Originally Posted by
Giacomo 1
I tend to think that companies that produce both high and low end products, will never become truly a collectible or valuable.
In bikes, take Miyata, Atala, Schwinn, Fuji, Motebecane, and yes Klein for examples. All produce some high, but many more low end bikes, so none of those brands are truly valuable or collectible. But take manufacturers like Colnago, Pinarello, or Look, and they are always collectible and valuable because they are strictly high end.
Works in other areas to. Invicta has some very expensive watchers but also cheapos to, so real watch people don't take them very seriously. BMW runs the risk of becoming just another car company as they make entry level cars now. They dilute their brand. Maserati, which should be BMW's competitor, is considered a step above because it has remained true to itself in only producing high end machines.
Raleigh made everything from clunker to pro team, and the high end Raleighs are collectible (Professional, SBDU). Peugeot same, and PY10s and the like are collectible. Gitane and Bianchi are two other example of full range bike companies whose high end bikes are collectible.
Colango and bikes from similar boutique makers are, admittedly, higher valued as collectibles go. So maybe it depends on one's definition of "collectible". A collector-condition PY10 with all the original gold jewelry is probably a >$1,500 bike and appreciating, which meets my sense of the term.
Maybe that's worth a chat. What do we mean when we say a bike is "collectible"?
On Kleins, if there are older Klein models that are regularly selling for over $1,000 and that price is rising, then I'd call them at least somewhat collectible.