robatsu

+1. The price differential between quality new and vintage is enormous. Even with what I perceive as some recent price rise for vintage, unless one is going for a trophy collectors item, a few hundred dollars should be able to get a high quality vintage frame in outstanding condition. Plus, you end up at a much better spot on the depreciation curve. Right now, a 20+ year old frameset is about as cheap as it is ever going to be, whereas a new frameset is as expensive as it will be for a long time, until it possibly acquires collector cachet. Even then, I'm pretty sure that all the vintage bikes I have, including a couple that were virtual time capsule guys, were acquired for less than they sold for new, not even accounting for inflation.