Originally Posted by
beerbaron2002
that's because the old bike thing is a new fad. I see it all the time in vancouver it used to just be a crackhead theft deterrent.
Its rare to find one especially now that is in good order for dirt cheap I see them all the time people will come in and say "I got this for just 200 bucks its vintage maaaan" I want to tell them they should have saved for a lobotomy because that would be cheaper than what they are gonna have to put into it. Plus once the fad is over it goes back to its realy value of parted out and the rest taken to be recycled before the wife has a fit.
There are odd deals that are good. But he's a student the fad will be over by the time he graduates and sells it at least with a new bike that doesn't need anything he will get a little back out of it.
Plus personally I think they are atrociously ugly.
IMHO, whether you think they're ugly or not is completely irrelevant...
The fact remains that there are millions of old and vintage chromoly steel framed bikes that are still in good to excellent condition. Some have been just sitting dormant in attics, basements, and garages for years and just need a slight tune-up. Some might need only a new wheel, a chain, a derailleur, or a bottom bracket. Believe it or not, I once went to a garage sale in Akron Ohio, where a lady was selling her deceased husband's vintage Paramount Schwinn bike for only fifty bucks. I asked her what was wrong with the bike. Her response was, "Well, both the tires are flat for one thing..."
Most of these older bikes were made to last a lifetime. Most vintage bikes aren't merely fads, they are indeed classics. Classics that should be respected and revered for the ingenuity, craftmanship, and engineering, that were invested in these truly honorable American products that have in most cases outlasted their original owners.
When a person purchases a vintage bike who really appreciates cycling, that person usually makes certain that the bike is properly maintained. This behavior then assures the probability that the bike will continue to remain operable for many years to come. Most of the older bikes that I see, that haven't been modified into fixies and such, are in either fair to mint condition.
Originally Posted by
beerbaron2002
12 bucks in vancouver will get you a coffee and not much more this is one of the most expensive places in north america. So I don't see deals like that around here.
But still say he spends 50 on an old bike its still gonna needs all new bearings tires tubes spoke adjustment pedals grips probably a seat new chain brake pads maybe cables. Shop labor if the wheels are fine but need adjustment.
For that it makes way more sense to get a new bike.
A decent new bike, worthy of consideration is gonna cost you at least $500, if it's a hybrid, and at least $1000, if it's a road bike. OTOH, if you purchase an old steel vintage bike, that will outlast one of your brand new aluminum deals. You just might pay a few hundred dollars to bring it back up to specs. However, if you keep it well-maintained, you can keep that same bike for over twenty years and all you have to do is occasionally upgrade a few components. You might even have it painted a couple times during those 2 or 3 decades. After needed upgrades and a fresh paint job, it will both look and operate like a brand new bicycle all over again. Now that's what I call recycling!
* That said, the OP should most probably go to
www.performancebike.com and checkout the Fuji Absolute bicycle that I mentioned in my first response in this thread.