folder fanatic

I noticed that these bicycles becoming more rare as gas prices, car/truck prices and upkeep costs continue to drive many people to the used bike market than ever before. These bicycles use a number of interesting names: Beater, Trashmo'bile, Junker, Oldie, Vintage, Collectable, Antique. The more one moves toward a refine name in the spectrum, the more it is attacted to the wine and cheese crowd. At the other end, the bike might become a sacrifice in order to save a monetary valuable newer bicycle from the bike thief.

The used bike market is drying up due to these extreme demands. Add to this the shift to the car free or the car lite group over the same time and you probably get the same feeling as I do. What do you think?

Is this the end of the disposible bike due to this intense demand by so many?

chocula

I've read about increases in new bicycle sales, but I'm unaware of any uptick in demand for used bikes, at least in my area. I still find them left on the curb with other unwanted items after people clean out their garages.

Eatadonut

More people than ever have cars, and Kia is just starting to make a real impact on the auto market.

Increased demand usually leads to more disposable product, not less.

Roody

Jerry just bought a Trek MTB for $6 that needs a lot of work. I just bought a decent MTB for $30 as a backup for us both. Really nice rebuilt or like-new MTBs are about $100 in pawn shops around here, a little more at LBSs. Road bikes are harder to find and relatively expensive. A co-worker wants to sell me a OCR for $300, ridden only in one DALMAC ride, incl. lots of accessories.

Nightshade

"Is this the end of the disposible bike due to this intense demand by so many?"

Heck no, just visit Target or Wal-Mart to buy all the "disposable" bikes you want.

folder fanatic

I really was not thinking of the Wal-mart, K Mart, and Target brands. I never would recommend them to others or use one myself in any cycling capacity. I was simply thinking of the bike shop tuned and purchased bicycle that one once could pick up used at usually well below $100 dollars up to a few years ago. These are now being channeled into either a grubby beater or whatever level and used and discarded or stolen without little tears shed over it to the prized antique where it is worshipped and displayed behind soft fabric ropes and "Do Not Touch" signs posted around it.

I was simply wondering the car free crowd who are members of this forum could look beyond these extremes and see the bike for it's real self-a highly valued means of transport beyond price or monetary value to be cared for properly by it's owner-and not offered as a sacrifice to thieves or placed on a pedestrial.

Am I the only one here thinks this way?

pedex

I dunno, but old schwinn's,raleigh's, and paramount's in steel from the 80's are getting tougher to find. They make killer SS or fixed gear city bikes, perfect for the car free lifestyle.

What I dont like about the current bike situation is you can either buy dept store junk, or pony up like $600 for a basic LBS beater, or go used and build one. None of these options are particualry good really. If a dept store would actually sell something like a specialized langster for like $150-$200 they'd have a hard time keeping them in stock, and it would way better than the MTB crap they sell in the city now.

We live in a disposable society. McHouses, McCars, eating McMeals..........those kinds of values dont tend to generate any respect for bikes, even good ones, or much else in the way of property really.

-=(8)=-

The old, lower end Scwhinns from the 70's and early 80's have to be the beater bike
deal-of-the centurys ! They can still be found for next to nothing. Remember, Rivendale
and all those cool Boutique cruisers are copying these great old heifers Well, OK,
sort of

Roody

no, not at all. Considering I have spent about $300 fixing and upgrading my main bike, which I bought for only $100 a couple years ago.