Originally Posted by
mtnbke
The same way car collectors moved to muscle cars, C&V steel bikes are going to rapidly lose their value. Like a Model A, they are ubiquitous and not in any shape or form to be confused with real performance level bikes. Young kids and hipsters want Klein, Cannondale, Kestrel, Morgul-Bismark in the coming years.
To the cyclist that grew up on fast US aluminum and carbon any steel Colnago, Olmo, Ciocc, Masi is just lipstick on a steel pig.
The value of aluminum bikes may be reinforced by the mere rarity of their survival.
There will continue to be niche interests in vintage steel. The most prestigious marques/models will command higher prices than all but a handful of production equivalents. Your examples are absolutely ridiculous and delusional. Yes, the demand for mid-level steel bikes (the Fuji Sagres', most Schwinns, most Raleighs, etc.) will certainly drop off, but all the makes you mentioned, DeRosa's, Cinellis, Peugeot PX-10s, Schwinn Paramounts, Raleigh Team Professionals and the like, will have a more lingering demand, even if the prices will drop somewhat.
Another consideration is aesthetics. In general, steel racing bikes have a timeless elegance that even younger people seem to have some appreciation for. Contrast that to the fact that most of the aluminum and carbon frames of the 80's and much of the 90's is flat-out butt-ugly, and buzzy to ride.