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What's Scarce In Your Area? Would you believe gas pipe cruisers?

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What's Scarce In Your Area? Would you believe gas pipe cruisers?

Old 07-03-15, 06:58 AM
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What's Scarce In Your Area? Would you believe gas pipe cruisers?

This thread was prompted while searching for a cruiser for my neighbor's girlfriend. The clean cruiser get snapped up immediately and are priced about $75 to $150. Those that languish have 50 years of oxidation or are "very rare" collectibles, you know the $350 cruiser. I'm tempted to recommend a new Target Schwinn Cruiser for $110, as the new gas pipe is no better or worse than old gas pipe, is it?

Same problem finding tandems in good nick for less than $300.

No interesting road bikes have come up in Southeastern Michigan lately. Last week, an underpriced Motobecane GJ was scooped up within 3 hours. Other than that, no fmv vintage project Treks, Japanese, European and no touring bikes. I did pick up this week a Fuji Royale in my size with a flat bar conversion, which I will probably pimp out to replace a too small Raleigh Sprite grocery getter.

Of course there is no shortage of listings guided by ebay BBC prices. A 68cm Fuji Royale just listed this morning by someone for $450!

Last edited by oddjob2; 07-03-15 at 07:23 AM.
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Old 07-03-15, 07:11 AM
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Yeah, for what they fetch in your area buying new seems like a better option. Especially when you factor in the time you spend prowling CL, trying to be the first to call and then dealing with probable repairs. Our neighbor's kid bought himself a La Jolla alloy cruiser at Wal-Mart or someplace and it looked very decent for the money, so that should do unless the neighbors simply must have a "classic" and in that case I'd let them find their own.

Cheap (affordable) road bikes have been scarce, unless they're junk.

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Old 07-03-15, 07:11 AM
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Down on the coast, we got nothing but cruisers. Seems to be one parked in everyones yard and all over CL.

Scarse are the mid to upper 80's- 90's race, recreational bikes.
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Old 07-03-15, 07:44 AM
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Old 07-03-15, 07:48 AM
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What the heck is a "cruiser"?
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Old 07-03-15, 07:53 AM
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I ran into a similar situation checking out C/L in the FL Keys. Cruisers were hot, red hot. So I contacted a local flipper, "do you have any multispeed bikes?" Sure enough, he had a Nishiki Prestige, no one wants them there. He made me a great deal.

I was driving the Miata, so I was unable to load up....

OJ, have you thought of converting a rigid frame MTB to a cruiser? Add North Road bars, single speed freewheel, and you are set. Would probably need a chain tensioner with the vertical dropouts. Or make it a 1 x 6, semi cruiser. Put a basket on it, and you are set.
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Old 07-03-15, 08:06 AM
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Originally Posted by wrk101
OJ, have you thought of converting a rigid frame MTB to a cruiser? Add North Road bars, single speed freewheel, and you are set. Would probably need a chain tensioner with the vertical dropouts. Or make it a 1 x 6, semi cruiser. Put a basket on it, and you are set.
You have a good idea, but the loopy curved high tensile frame is part of the charm I guess. There is a clean Schwinn Breeze, just trying to figure if I can stick bigger tires on it.

Schwinn Breeze Comfort Bike

It's crazy, but I swear three Schwinns featured at Target.com yesterday, only the blue ones are left at $110.

Last edited by oddjob2; 07-03-15 at 08:10 AM.
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