjoy riding them, despite the risk of damage, theft, or destruction. I do want them to go to someone, be it a cyclist or a curator, who would care for them and care about them.

I have something like the Barber Motorsports museum in mind; I'd like to get as many great examples of bikes as I can; of course they would all be rideable. I don't have too many "significant" bikes, but I know a lot of you do - and I also know that most of you cringe at the thought of someone else abusing your hard won bikes after you die (or can no longer ride - that day may come).

Every year here in Dallas we have the "retro picnic" that brings out the really cool stuff like Serotta Huffys, Rene Herse, etc. I would love to have a collection of those bikes that one could visit every day, rather than just every once in a while. In addition, I'd like some significant race bikes, literature, and even kit.

And while you have taken photos, and that is great, I think that an actual physical museum is better - because hopefully it would become self sustaining and rescue some old bikes than NEED to be in museums so people can see them, and so they don't just rot away.

I am seriously considering this, and would welcome any input - there are several motorcycle museums, but most bike museums are in our garages where they get few visitors. The thought of someone buying my all original International and then repainting it after I die makes my hair curl - and if is in a ,museum, the odds are slime that it will end up as a fixed gear or townie.

I don't think I'd do that...I'd rather see them given to something like our bike co-op's jr. racing team and my niece and nephew. I'll probably sell some for vacation funds down the road.

Aaron, you wouldn't like your Triplet in a museum? I know it has sentimental value to you, and I am surprised that you wouldn't want it preserved for posterity.

My son will likely sell them at a yard sale:(

Nobody would want my Fuji's in a museum anyway but any bike museum without a good old hi-ten Fuji S-10 S...

Sheldon: "Fuji started the "invasion" with the S-10-S, the first Japanese adult bike designed successfully for the U.S. market, and later the first moderate-priced 12 speed."

totally.. they could chop them up and weld them into display racks for the bikes that you should be displaying instead of mine.

nope

I think a Fuji s-10 would be nice in a museum - and a nice Varsity, both significant bikes in their own way.

Garage sales are what I'm trying to help you avoid.

No. I have taken pictures in every which way of my bikes. If someone wants to look at them, they are on wooljersey, flikr and photobucket. No need to keep them behind a velvet rope. If they are rideable, someone should ride them.


A fair question. My sons are too tall for my road bikes, and my wife is slightly too short for the 55cm Bianchi and Capos and prefers riding offroad, anyway. She could take over the Peugeot, which I originally custom built from a bare frame just for her in 1973.

The Capos might make nice museum pieces, but my first choice would be that they go to someone would would enjoy riding them, despite the risk of damage, theft, or destruction. I do want them to go to someone, be it a cyclist or a curator, who would care for them and care about them.

My feeling, too. Like a fine Stradivarius, they need to be ridden
by skilled and appreciative riders after I'm buried sitting in riding
position, upright on the chrome Paramount.:o

And like Velognome, I've just started a foundation to support
the Museum of 58 cm Columbus and Raleigh (West coast branch).
Our doors will open soon. Meanwhile, we expand the collection.:lol:

No. Grandkids get 'em. :)

I would definitely donate them to a museum!

Not a chance.

I'm surprised that no one has suggested that the will have their bikes melted down and cast into their casket or cremated with them yet.

If they ever make a museum for mid-range 1990s MTBs that have been rode hard and put up wet, then perhaps...

This could put Plano on the map! :)

My son will likely sell them at a yard sale:(

+1. My wife already informed me that she'll hold the biggest sale when I'm gone. Ten bucks apiece!

No, they need to be ridden.

Custer...I guess to me, saving it for posterity means riding it. I'd be more likely to give it to a family who would appreciate it.

On a serious note... have been talking with my friend John who is one of the pre-eminent collectors of CCM bicycles in the world and a well regarded authority on these and many othe aspects of vintage cycling... have suggested to him that at some point he should think about opening a museum as his collection is amazing.

He has been collecting for over 40 years.

Yes, I would.

Not without asking some questions first, but that's in the details. I'd want to see the details. But yes, indeed, I'd be happy to do so.

I would lend them to a museum. I recently had a look through our State Museum's (Australia) storage facility - there were about 20 really interesting bikes just sitting there in storage collecting dust with no where to display them. I wonder if there were a number of significant museum's around the U.S. that have similar small bike collections that could come together and be displayed in a purpose built facility?

My 1975 Fuji Professional is in a bicycle museum in Bisbee, AZ.
Did NOT donate it, but museum owner bought it so he could put it in his collection.

My 1975 Fuji Professional is in a bicycle museum in Bisbee, AZ.
Did NOT donate it, but museum owner bought it so he could put it in his collection.

How's the security system there??? :D

In all seriousness I'm building one up...well, the frame is actually being painted right now. Have any pics of yours? I know a few here would love to see it.

alright - i'm in - where do i send my '78 free spirit frame...:lol:

No museum would want mine, as they've lost their value as artifacts.

Besides, they need to be ridden, gotten dirty, break down, and drive someone else crazy.

Interesting range of responses - I thought of this because my wife and I were having a discussion about what happens when I die - and she said "I'd just sell them or give them away", as did my friends wife.

Those of you that said your kids or grandkids would get them - would they care? Would they fire sale them? Not all of our bikes belong in a museum - but most of us have one or two really special ones that might.

As far as details, they are sketchy as of yet, this is just a kernel of an idea, but serious - I think there are lots of dusty bikes in collections that need to be displayed somewhere, as well as private collections that should (IMO) be shared.

Saying that "they need to be ridden" is great - but how do you know they will be ridden? Your widow (or kids) may sell them to someone that will just disassemble them and sell the parts.

By the way, I'm totally putting my ashes in a seat tube - thanks to whoever said that.

I am starting a 501c nonprofit to do this. If you want to be on the board, please PM me and we can discuss it - this is certainly new to me (nonprofit stuff) but I think it's important to have a bike museum somewhere, as the good stuff is rapidly dwindling - and the people that collect the good stuff are getting older and might be considering what to do with their jewels in a few years.

Follow up question; would you donate the bikes that "need to be ridden" to the museum to sell in order to raise funds? Also, if you have experience with nonprofits please pm me.

...for people that have storage issues, "loaning" to a museum is often an option.

Saying that "they need to be ridden" is great - but how do you know they will be ridden? Your widow (or kids) may sell them to someone that will just disassemble them and sell the parts.


First, when I am alive, it is my decision. I'll ride the bike before it goes behind the velvet rope.

Second, when I'm dead, I won't care. Because I'm dead.

I wonder if the responses don't say more about our relationships with museums, in general, than with our bikes.

In my own case, I've grown up in and around museums, my father worked in museums for the whole of his professional career that I can remember, and I work in a collection that has a number of similarities to a museum. We lend a lot of stuff to museums, and we give a lot to museums as well. I've had a number of rare, old, interesting, &c items come into my hands, and often given them to museums because there just isn't any point in someone like me having them. Like, a Roman oil lamp I picked up at a flea market some 30 years ago; I knew enough about Roman oil lamps to recognize a good one, and the guy selling it just wanted it gone, so it cost me like 25 cents and... now what did I want this thing for, anyway? I gave it to a museum, and have no regrets about that at all, even though I never got a formal letter of thanks, or a tax deduction (:lol: to think I'd ever be earning enough to need a tax deduction!), or whatever. I just wanted the thing in the hands of people whose job it is to take care of this kind of thing.

The problem is whether there really are museums that want bicycles, and who would visit them? I have no opinion about that.

First, when I am alive, it is my decision. I'll ride the bike before it goes behind the velvet rope.

Of course it's your decision - who else's? That's a strange statement.

I love museums and used to collect Masonic stuff - I have since donated some of it to various Grand Lodge museums and even sent some former members stuff to the lodges where the brother worked after I picked it up. I haven't sent all of it, but at my death what isn't passed on will be donated - or placed on semi permanent loan.

Keep in mind, I won't want all of your collection, most likely. Just some of the gems that I know we all have. Personally I'd probably put my Univega and my e-bike in and that would be it - because I'm sure that someone else has a nicer internTional than me.

Yes (qualified).

I have a vintage Fat City Cycles mountain bike, built in 1984 for one of the employees of the company. It is a full custom job with 24" wheels and a very special welded stem (evidently the employee was vertically challenged). Equipped with all the high end parts of the era -- Shimano XT and Cook Brothers cranks. It's in very good original condition.

As a bike to ride, it stinks. The 24" wheels and the frame geometry make the bike a bit of a stone...not a particularly satisfying ride, and dramatically worse than that of my '88 Wicked Fat.

Because it's in good original condition, from a highly regarded manufacturer, and with some interesting custom work, I think it's ideal for a museum application. :)

(Also, nobody has offered me a bunch of money for it).

I have a couple of other bikes I'd consider temporarily housing in a museum, but only if I had reasonable access to them -- a custom built 1981 Condor Cycles road bike, currently awaiting a frame up restoration. Cyclart repainted it in the early '90s and a few years later I decommissioned it, selling off all of the Nuovo Record parts. The frame itself is flawless and I'm starting to accumulate Super Record parts for a rebuild. Once it's built, I'd consider putting it in a museum, but only if I could ride it a couple of times a year.

Same holds true for a Colnago C40 which has gotten no road time in the past few years. I've updated it from Record 9 to Record 10, but it's still representative of the C40.

And my Wicked Fat, which also doesn't get much riding. It's all original, almost flawless. I'm building up a Merlin Ti MTB which will probably get more use than the Wicked Fat. So the Wicked Fat could also go to a museum, but again, I'd want access...

HTH,

Lee

I wonder if the responses don't say more about our relationships with museums, in general, than with our bikes.

In my own case, I've grown up in and around museums, my father worked in museums for the whole of his professional career that I can remember, and I work in a collection that has a number of similarities to a museum. We lend a lot of stuff to museums, and we give a lot to museums as well. I've had a number of rare, old, interesting, &c items come into my hands, and often given them to museums because there just isn't any point in someone like me having them. Like, a Roman oil lamp I picked up at a flea market some 30 years ago; I knew enough about Roman oil lamps to recognize a good one, and the guy selling it just wanted it gone, so it cost me like 25 cents and... now what did I want this thing for, anyway? I gave it to a museum, and have no regrets about that at all, even though I never got a formal letter of thanks, or a tax deduction (:lol: to think I'd ever be earning enough to need a tax deduction!), or whatever. I just wanted the thing in the hands of people whose job it is to take care of this kind of thing.

The problem is whether there really are museums that want bicycles, and who would visit them? I have no opinion about that.

Good post. I grew up as a museum rat, and a good museum is still one of my favorite places to spend an afternoon - or even a day. It doesn't have to be a repository for "dead" stuff - on the contrary, if it's done right, it can make another era or culture really come alive- at least through one skilled interpretive lens.
I would definitely donate a bike or two, if I felt I had something appropriate. I've sold of the three or four bikes that were truly museum-worthy, however.

I've sold of the three or four bikes that were truly museum-worthy, however.

statement worthless without pics.

I'm a card carrying museum haunt too - my dad took me too all kinds of places. Dinosaur expeditions were always the best when I was a little kid (I grew up in the 2nd Jurassic era, so to speak). Helps to explain why I study history and remain a strong root in my work of material culture. Artifacts and parchment usually tell a lot more than many historians hear.

I'm preparing a longer essay on wether a bike is art and museum worthy, inspired by this thread and the other thread about the jackson pollock style bike, thanks for the inspiration all :)

Of course it's your decision - who else's? That's a strange statement.


Not really. You asked how I know my bikes will be ridden. When I'm alive, I have that knowledge. When I'm dead, I don't care. Seems pretty black and white to me.

Now, if you are asking whether I'll wring my hands not knowing the future of my bikes after I'm dead, that would be a silly question.

Of course if you loaned the bikes you could ride them - in fact, I was thinking that some sort of fundraising ride would be a good idea - both for promotional purposes and fun purposes.

Aside from the few of you that are vehemently opposed, I think that I might go forward with this. I'm meeting with my lawyers on weds anyway, and I might spend half an hour of the company time picking their brains about it.

Now I need people willing to change some other people's minds - I think museums do bring things to life rather than making them dusty old relics. I don't forsee many glass cases here. I am picturing something very much like the basement at Mellow Johnny's.

Plus an awesome gift shop full of cool t shirts. Mostly because I like t shirts.

I've got a friend who runs a WWII museum. We talked about them taking this bike. I love it but I don't ride it. It's a beautiful tank. A perfect museum piece. The deal didn't work out for practical reasons but I was willing.
The rest of my bikes have just about no historical value cause I've monkeyed with them so much. They like stuff to be original.
Maybe when I'm famous and dead they'll put my Super Course in a museum dedicated to me. Maybe they'll sell little replicas that you can put your Sailorbenjamin action figure on.

The more i think about it, the more I like your idea. I'm not sure I'd donate or contribute, nor am I sure any of my bikes warrant preservation, but I'd visit for sure.

I've already sent about a 1/2 dozen dutch bike catalogs to Herbert K for his museum,
so it's no stretch for me to consider donating bikes.
Custer, have you thought about somehow tying this in with the Superdrome?

Marty

...
... I am picturing something very much like the basement at Mellow Johnny's.

....

I was thinking of his place, never been there though, would like to someday just for grins. Do you have a link to pics of his shop basement? Sounds interesting.

re: loans to museums: have your documentation in place beforehand and ensure it covers what happens to the item(s) should the museum go under or become foreclosed or otherwise unfortunately change controlling hands.

If you get a chance look up places like Classic Cycles in Washington (I think they moved in the past few years from one island to another, possibly Bainbridge now) and see how they have their displays set up.

And if you have cycling clothing in the museum shop then you must have woolen goods.

Are you thinking of something like the Harley Museum, or some other easily accessible location, or is this to be a side road barn conversion? Either is fine, but if a side road location then ensure it is along some bike path or bike touring route. Make it a destination stop instead of an accidental stop. Putting a geocache inside and outside as well will drive some indirect traffic to the site as well.

My finances wouldn't come close to doing something like this, likewise most of my bikes are not "museum quality". Also, it would be nice if it was someplace that my direct and indirect family could visit, "look, there's one of grandpa or uncle Mike's bikes over there, I remember him riding that, still has the scratch I put into it one day". (geesh, sounds like I died in that made up quote, guess I'd better get working on my health, but I die-gress [sorry, forced pun] )