Pompiere

Additionally, N+1 must never exceed S-1, where S is the number that causes your significant other to leave you or cause you bodily harm.

motosman1

MiloFrance

The suspense is killing me. What will you end up with??? It's getting to the point where I would be tempted to send you a frame to build up with parts from CL

Aubergine 

MiloFrance

michael k

lol Same!

squirtdad

Looks like OP is thinking Bianchi
Bianchi help, please!

jackmc

Just get yourself a good bike that makes you want to ride it. I'm not one to haggle so I get what I want within my price limit, it appears with internet and cl shopping you are always taking a chance. Best of luck.

motosman1

Man, life sure gets in the way, sometimes. So, out of 5 bikes, on local CL, I got one timely reply that the bike sold and they forgot to delete the post. Two others just informed me that the post was deleted, days later. Two others never responded. Yes, I did start another thread specifically for guidance on Bianchi. For various reasons, the brand is tugging at me. Funny (not haha, though) how this all started with a potential $50 Kabuki that it seemed no one wanted. Now I am contemplating a $200 budget (gotta talk myself down outta the tree!) and an elaborate scheme to get it past my wife's discerning eye! Nope, not completely set on a Bianchi. I realize I need to crawl before walking. Saving all my change, ebaying some motorcycle parts and keeping my eyes wide open so that when that "good deal on a good bike" comes along, I CAN pull the trigger. All you guys, and gals, have contributed a wealth of knowledge and information and I am forever grateful. Yes squirtdad, I plan on buying the membership and posting WTB's. I will let you know what I end up with. I am a mechanic, by trade, and really want something that requires some work and TLC. Hopefully it will be something that I can post the before, after and buildup along the way. I'm quite sure I will seek further expertise and guidance along the way.

MiloFrance

A small point to help with the 'discerning eye'. A 30 or 40 year old bike that costs you 150$ or so will not be worth 75$ tomorrow. If you get it right, your 150$ bike will be worth 150€ next year, the year after and the year after that. If you get it really really right, it could be worth 200€. And if you have the luck of the **%%£$ (insert your favourite: Irish, Devil, Beginner etc), you may find yourelf looking at a timeless classic that cost you a third of it's market value. *




*This only happens in movies. And sometimes to people in this forum.

motosman1

Oh, I am well aware of this. I was corresponding with a potential seller, this past weekend, and he was pointing out the potential "collector values" of some bikes he had. I informed him that I was not looking at collector values but instead at quality components that have proven themselves. I want something that needs some TLC. In my profession, I have watched guys for years buy a new Harley for $20,000, put another $10,000 in it and really believe that they have a bike with a resale value of $30,000. Only to be slapped by the cold hand of reality when they are told, 6 months later, that their bike has a "trade-in" value of $15,000. I'm looking for a quality, affordable "vintage" bike that I enjoy riding and working on without being taken advantage of. That is why I am trying to glean as much information as possible from wonderful, helpful people on this forum.

motosman1

Got a couple pics of two bikes I know nothing about. I will ask the seller if he has an aluminum wheelset to put with the Trek. Anybody have opinions, specs or suggested prices? Thanks! Both bikes are 8+ hours away but seller is willing to bring to his other location very close to me. I am about to do my own research but wanted to post these first.

motosman1

Okay, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The "Files Uploader" page comes up, I drag my pics over to it and wait until they show to be on the uploader page then hit "UPLOAD", the page with my pics disappears but don't show up in the post. It does say that images will be inserted in-line, all other type files will attach to post.

motosman1

One bike is a Takara the other is a Trek 620. I cant see the model on the Takara.

squirtdad

just cut an paste the Craigslist link if you have it.

also pretty sure trek 620 would not have had a steel rim originally

motosman1

motosman1

squirtdad

Does not look bad at all, not looking like tons of work

why cheap.... who knows, could be "clean out the garage or else" or it is just an old bike not worth much or ????
person is not a bike person or they would have taken the picture from the drive side

I would go for a look with cash in hand....

Hudson308 

Fuji S12-S is usually a decent mid-range road bike from the late 70's-early 80's. Seamed chrome-moly tubing and Suntour mechanicals. Great price on that one.
Trek 620 is a higher-mid range bike from the 80's, made in Wisconsin. Reynolds 531 tubing. They're a quality machine that typically hold their value well.

Are they both your size?

motosman1

Waiting to hear back from sellers. I was out of town on a job site all day and away from phone and 'puter.

grayEZrider

That is the newfound opportunity to test your skills as a carpenter and build a shed!
But on a serious note as as now retired mech geek I've been doing for three years now what you are getting into. And I find most of my bikes purchase cost runs an average of $140 with an average of $100 in repairs and upgrades. As I hit double digits I began building and giving them to relatives and friends. All the while enjoying the learning both bikes and what I really needed and wanted to ride. Early on you will be time and money ahead to stick to the early eighties Japanese made bikes. Your case is interesting though, as you are the first person I've heard of who managed to catch N+1 disease before buying the first bike!
$160 + $40 tires and bar tape.

motosman1

Nice Kabuki, grayEZrider! Below is the CL ad for the bike that started this whole quest for me. I will be 57 yrs old next month and my pastime activities have begun to slow down. I won't sell my motocross bike 'cause in the back of my mind I think I can still ride in the over 55 class (though I haven't ridden in 10 yrs.). Selling it would admit defeat!

Something about this Kabuki (maybe as simple as the color w/chrome lower fork legs, after all I am a Harley mechanic for over 25 yrs) caught my eye and perpetuated the quest for road bike knowledge. The problem is, I have spent numerous years as a "crew chief" (for my son's motocross career) and/or pit mechanic for various types of motorcycle and auto racing. I have also been told, repeatedly, that I am a perfectionist and anal retentive, to a fault. I tend to fixate on the smallest of details, sometimes, i.e. weight, coefficient of friction, weight transfer, rolling resistance, etc... Weight is the biggest reason I didn't pull the trigger on the Kabuki. It appears to have chrome steel rims and mild steel tubing in the frame/fork. On the plus side, I am attracted to the center pull brakes (not sure what the weight diff is between center pull, cantilever and side pull) and apparent lugged frame. Oh, and the cool head badge! It is my understanding that the Bridgestone era of Kabuki was the better quality (more desirable?). Asking price of $75, if it hasn't sold maybe $50. I have contemplated buying straight, used alum rims and lacing to the large flange hubs (I think they look cool!) as it is definitely within my abilities. But are rims alone going to be enough to offset the frame tubing weight? I wish I could find more specific info on the Kabuki's. As you can see, I tend to really overthink things.

I also cannot see, in the photos, what brand brakes and drivetrain (derailleurs) are on it. Not that I have learned the difference and pros/cons of each level of each brand, but if I knew what they were I could research and overanalyze them, LOL!!

Anyway, I am slowly (one post/reply at a time) educating myself on quality vs. mutts and greatly appreciate everyone's input. I have been on other forums (Harley and auto) where I would have been told to "s**t or get off the pot", but in all caps! A lot of really wonderful people here.

motosman1

MY bad!

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bi...618350652.html

treebound 

treebound