kross57

I flip bikes as a hobby, mostly low to mid level road bikes from the 70s and 80s. This past year those bikes increased in value by 50-100%. People looking for healthy recreation and unable to find a new bike, bought these up. Sales dropped off dramatically in autumn, but will probably spike again next spring. Eventually gyms will reopen, and people will go back to them, resuming normal lives. I think there are going to be a lot of old bikes on the market. However, it may take a while for prices to spiral down from what these people paid to what the market will then support.

botty kayer

t1k nice Battaglin, and it looks like it still has the Pantani approved bar tape, fitted with enough Bolivian marching powder to get anyone up and over the highest mountains.

jamesdak 

I don't know if I really saw anything about this year being that different. For me I guess I changed the focus of my collection a bit so some bikes went and some came.

This sold for way less than I put into it but I had replaced it with something more capable that fit better:



This was sold too for less than I had in it. Thought it was going to another local bike lover until I saw it listed again with the groupset stripped off. No more dealing with that guy. I enjoy passing on a bike at a loss that will be loved and used but not to a flipper. I just hated how twitchy this one felt at high speeds, something I knew might be an issue when I bought it. I didn't sell it with those wheels though, kept them.



This was an odd sell. All my local sprint KOMs where on this bike, it just felt so good to me under a sprint. But the bike cave was busting at the seams and the mechanic that built if for me wanted it. So I sold it to him and took even more off the low price. He was so happy.



I sold off the Orbea too. It went through several iterations while I had it and at the end was being used for gravel. Picked up another odd bike for gravel use so this one became redundant. Funny thing is I finally put hoods on it and better brakes right as I decided to sell it.




Then one of my beloved Lemonds became redundant when I finally got my "grail" Lemond. This one I'm pretty sure I broke even on after it gave me years of joyful riding.



I also finally admitted that the 57cm Giordana Scorpius frame was just to big and sold it to a local guy as his winter project.

To the mix I added or finished a few this year.

This 914SE is a bit rought cosmetically but rides fine. Still sorting it out and so far have just put a nice IRD BB in it. The rest of the parts need a good cleaning, degrease, and lube during the winter. With storage issues I'm thinking this one may be sold in the spring.



Then I'm so upside down now on the rough looking Colnago Super I bought without giving a real look at it. Totally rebuilt the beast and to be honest it's one damn fine ride that looks good until you get to close to it. I just need to put wider bars on it and put those brake levers where they should be to make it a perfect ride.



The "Grail" Lemond was finally grabbed this year too. The most I've paid for a bike.




Then there's this one which seemed like a steal to me. Older Serotta with a brand new Chorus 10 speed setup, new hand built wheels, etc. Not sure what I'm going to do with it though. It's very fast but a bit harsh on my chipseal roads. It is one hell of a fine machine though. Changed saddle, stem and wheels for now but still getting to know this one.



Then there's this odd duck I found locally. Bought it as my new errand bike as well as light gravel road riding. Most would say it's a piece of junk and it sure is ugly. But to be honest, once I sorted it out it rides really well and the parts all work great. It's even got a big ol' milk crate on the back rack to carry my groceries, LOL!



And i guess it really has been an unusually busy bike year for me. The Duell was built up this year and on the dozen or so rides so far is quickly becoming a favorite. It's perfect for fast but comfortable rides on the rough chipseal. I also have the Concorde finished but that happened just as the snow came. I probably won't get a test ride in on that before spring. I also grabbed Ochsner locally for a song. Still sorting it out but it seems to be one fine ol' SL tubed machine. Quite beautiful. I also grabbed a 70s Stella from here that is on ongoing project I'm loving. Got it originally to clean up and donate to the COOP as this years gift but it won't be done in time. Plus I just may want to keep it, it's a pretty cool ol' beast. Had the damaged paint on the Wayne Evans repaired and then rebuilt it with a sweet working Dura Ace 9 speed setup. This is one goooooooooodddddddd riding bike. If you even see one of his bikes available, GRAB IT! I also grabbed the beautiful Olmo frame off of here after waiting about a week for someone else to grab it. No one did so now it's waiting to be graced with Campagnolo and then lovingly ridden.

So for me I'm not really sure I saw anything that different on the local scene or here on the forum. Still plenty of beautiful bikes available and still selling stuff at a loss, LOL! I will admit there were some C&V stuff show up for crazy prices and most of them never seemed to sell.

Although.....as I edit this already. My mental capacity is sure dropping this year. I think the ol' brain is falling apart from all the injuries over the years just like the Dr's said would happen. Oh, well, it can go along with the knees, the neck, the back, the once brown hair, etc, LOL! I'll still be riding !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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t1k

You are a good soul James.

That's one pretty 914. I'd love to find one locally.

Soup_Please

I concur--I'm not seeing a big run on C&V bikes. I was able to move a few uncommon vintage lightweights in the spring and summer--but the bikes I'm seeing new riders buy are a mix of $500-700 entry level rigs or e-bikes. It looks like new bike supply will still be constrained well into 2021, so I may let some other bikes go next spring that are more general public friendly. I'm not expecting to pad my retirement by selling my vintage collection though.

PilotFishBob 

I've never found Memphis to be a hot C&V market. But this year I sold 8 bikes between May and October (and gifted one to a friend recovering from knee surgery). The ones I sold early on went relatively quickly. It helped that I won't gouge, my primary goal is to at least break even (sometimes falling short) and keep the habit self-sustaining. Towards the end of the year they took longer to sell, the bloom was definitely off the boom and these were also the pricier models. Still, they all found new homes and I whittled the collection down closer to the sanity range - though still not quite there yet.

mhespenheide 

jamesdak And yet no mention of the FishLips?

Even if it's not vintage, it's sure to be a classic.

jamesdak 

LOL, because I just got my hands on it a couple of hours ago when I finally met up with the seller. I'll get to know it tomorrow as I give the frame a good going over to see what I really have.

jamesdak 

LOL, because I just got my hands on it a couple of hours ago when I finally met up with the seller. I'll get to know it tomorrow as I give the frame a good going over to see what I really have.

bark_eater 

The co-op I occasionally stop by, pretty much ran out of bikes for a while. Last time I went in They where jam packed with lower end project bikes from donations and police recoveries. I gather they have started limiting parts sales as flippers have been clearing them out. Luckily, established run of the mill hoarders are tolerated. Unfortunately their seemed to be some group covid fatigue going on there so I wont be back until its all clear.

scarlson 

I had a good year in the C&V department. I'm a better/faster rider, made money, learned things, and C&V has helped me a lot with that. I think 2020 has caused a lot of people to come unstuck in time. C&V, however, always was unstuck, beckoning us back(ward). Isn't that the point?

I've said it before: I'd give back all the money (admittedly not a lot), the knowledge, and the fitness gained to have a few beers and exchange hugs with my friends. Looking to the future, the mental health thing really matters, and covid times are driving everybody stir crazy even if C&V provided me with a good year.

I worry that some timeless traditions (FFD? BQ Un-Meeting? PBP??!) will be put on infinite hold, as we muddle through with half a herd's worth of immunity from the vaccine if it's not widely accepted or doesn't work very well or wears off after too short a time. And does a crisis so deep as what's beset us ever really go away? Who knows? We find ourselves in the same boat as everyone else, a ship you may board but not steer. Time will tell.

montclairbobbyb 

The more I witness the bike industry evolving the more I APPRECIATE the C&V community. And while I do appreciate some of the newer innovations being brought to market, I've otherwise been deeply disappointed with the over-priced crap being manufactured today. I think some of the classic frames and components were SO GOOD (as proven by the test of time), manufacturers should consider bringing them back as part of a "classic" line. Why should companies like Velo Orange be only one of a handful of companies making classic components? Why not Shimano, SRAM or Sunrace? Crazy as it may sound, WHY COULDN'T the Suntour Superbe (for example) be somehow resurrected??
Too often we've seen components reach their pinnacle in terms of design functionality and quality, only to be redesigned (and ultimately ruined)... shame...

Grateful for the sheer joy of my favorite classic & vintage bikes. Maybe I'm just an old coot. They just don't make em like they used to.

Peace,
BB