Correct. I found an NOS NIB example last year:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/GroteFoto-I38F84PA.jpg

I am still deciding on a frame to put it in to build my own Pary-Ruby machine ...

Ahhh, are all thrift stores in the states goldmines for vintage bikes?

I think it depends on where you live from what I can ascertain from watching this post, all I ever find here in Fort Wayne IN is junky Walmart type of bikes, I once found a decent brand once but it was so rusted it wasn't funny and the aluminum components and rims had huge amounts of corrosion, and the thrift store wanted $150! Nothing was worth saving on that poor bike. And add on top of that overcharging for a bike, I saw a low end Ross, in below average condition and the thrift store wanted $250. I have crappy thrift stores here. After 10 years of searching since I've moved to FTW I've only found 2 bikes reasonably priced and those were on Craigslist.

In talking to my friend here I take it that thrift stores in Portland rarely cough up much and that the good bicycles that do show up vanish very quickly.

My Giant was a pretty spectacular find because of it's NOS condition and relatively low price in this market but finding a 3Rensho at a Goodwill and paying so little is an amazing find to make.

Anything but unfortunately. Four or five years ago, I was finding 3/4 of my bikes at thrift stores, found five in one day. Those days are over.

Now, there are pickers camped out at the door to the backroom, and whenever anything decent rolls out (bike, tools, furniture, whatever), they pounce. And there is a line in front of the store, starts about an HOUR before they open. Oh, and their prices have gone up 10X..... Now, even the XMart stuff goes fast. I have donated a couple of Xmart bikes, the last time, I dropped it off, drove around the store to park. Got out of my car to go in, and a customer was already leaving with the bike......

The last good bike I saw at a nearby thrift store, they were asking $500 for it (a bike I might be able to flip for $250 max, after dumping $75 into it, and a days work). Someone bought it. There are people out there with thrift store fever, that assume anything there is a deal. I like to say they could sell $10 bills for $20, and people would line up to buy them. Crazy.

Not only that but employees have gotten into the game, they buy stuff they know they can sell, or some will set it aside and call a buyer they know who probably pays them a finders fee. This had actually been going on for years on the jewelry side, but since the E-Bay and Craigslist craze anything is opened to be snagged first and fast then resold.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I was pretty amazed to see these bikes sitting out in front of the store. We did a quick u-turn and I couldn't get the money out fast enough. it was about 3pm Saturday, and I guess i just got lucky. had to wait till monday to pick them up though, as they were closing and not open Sunday. I really enjoy taking something that is dirty, neglected, and forgotten, and returning it to nice useable condition. the before and after on these two is pretty remarkable. not only that, but the 3rensho rides, shifts, and brakes so nicely. Is there a way to tell what year and model it is from the serial number?

I know the 3rensho steals the show but, why no love for the Nashbar? I think it is fun and quirky and so different that I may keep it for a while.

i live in south Florida and i rarely find good deals at the thrifts stores, but i keep going back because of finds like these. i get an occasional score, but nothing like this. the bit about the pickers is right, there is one store that i go that has the same 4-5 guys hovering around the back door every time I’m in there, their prices have gone way up in the last few years and I regularly see items priced higher there than what they cost new.

I've seen what the 3rensho's go for on ebay, I might try that after trying Craigslist. Afterall, the only reason i am able to participate in this hobby is by selling some so I can get the bikes that i really want.

more before pics

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...e/IMAG1752.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...e/IMAG1750.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...e/IMAG1762.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...e/IMAG1764.jpg

i'll take some more after pics soon.

There are a huge cult following for pursuit frames, so I think the Nashbar will be very interesting for them. It just seems that C&V is mostly about race and track bikes.

You probably seen these: 3Rensho
http://velobase.com/Velos/ViewModel....3-14FE2C73D29A
http://www.velobase.com/Resource_Too...me=3Rensho.zip
http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=26675

I wish the Swedish thrift stores was a bit like the US ones. The market here is different, the thrift stores usually have a lot of clothes and some furnitures. Other objects are privately sold on sites similar to craigslist.

+1 One shop in my area had to close for several months for this reason. All the good stuff was going out the back door, lots of employees involved. So they fired everyone, closed for six months, and re-opened. I continue to see side deals at many thrift stores, stuff as simple as calling a buddy before putting something nice out. Saw one thrift store employee bring an item out from the backroom, and take it DIRECTLY to her friend in the store, handed it to her, and went back to work. Very blatant.

There is a goodwill store that I bought several bikes from a brand new, unused Burley D'Lite nice Univega and brand new in box Specialized vintage mountain bike shoes. The Burley was $25, Cannondale Quick and Univega Maxima sport were $15 each. That was last year. This year bikes are $150 each for Huffy and other wally world bike. Recently I score brand new J brand jeans with tags for $5.00 for my daughter and they are selling nasty used Seven for all Mankind jeans for $24.99. Its amazing the amount of new with tag clothing you can find there. Im hoping to find an almost new Klein :thumb:.

I am still routinely finding smokin hot deals on high end clothing, to support my wife's consignment business. The stores around here are overwhelmed with clothing, and a lot of it ends up being shipped overseas/converted into rags, etc. Found a $2500 designer coat in the clearance store one time, $1 a pound.

Two unreal scores delux68, well done!! For what it's worth, I almost always find good bike deals at the shop across the street from there (though no comparison to your deal,) but I don't get up there very often.

thank you. the place with the ridiculous prices and people hovering at the back door is "world thrift" i hear they have one on Miami also. the place i bought these from is "the lords place"

Wednesday run to the flea market. Not cheap, and not pretty initially, but irresistible none the less. And even though I own one already. Bontrager B-29 24 inch BMX cruiser, all original other than maybe the tires. Cleaned, chrome polished. The only down side, the finish on the top parts of the frame is a little off. I hope some polish or compound may work it out. Pictures from the restored Hays st bridge in downtown san antonio.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=266376http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=266381http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=266387http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=266391

Nice Voyageur, will it be a keeper?

She's a bit small for me but I have hopes she'll fit a coworker. If not I'll resell her for funds to upgrade my stable. Unlike many bikes I've acquired she's in decent shape. A contact from the spring brought her back from the beach house. I had given up on that lead.

Two free bikes from a co-worker this week. A mid-70's Motobecane Super Mirage and similar era St. Tropez. Started work on the Super Mirage, and will post a picture when it is back together.

Wow! Nice looking $120 worth of bike!

thanks - they seem to go for much higher in my area so i think i did good on it
its my size too so it might hang around for a little while :)

My neighbor was about to pitch this Carlton Corsa in the trash, so I grabbed it. Hi-ten frame, but the wheels are a pretty nice upgrade - Vx hubs/Rigida rims. I think it might make a nice FG. I haven't had one for a while and sort of miss it.
http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMG_2856.jpg

Just picked up this Union ''Rini Wagtmans''. It's in bad shape, lots of rust and no decals except for the remnants of a Columbus tubing decal and the most important one: the one with Rini's autograph. Wagtmans was a succesful racer (5 TdF stages to his name) and team manager for Union in the late seventies, and is said to have demanded decent bikes for his team. As a result these bikes were made for Union by Gianni Motta, whom Wagtmans knew from his racing days. This particular example has been rebuilt as a hybrid with a Deore LX drivetrain and Modolo brake calipers.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=267204http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=267205

A racing bike that ends up as a hybrid...what an ignominious end to a great frame!

If you listen carefully, you'll hear the frame sobbing.....