Introduction
 

My Google search results kept sending me here so I thought I should just join, so here I am. Up in cold New England wiling away the cold winter and looking for a decent vintage 10 road bike. But before you start sending me links to $1600 bikes, I talking about the best US and Euro bikes that can be had for near-yard sale prices. Maybe I should just wait until spring and go yard saling, but the best I got right now is CL and FB Marketplace, so I'll end up paying a bit more for the same bikes.

So I've been looking at the mid-value bikes like early 80's Schwinn Voyageur, Raleigh Super Course, maybe Austro Daimler, although it's harder to ID which models of those. They all seem to be offered in the $200-300 range, less if I can find a true estate sale or yard sale find.

So I'll be asking questions and seeking info and catalog references on various models. Cheers!

Welcome aboard!

The cost on an other road bike can be upfront or pay later. If you find a $200-300 bike that needs $200 worth of rehab, then you will still probably have a $300 bike.
If you buy needing "a few things", you may get shocked with the costs. Sometimes these things have hidden defects that cause trouble.
Your local bike shop may be less than enthusiastic to work on your older bike.
Good luck

Welcome aboard.
This is a great place to hang out.
This thread highlights some deals.
Good stuff here that gets updated all the time.
eBay / CraigsList finds - "Are you looking for one of these!?" Part II

I wouldn't be considering an old bike if I couldn't fix it myself. I've been doing car, motorcycle, and boat repairs and restorations for most of my life. It's part of the fun of owning vintage stuff!

welcome, Do not forget about japanese bikes some of the best value and quality is there

what size bike to you ride?

if you post more precisely than "new england" people will often look at local craigslist and give you some ideas

How mechanical are you? do you work on bikes or plan to learn? huge benefit to working and/or learning on how to work on your bikes

What is your max dollar range?

That's good! Special tools are often important, but don't usually cost that much.
Good luck finding one that fits.

Trust me when I tell you that you have the right idea! Get away from the computer and go yard sailing(not really sure how to spell that).

I have been hunting vintage bikes for a while now and have, without doubt, found close to or even over 1000 in the past fifteen years. Last summer, at yard sales, I got these two and trust me, there are not many yard sales in Thunder Bay, these days, with the pandemic present...
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6f0a0f64db.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2c01b8dcf1.jpg

Mention your new interest to all of your friends and acquaintances, asking if they have or know anyone who might have a vintage bike. That netted me this late sixties Carlton...
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3554695fc9.jpg

and, just a few weeks ago, this "Word of Mouth" technique helped me find and drag this early seventies Bianchi home...
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...08b5e43347.jpg


And, if you want astounding bike finding results, make up a flyer and deliver it to a couple of hundred houses in an area of your choice. You will probably be amazed how well this works...
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8d810dcbe8.jpg

Proof that these ideas really work...
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...424f551465.jpg

Where in New England? Let us know, several members love to shop using OPM, and will point out Craigslist ads in your area. Heck some may even have a bike to sell you.

As asked before, what size bike do you need? And where in New England?

If your town is like mine (and the ones around me in NH), the Transfer Station is a great place to find bikes for free. Not a single bike is scrapped until it has sat for weeks and is never adopted by a new owner.

I'm in NH part of the year (Mayish through Septemberish) and I need to downsize my collection. If you can ride a 24-25" (60-63mm) frame, I can probably gift you something. The only downside is I won't be back until the end of May. So I'm no-help with your winter blues (which I completely understand).

Not necessarily. There are many good finds that come up on facebook marketplace and craigslist. True many of them are overpriced, but if you keep checking back on them, they will often drop drastically in price. People that may not particularly know what they have look on eBay, see a nice bike going for a certain price and they don't realize they won't get for their Peugeot or Raleigh what one will get for a Colnago, Pinarello or higher end Peugeot or Raleigh so they list them too high. Eventually they usually come down.

Be patient, familiarize yourself with what things signify a better quality bike and don't necessarily concern yourself with negative comments from some if they call something gas pipe or low end. Vintage bikes run a broad spectrum and this forum has them all. If you asked a question about a nice Raleigh Sport you have your eye on, some will put it down and others will simply regurgitate the same responses. But you will also get some helpful responses that will either tell you it is fairly priced for what it is or overpriced for what it is.

There are some knowledgable folks here and it amazes me that they can identify frames from details like braze ons, lugs or dropouts. I feel lucky if I can just identify something from a label on the down-tube or a head badge. But I know what I want to pay for something and if I think it is fair and it will scratch the itch I have, I'll buy it.

Welcome!

It’s great that you have an idea what you want before making the plunge. My bikes run the gamut from racy to utility and I have found my comfort zone so I will narrow down the fleet accordingly.

FWIW - almost all of my recent purchases have been from Marketplace. Asking prices on CL in my area are very high (to me) and it is mostly new-ish stuff. I have also bought a few things from OfferUp with success.

Again, welcome and enjoy the ride!

Good comments and advice, both in this post as well as all. I like your admonition about patience. I tend to be excitable and have to hold back otherwise I'd be buying everything and paying too much. I'll keep looking but in the meantime content myself with refurbishing my cellar-find 72 Raleigh Sports and getting the Fongers (my namesake bike) single speed rideable.