Classic & Vintage - Don't you hate it when you can't find anything?

Recently I aquired and restored a 1986 Schwinn Traveler and have given it quite a few rides in the past couple of weeks. Probably put close to 400 miles on it. I had never really used a road bike before and it has been quite an awesome experience, and a friend of mine wants to get into it also and do the same thing I did. Take a older bike, slap some newer components on anything that might be worn out, and ride the heck out of it. Funny thing is, we haven't been able to locate ANY bikes whatsoever! We've gone to ever local thrift store, garage sales, etc but haven't been able to find anything! It seems that when you're actually looking for something, you can't find it.

Then I read through posts like 'Catch of the Day' and it seems that there is a wealth of stuff out there. Apparently not where I live.

Sometimes it's just the neighborhood. Have you gone over the hill to Santa Clarita, or over to Ventura?

Then I read through posts like 'Catch of the Day' and it seems that there is a wealth of stuff out there. Apparently not where I live.

I know where there is an old 23" Rampar for $13.00...... :D

John D.

Don't you have a bike you're supposed to be working on, troublemaker?

Then I read through posts like 'Catch of the Day' and it seems that there is a wealth of stuff out there. Apparently not where I live.

It's right where you live; I just get there first... :D

I'm in the Valley right next to you, and I go through dry spells too... and then I'll stumble over several at once. Hit the thrift stores on a regular basis, do yard sales on weekends, hit all the local bike shops. Some shops take old bikes in trade, especially if they know customers want cool old bikes. I found three great bikes hanging in a shop out in Newhall... bought all three at once. The shop owner had taken 'em in trade on a couple of new (probably junky) bikes, and didn't really know much about the used ones I bought... I still have all 3.

Go 'round back of thrift stores early in the morning, and you'll probably find bikes that people drop because the store was closed. Even after the store opens, hand the dock guy a fiver and he'll look the other way, or have you arrested for stealing, one or the other.

I dropped into Goodwill last week (cold and rainy day here in midwest) and saw a traditional geometry steel road bike. It was blue with yellow decals. It looked similar to what I had only seen in pictures. Yes it was a vintage Masi from early 80's, minus the handlebars and brake calipers. The frame was in great shape - just a few scratches on chain stay. decals were pretty much excellent This one cost me $10.60. Now I need handlebars, stem, brake levels, and some cool bar wrap and I've got an amazing bike...................

Naw - just dreamin'. But I do need to start checking out Thrift stores and pawn shops - a lot of nice bikes must float threw them every now and then.

I haven't scored it yet, but found this,
yes ANOTHER Zieleman. This one is newer (mid 80's?) than the
one I've been waiting for. price? 35Euro.

Marty

Funny thing is, we haven't been able to locate ANY bikes whatsoever! We've gone to ever local thrift store, garage sales, etc but haven't been able to find anything! It seems that when you're actually looking for something, you can't find it.

Then I read through posts like 'Catch of the Day' and it seems that there is a wealth of stuff out there. Apparently not where I live.

You're not alone on this one. I've scowered almost every thrift store in the San Jose area and almost every craigslist ad looking for a very good bike that fits me. Bad thing about the Thrift Store/Goodwill is that you have to be there early in the morning. If I could do that, I would. As for the garage sales, I've driven around to quite a few in my area but still no bikes. I guess the phrase "Good things come to those who wait" is my plan.

Hi! You can try the "E," auction site. They seem to have numerous vintage type bikes, similar to what you are talking about. The problem, of course, is that you may find a bike at what you consider a bargain, but then, unless it's a local bike, you have to pay shipping, which increases your cost. But, if you get a good enough deal, it might be worth it!

. . . I guess the phrase "Good things come to those who wait" is my plan.

I waited about 20 years to get a Zieleman (a bit excessive yah but they are pretty rare here in states)
and found 2 in the last month. So yes good things do come to those that wait.
I've also got a lead on a Joco brochure from 1937, that will be something.

Marty

:D Ebay? Really? :D



..............sorry.............

Try finding something in NYC. It's nearly impossible. If I was able to find a nice steel 51cm Bianchi/Zielman/DeRosa in a thrift shop it'd make my decade.

Try finding something in NYC. It's nearly impossible. If I was able to find a nice steel 51cm Bianchi/Zielman/DeRosa in a thrift shop it'd make my decade.

I've heard there are thousands of great bikes in NYC - free for the taking... by anyone with large bolt-cutters, a lot of nerve, and no conscience. :eek:

What about Pawn Shops?

The secret is this: never look for anything, and then you will find it. Actually, it's to live in someplace where no one else knows where to look for older bikes... I've a couple local pipelines that require no bolt cutters anywhere in the ownership history. I find some pretty good stuff, but I really try to never actually search for anything in particular and always be open to the possibilities that exist around me. With that attitude, I find stuff like the legendary Vello Kombi, which in its way is cooler than a Masi.

I've been on this topic before, but I think I'd hate living in some place like Cali or NYC or Seattle, where the vintage stuff is harder to find at reasonable (okay, cheap) prices.

Obviously, I do have my wants. I'd like an old Stella, maybe a SInger and a Rene Herse, but I'm not going to limit my searches to them, and I really couldn't afford them anyway unless I found them cheap. The only one of these three that might go for a price in my range on ebay is the Stella.

Pricing here is nuts. The other day, I pulled a Bianchi and an old Raleigh, with vintage track hubs and a nice Brooks saddle, out of a pile of six bikes at an auction, and bid on them seperately. I paid a fiver apiece. The remaining four bikes, all of the Huffy beach cruiser and Roadmaster Mountain bike variety, went for a combined sixty-five dollars. Go figure.

:D Ebay? Really? :D



..............sorry.............

....just trying to help....

Yeah, sorry again. Seller's best friend = Ebay.

Oh I don't know about that. I have seen some ridiculously low prices
on e-bay, depends on when you hit it. Look for auctions that end on
weeknights they tend to attract less attention for some reason.

Marty

True, there're examples for both arguements. I've sold stuff that went higher than it should have more often than not, and I get outbid on almost everything.

Garage sales have been the best for me. Typical seller is 35-55, male, richer than me (that ain't hard) and less active. Some time ago they bought a bike, hung it up, and then the wife rides them to clean up the garage.

This thread should be replaced by a string of "look what I found"s soon, don't worry y'all.

What about Pawn Shops?

Oh yeah; pawn shops! I found a cool Merckx funny bike at a pawn shop.... First year C-Record (4 in a circle dated cranks!), with the Campagnolo freewheel, and Cobalto brakes. It wasn't give-away cheap, but I sold the frame for a decent $, and kept the group... It's going on a Tesch 101 frame I pulled off eBay.

Uhh, you're kidding, I just know it.

My local PS has nothing but Magnas and the odd Specialized, starting at $250.

I keep hoping I stumble onto a yard sale in some of the
high dollar neighborhoods here where some woman is selling
her husbands Masi or Pogliaghi for $25 or less. . .

Marty

Uhh, you're kidding, I just know it.

My local PS has nothing but Magnas and the odd Specialized, starting at $250.

I'm not kidding... The bike looked to be NOS as well; tires weren't even glued... If anyone wants to see it, I took pics & can post 'em in the COTD section.. The Merckx wasn't from a "local" PS though; found it at one down in Chino about 3-4 years ago!

My favorite are the rich suburban neighborhoods. When I lived in the bay area, I went to Palo Alto/Sunnyvale for garage sales. The stuff I got cheap! Carbon wheels, a mint, mint, mint Paramount P-15, a Moulton (Sir Alec, not Dave). Here in LA there is too much competition, and I never find anything good at garage sales. Small older bike shops away from the beach sometimes have cool stuff. There are a few in the ghetto that I check out once in a while. Bought a Trek 531 from one, but with working full-time I just don't have the free time to cruise the good spots.

I keep hoping I stumble onto a yard sale in some of the high dollar neighborhoods...


My favorite are the rich suburban neighborhoods.

Right on! When my son was a baby my wife and I would go to the garage sales in the tony areas for baby needs. Wealthy people, unless they're just blinded by greed, would want to just get rid of it. The poorer people think they really have something special and charge you almost what it would cost new!

I search for yard sales, pawn shops, thrifts, etc. pretty much daily. I drive alot for work and have scratched up my fair share of keepers for one reason or another. Usually, I snag something for one part and send the rest to the "free" sign on the front lawn- got rid of 3 bikes and a ceiling fan last week.

Lately, though I'm in a rut. In the last few weeks I missed a lugged carbon tubed, full 600 Centurion (about my size, didn't measure as it was already sold) for cheap $ at the DAV thrift. One of the workers bought it.

Yesterday, I was a local shop with a "huge" yearly sale- deals were NOT good but I did manage a 700X23 Bontrager Race X Lite Silica tire for $15- mismarked in a pile of 650c tires. However, there was a guy looking at a new bike and said he was switching from a custom steel 531...I waited to inquire if he wanted to sell but the stupid salesman never left his side so I bailed. I didn't want to be a tool and barge in.

Good things do come to those that wait...there will be more, oh yes there will be more.

PJ

Should've asked anyway; you might've at least been a tool with a 531 frame.

All old quality steel frames go like hot muffins here on the British ebay, most of the buyers are, as you've guessed.. of the fixie cult. I've seen some 'hideous' (depends on how rich you are) bids of $120+ for some spot rusted 531, 120mm spaced mass produced 70's steads. The best thing is to scower the local ad's in the papers for some 68-year old "knees no good anymore" clearing is shed free of some rather nice underpriced vintage Mercian or similar he long forgot about and whom knows nothing about todays cycling 'goings on'.

of the fixie cult.

Dang, we're a cult now? I thought we were still just a fad. Maybe that's just Amerika...

"Dang, we're a cult now?"

Sometimes it seems that way here (RVA). But I am too old and have been riding fixies too long and am too cranky to qualify for membership in said cult. I do notice that the prices for old roadies in the Fan, down by VCU, have soared in the last couple years at the two Fan thrifts. Like bikes I used to pick up for fifteen bucks are now 100$. I think they are mostly being converted (I'm also finding a lot more rear wheels than front ones, including Campys and Phil Woods in the last couple months). But it's a big town, and I know all the hidey holes for old bikes, so it don't bug me. Plus I've helped set up fixies for more than one VCU student. Don't mind at all. Gets 'em being ridden, cult of cool or no. Heck, I like fixies. Just don't like being cool, but thankfully I am too old for it now.

Dang, we're a cult now?

I can see it now. Stand-up bicycle humor ala Jeff Fixworthy. You may be a fixie cultist if...

You saw the derailleur holes off dropouts.
You own 13 bikes, but not one single shift lever.
You watch the Tour de France and wonder why those guys are such wusses for using gears and brakes.

This whole fixie thing probably started when Simplex Prestige derailleurs started getting brittle; when you got lemons, make lemonade...