Originally Posted by
TugaDude
I am not a flipper per se, but I have bought and sold several bikes on Craigslist. I generally buy a bike, clean it, tune it and ride it. If I want to keep it, it stays in the garage. If it just isn't right for me, I sell it. I don't buy a bike with the intention of immediately flipping it.
By doing this I have learned how to fix bikes, learned about all sorts of components, and provide a service to other buyers in that I buy bikes that "need help" and get them road worthy. I don't end up making much, just enough to buy the next bike.
One of the things this has allowed me to do is to keep upgrading my collection. I started out with a Giant Yukon mountain bike (which I still have) and went through a Peugeot, Miyata, Schwinn PDG 30, Raleigh Olympian, Bridgestone Kabuki, etc, etc.
Along the way I've kept a near-mint Schwinn World Sport from '89, a Schwinn Le Tour '74, a Schwinn Le Tour Luxe '85, a Raleigh Technium 460, a Gary Fisher Super AR road bike and another Bridgestone Kabuki Submariner which I'm currently trying to sell. All the others are going to stay around awhile.
I agree that it can be an issue, but I think that I have benefitted the buyers of bikes that I've sold by completely cleaning them, touching up paint, replacing worn cables and housing, rewrapping bars, etc. When they buy a bike from me it looks pretty close to new.
This pretty much describes me as well. I buy bikes I'm interested in, clean and fix them up, ride them for a while ... and then decide whether or not I like them enough to keep them in my rotation. Some seem to be duplicates of others - my Merciers, for example, are nice but I have a couple of Peugeots that I want to hang on to and so the Merciers need to go. I rarely make money on the flip (sometimes I actually lose a little bit but if someone winds up with a rider, then I'm happy.) The game I play is "zero sum" - i.e., I "win" if I come out as close to zero loss/gain as possible, other than the generally steady improvement of my riding stable. This summer, for instance, I allowed my activities to help me acquire my (for years!) dream bike, a Peugeot PX-10 and my all-time-favorite rider, a Freschi Supreme Super Cromo. Each October 1, I examine how much I've spent over the previous year and compare expense against profit. Unlike an entrepreneur (which I am, by the way), I don't consider the year a "win" unless I am very close to zero gain/loss. Yes, my wife finds it an odd game too. But I don't want turning bikes for bucks to become the primary motivator for me. I DO consider the bottom line, though. For example, I've just acquired a nice touring bike to fill that particular hole in my collection. This leaves me upside down by about $125 since October 1. I have some frames up for sale as a result and I will (hopefully) make a few hundred dollars, which will eventually be used to build the touring bike up for summer. It's all about balance for me, and riding a variety of fun bikes. I guess one might have more unusual hobbies, but this one works for me!