Great point, a lot of stuff actually doesn't even out. I really can't make anything on a low end bike around here, even if I get it for free. But take the same bike to Portland, OR, and I could make money on it all day long.

So in markets like mine, you have to be very selective on projects, and get them at a very low price.

You are right, it does not even out. Sadly, 90% of the bikes I see at thrift stores and garage sales have zero flip potential around here.

Yet you manage to do pretty well. You're more organized than I am. I think you rank among the top five bike flippers I know. I guess randyjawa takes the place of number one.

IMO, This guy is still top gun...
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...ms/flipper.jpg

Yep, and if you are my age, you remember the original movie, with Chuck Conners. Forget the TV series, that original movie was a classic, and a good view on life in the Florida Keys in the 1960s.

I think I need to go buy the DVD...

As far as bike flipper, I am pretty sure Randy is #1. Then the next group are the folks around here that have mastered finding the high end stuff, selling fewer bikes, but netting more $$. I can think of a guy in Tampa that is pretty damn good at that. There are several others in that group. I have yet to have figured out how to find higher end bikes. I guess I am not looking in the right places.

I ride regularly with a friend who has the carbon version of that frame. Very nice.

Serious?

WOW! wish I could get that kind of price around here. Last Trek I had I let go for $120 and it took me a while to sell it.

The Aluminum Trek 830 my wife tools around on was in excelent condition and I picked it up for $40 needing a tube. I'd start my listing at $160 and hop I got $140 for it if I were to put it on the market. Before I was flipping I picked up My Cannondale M400 for $120 and it had just been tuned up and had practically new tires on it. The owners kid is a wrench at a LBS and had recently gone through it.

I pass up tons of good MTB's becasue of the poor return. I only pick up big brands and only if they are about $20 and have good tires.

Ya, well, there are a lot of prices that are wildly different between here and there, and that could be related to bike prices. I live in a house that would sell for, oh, I dunno, maybe $500,000 or $600,000. The lot is a mere 100 ft by 62.5 ft. My annual property taxes are about $14,000. I'm sure you'd like to get $180 for a mountain bike, but not if you had to pay my kind of taxes.

What in the world do property taxes have to do with cheap mountain bikes?

I mean the value of commodities goes up and down with the cost of living.

Corollary: my profit isn't as big as it seems.

Just sold the green Cannondale today, for some MUCH needed cash, and this pops up in Houston. I have my buddy calling on it this very moment. Cross your fingers for me please:D. I have been looking for a Competition for years, and never ran across one close to my size until now.,,,,BD

http://houston.craigslist.org/bik/1866998042.html

Good luck, Hope you got a mint for the cannondale, it looked nice.

Well, I just picked up another 1987 Prologue, to match mine. It is in a really desirable small size. If my wife likes it, great. I spent two years looking for one my size. Ended up getting mine from Utah via ebay. Meanwhile, I found this one about 2 miles from the house. It is mostly Shimano 105 (but I have all the tricolor stuff I took off mine). The rims are Gallis. I might have to dig out that red Galli RD I have.

That 105 crankset looks freekin ugly on this bike.


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/...0f62c8a0_b.jpg

It sold in less than 24 hours for $240. I was asking $250, so not too bad for an RSX quipped R200. I loved it, but it could have been a cm or two larger.,,,,BD

I agree, that version of 105 crankset, was pretty blahh. Kind of a shame, since the rest of that group is gorgeous for Shimano.,,,,BD

Around here, any Cannondale racing bike in good shape gets a strong response. I have adjusted my prices up on Cannondales. I have had several Cannondales this year, they all went fast. Prices on pretty much anything else have remained flat.

I think part of it is that there is a large group of buyers out there that want a modern bike. A 20 year old Cannondale looks very modern, compared to other bikes from that era. Pretty much every Cannondale I have sold went to buyers that had zero interest in a vintage bike.

:love:
If it is a 52...any chance you want to strip all of those components off and ship the frame/fork a few hundred miles north? (I'm actually pretty serious on this one...PM if you are interested but I'm sure it will fetch a pretty penny on CL as a complete bike so I won't be offended if that's the route you want to go)

This frame + some cash...hang the 105 parts from the Prologue on it...and I'll build the Prologue with tricolor STI group :)
http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_IMG_0411.jpg

Im in az too. we should definitely ride.

Picked up a couple today, think I did okay at 300 for both (150 a piece)..

Cannondale with Shimano 600.. Any idea on a model/year?
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=162438
Centurion Ironman Expert
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=162437

The guy definitely replaced a few parts, but included a box of parts that had the look pedals for the ironman, some tubes, brake shoes for the 600 set, etc.

The Cannondale looks like an 89? It also looks ridiculous with that stem.:roflmao2:,,,,BD

Cannondale has a good vintage site. Early Cannondales actually had a meaningful serial number. And of course, component codes (look them up at the vintage Trek site) always work on bikes that still have original parts on them.

http://www.vintagecannondale.com/

Thanks a ton! According to that, 1985 ST400 probably, and I totally agree about the stem. The Centurion also.

I'm thinking 87 on the C-dale. I'd say is is a R600. The SN number should have the year. See the link Bike dude put down.

I have a 88 Dave Scott and the paint is different. I'm thinking that is a 87. Most were Purple and yellow but same scheme but I think Red and White was an option.

You guessing that off part date code? Late in the year part codes ( September on in most instance ) it is probably the next model year.

Great point.. BB code is CC09, so then 86 more likely? Color is more of a dark blue than sea sprite green, I'd think.

Well, I had an 88 with the same top tube decal, which was painted like an 89. I thought the 87 and below had the skinnier top tube lettering? The RD does have the open end lower knuckle, so 86 is kinda staring me in the face. Pic is a little fuzzy, and I went by sight;).,,,,BD