sailorbenjamin

I found a late sixties Raleigh Record at the dump here in Maine last month. Nothing special but I never leave a Raleigh at the dump. It's too small for me so I took some pictures of it and Craigslisted it for $50.
A guy in Portland Oregon (how did he see the ad?) emails me, it's just like the one he had when he was a kid. Well, boxing it at the LBS is $35 and FedEx wants $65 to send it. Now it's a $150 bike and it still needs new tires. Guy still wants it but he's gotta wait a paycheck or two. Aren't there any Raleigh Records on the west coast?
I had an idea, I'll put it back in the dumpster, They'll crush it, ship it to China, melt it down and make a whole new bike out of it, ship it back. It'll be at a Wal-mart near you for a $100, including new tires! How do they do that?

dobber

Sometimes memories transcends cost. I almost pulled the trigger on a old Schwinn Typhoon because it was my first real bike. And if I ever come across a mid 60's blue Schwinn Varsity......

And lets not talk about a vintage GI Joe space capsule.

Grand Bois

I feel that way about a BSA 441 Victor.

Trsnrtr

Several years ago, I had a friend that kept horses. One day, I was with him at the local farm store (Farm & Fleet) and was looking at bridal bits. Bits made in the USA were like $9 and bits made in China were like $3.50. The bits looked identical.

OK, how in the hell can China buy up scrap steel, probably much of it from the USA, make bridal bits, ship them back to Central Illinois and sell them for less than 1/2 the price of a "made in the USA" bit?

Actually, I have a good idea how they do it (cheap labor, poor environmental concerns, etc) but it still boggles the mind.

CACycling

You left out insurance. That bit manufacturer in the US is open to tremendous product liability (get hurt riding a horse, get a jury to believe the bit was partially responsible and win big bucks). Good luck suing the Chinese manufacturer.

roccobike

My first road bike was a 1973 Raleigh Record. I remember how fast it was and how easy it was to ride. Well, I kept that 1973 Raleigh Record. I took it out for a ride last year and found out the truth. The memories rode much better than the Record, or maybe the rider is a little older and heavier. But those memories are still sweet.

huerro

Ship a thousand of them across the country and someone will gladly do it for a lot less than $65 each, even less if it's across the ocean in a container.

sykerocker 

I can understand the feeling completely. Watch me get really stupid the day someone offers me an opaque blue World Voyageur in a 23-1/2" frame.

Even getting close to some cherished memories does just as well. My Sports is a standard, not deluxe; black not ivory white - but I'm just as happy . . . . . well, until I find the exact bike.

Ditto my Gitane TdF, doing wonderful duty until I find that white Grand Corsa.

pastorbobnlnh 

Ben,

Part of the fun of C&V is shipping things for cost. I've sent many a NH dump-find bike across the country for the shipping fee. The couple of hours to pack the bike up well was done for the love of vintage. In the end my investment in time has paid off when C&V friends send me parts. My wife often says, "Your buddies on BF are the nicest people!"

Check out DHL's website for online shipping. It cost all of $47 to send a heavy Varsity to CA, and DHL picks up the bike at the house. Best of luck!

sailorbenjamin

Thanks for the DHL tip and thanks for the moral boost. I also found a good bit on how to properly package a bike by Jim Langley;
https://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/boxabike.html
On the one hand, this was a little intimidating to me and on the other, I don't mind supporting the LBS guy. It's worth it to do that part right.
I haven't heard back from the guy but I'll send him the new improved shipping info and encourage him to try to talk me down on my price, I just can't help thinking that he could find a better bike in a dumpster closer to home.

luker

funny, i feel the same way about a NOS Cinelli Lazer, either track or road, with a full-campy C-Record group.

wait, that can't be nostalgia...

unworthy1

quote: "They'll crush it, ship it to China, melt it down and make a whole new bike out of it, ship it back. It'll be at a Wal-mart near you for a $100, including new tires! How do they do that?"
The one I don't understand is how they take my job, crush it, ship it to China and 6 months later I find it's now at WalMart and I can have it for $3.75 an hour..

halcpa

LOL

I have two of them in the basement complete with the space suits and the 45RPM record of the lift-off sequence. Not for sale. On the other hand, how much unused stuff can one person accumulate?

I guess this is the wrong forum to ask that.j/k

tolfan

I paid $50 shiping for a $5 bike one time. Just had to have it.

Rabid Koala

I try to avoid Chinese made products but it is getting more and more difficult.

I own a small construction company. In the last few years almost all the door hardware such as locks and hinges have gone from USA made to Chinese made. Lots of it got to be much lower in quality, too, but the price continues to rise.

Chinese bikes? Forget it! I don't want the latest and greatest from the LBS or the cheapest from Wally World.

werewolf

Ain't it the truth. When the (spit) politicians get through with us, we'll just be another province of Mexico and China and Africa. Welcome to the USSA. George Orwell saw it coming. He was just off by about 20 years. War is peace.

werewolf

"Stamped out of the lids of old tuna cans..."


Don't ya hate to mess with that crap!?

Trailtrekker

Trsnrtr posted:

"One day, I was with him at the local farm store (Farm & Fleet) and was looking at bridal bits."

Errrr ... bridal bits? On the other hand, if these really worked on your bride, I suppose $9 for one made in the USA would be a bargain ...

Okay, sorry, but I just couldn't resist ...

ScottRyder 

"And lets not talk about a vintage GI Joe space capsule."

Hey, I have one of those somewhere in my attic!

oops sorry, we weren't supposed to talk about that ....

Scott

Trsnrtr

OK, you got me.