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Old 05-19-21, 01:16 AM
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Vintage Schwinn
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You can order new bicycles direct from HUFFY on the bay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/15434546496...sAAOSwIe1gN8Tc



If you might be okay with something like a vintage 3 speed Schwinn, or a vintage 5 speed Schwinn Collegiate or vintage 5 speed Schwinn Suburban, THERE IS A LONG TIME USED BICYCLE SELLER ON THE BAY CALLED shadow27 IN Fond du Lac WISCONSIN. He has a 99.9% ebay rating. I have never done business with shadow27 , but I have met some folks who have purchased bicycles from shadow27. They are happy with them. I have seen two of them, both women's (step thru) 5 speed Schwinns from circa 1971 - 1974 and they are nice old bikes. It seems shadow27 hunts and finds old Schwinns, particularly ladies models Breeze, Collegiate, Suburban.........as well as sometimes the CO-ED and women's TRAVELER model of the early sixties that pre-date the arrival of the Breeze & Collegiate of the mid sixties. Most sellers simply part out the women's bikes no matter how nice they might find them, --or-- else they primarily use the womens bikes for clean rust free wheel swaps and fender & handlebar swaps with the diamond men's bikes....................historically girls and women cared for and stored their bikes in garages or indoors in their apartment while boys & men would leave the bike outdoors uncovered in all types of weather.
I DO NOT KNOW shadow27.
All that I do know is that he has been selling complete, good quality vintage " lightweight" SCHWINN women's models of the 1960's and 1970's at very reasonable prices for an Ebay seller and his shipping cost is reasonable too. I am told he does a good job packing and shipping the bikes. THE PRICES FOR shadow27 BICYCLES HAVE INCREASED ABOUT 25% SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC in FEB 2020, Based on my estimation. Shipping Cost to the buyer in the lower 48 has remained about the same. He typically had much more inventory of these bikes at any given point in time during 2018, 2019, and very early 2020. I'm guessing he has been selling through the existing inventory much faster and at higher prices than before 2020 due to the Pandemic and that he has earned a stellar reputation. His bikes aren't perfect and he makes no effort to restore them, but it seems based the two that I have seen in person, is that he accurately he describes their condition.
Again, I do not know shadow27. You can find decent bicycles at prices much better than shadow27 but you will need to become a really good hunter. After all, that is what he does... Once you get to be really good, you have friends and friends of friends calling you saying we have these old bikes, do you want them because otherwise we are gonna take them to the dump or put them out on the curb on trash day.....so I'm guessing his average cost per bike is lower than any novice could achieve without years of experience. I've noticed that shadow27 has been on ebay for at least the past five years, perhaps more, selling probably hundreds of old women's model Schwinns. He currently has a '63 Traveler 3 speed #402815648616. He usually specializes in selling Breeze, Suburban & Collegiate step thru bikes, and he never fails in finding the ones with the really cool colors, although currently he may only have dull colors like black and blue.......


Hey, if you are gonna be travelling north by car to visit relatives, you could check and see what might be available on the bay as PICK-UP ONLY in cities/towns along or near the general route that you will be planning to take. The thing about buying on the bay with paypal is that there is LESS RISK that you'll be robbed at gunpoint as can be the case with CRAIGS if you don't meet at a sheriffs substation or police station or other secure safe public place. e-Bayers with good ratings(100% or very close to) are less likely to be dangerous criminals, being that there is some documented "paper-trail" of member account history and the fact that both eBay and Paypal do use their leverage to resolve any disputes where a seller attempts to scam a buyer.
A quick look on the bay shows what looks to be an average condition early seventies 21" frame Schwinn Suburban five speed that needs tires replaced from a 99.8% seller in Staten Island NY #164847705396....................................there is a 19" Breeze from a low rated 97.9% seller in Haddonfield NJ #265013810433...............there is a 17" Breeze red '76 3 speed with two new tires from a 100% seller in Manchester Township NJ #233962717311.....................and there is a 19" Breeze 3 speed that needs work, so it is way overpriced considering, but has nice paint and otherwise presentable in Edgecomb Maine from a 99.4% seller
These are just a few examples and none are bargains but if you check the bay daily, you never know what you'll find from folks that won't ship bikes and specify LOCAL PICK-UP ONLY. Bicycles from this type of ebay seller tends to often be very reasonably priced. The problem is often that the seller's location is a million miles away across 23 states so that it is an impossibility, but sometimes you get lucky and find something within your city or within 75 miles from you. You just gotta look on the bay every day and see what is out there. Good Luck. Also, never forget to ask your neighbors and friends as well as family members in and out of town to keep an eye out for something nice that you'd like.
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