Why are vintage 3 Speeds so dang expensive?
 

I give up. Why are vintage English 3 speeds so dang expensive regardless of condition? I just looked at the big auction site, and saw nothing under $299, with most at or over $499, unless it was a Sears, Huffy or Roadmaster. Even the old Schwinn 3 speeds were priced higher than when they were new!

I'll sell you a nice one for way less than that. Folks are dreaming. You don't have to sell many bikes to realize that there's not much point listing a 3 speed on Ebay as there are usually a couple on the local Craigslist and you don't have to pay shipping. Of course, CL has it's share of dreamers, too. You see the same bike listed for months.
I get about $125 for a shiny one that I've greased and tuned. $175 if it's got a leather saddle. I hear they get more in the city but not enough more to cover the bridge tolls to get in there.

Those are rip-off prices. You can find locally for much less if you are patient. $100 to $150 should buy you all the 3 speed you want.

I don't see them as expensive at all around where I live they seem it go for about $125 in good condition. $175 or so if prestine with all the orignal extras.

Depends where you live. I was just offered a very nice red Superbe, 23" frame with accessories for $80 and will likely turn it down. I would put it to the sales list if it didn't cost $150 + to ship from Canada. Same thing with the 53 ladies Rudge languishing in my basement... I can't sell bikes for profit from here.

Normally you can find tons of them on ebay for under $50. But it looks like there's nothing up lately.

One of the local used bike shops here caters to the 3-speed crowd, and their business model seems to be to sell decent 3-speeds (not mint ones, by any means, but fully tuned with new tubes, tires, brake cables, pads, etc) at reasonable prices, typically $125-$200, to move their inventory quickly. They have pickers who find them 3-speeds from all over New England and they just blow through their inventory fast. I don't think any bike lasts too long in their shop and they have dozens in stock at any given time. Contrast this with a business model where you ask top dollar, but end up sitting on your inventory forever... like I see on eBay all the time.

I just helped my daughter's teacher pick out a decent used Triumph step-through 3-speed for $200 from this place, and for $5 extra they threw in a really nice, heavy duty vintage wicker basket.

So, not all 3-speeds are expensive, but if you're only looking on eBay, you're looking in the wrong place.

In the Richmond area, I sell mine for $125.00. And we're talking a completely torn down, every part cleaned and refurbished (OK, I don't disassemble the wheels or Sturmey Archer hub - if they work, they're used), paint rubbed out, all chrome either polished or oxalic acid treated, and reassembled. There may be scratches on the bike, but they're clean scratches.

Yes, those prices are way too high. Even so, the days of the $20 English three speed are probably gone.
At least for now.

It's too dark now for a photo, but I trash picked a 70's vintage Raleigh LTD, the chrome is kinda crusty but it's a 23". The world is full of old 3spds. you just need to look in the right places. Big Auction site = big$ Thrift Stores, Yard Sales or make a friend at your LBS and the prices will be more in line. Still, the best deals are on trash day. :thumb:

They still pop up(err...popped up since I don't live there anymore) at the Houston flea markets, etc all the time for less than $50. Pawn shops, garage sales, etc. Ebay is for overpriced/overhyped stuff these days. It ruined the buying side of vintage bikes too IMHO. Everyone believes their rusty pile they dug out of a tangle of vines is the holy grail.,,,,BD

They're pretty cheap down here in Tampa, that being said I bought my wife and 8s IGH.

They're cheap where I live. It depends on the area where you live. Ebay doesn't make a lot of sense for most vintage 3 speeds because they're not worth that much so look locally. Something cool will turn up.

I sell clean and functional womans 3-speeds for $125 with no problems whatsoever. That being said, I'm putting my mens 23" 1951 Rudge up for sale sooner than later, and I would like to get around $300. Maybe I'm dreaming, but it's in fantastic shape.

Here I commonly see people asking for around $150 on CL for 3 speeds. Usually after they rot for a month or two, they re-appear and sell for a slightly lower price.

Three years ago I would pick them up all the time from thrift shops for $15-$25.

Well if this helps shed some light on the subject based on what I have seen on CL and other prices online. There often times seems to be a large huge difference in the intial asking prices for vintage 3speeds and the actual selling prices with the intial asking often being two or even three times what they actualy sell for.

One word. fads.

Thanks for all the replies. I was hoping for a 2nds hand store or yard sale $5 or $10 bike, but have not found any 3 speeds locally, or in Boise.

I live in New England in a small town and there seems to be a lot of brit 3 spd's around but I still haven't come across an old, big superbe and only two clubman models. There are plenty of base models around for $50.00 or less in poor condition.

Keep looking. Last fall I picked up this lady's Sports from Goodwill for under $30.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-b...2/P1020459.JPG

Fads is right- they have become somewhat popular with hipsters doing vintage dress up rides, etc. In the DC area, prices are up for sure. Many years ago I got nice 23 in Sports for $30 and a DL-1 for around $100. I'll see a decent Sports go for $175 now in a retail-type setting around here. If you go out from DC, the prices tend to drop markedly. Area and population have a lot to do with it.

Around here, I can sell a nicely refurbished three-speed for $150, or $200 if it's got a leather saddle. But I certainly don't buy them for anything close to that...

Everyone points the finger at "hipsters" <chuckle>. I admit to seeing many vintage 3 speeds in Portland tagged on Craigslist with the word "tweed", assumingly directed towards someone who would enter tweed into a CL search bar and then buy an overpriced bicycle just to look good for a twice a year costume party. Of course, these 3 speeds seem to be the ones listed for $300 or so. They do languish a long time at that price- unless the tweed ride is around he corner. However, I've seen several 60 and 70s Raleigh Sports over the past couple months that appeared to be in great condition in the $70 to $90 range. They go fast. Be patient and check your local CL obsessively, and I think you can find what you are looking for. I obtained a great Sports for $80 in this manner.

I am from Boise. You will mostly find 10-speeds there.

One thing that I have noticed in the two years I've been interested in old 3-speeds is that most of these bikes didn't make it out west, at least not here in California. I've checked my local CL in a large city of half a million (county of close to 1 million) and have seen but 1 or 2 in the past couple of years...neither were complete or in the greatest shape. If you live in an area where Ebay, or a shipped bike in general, are your only choices it may be worth it to you to spend a few extra bucks. That said, the Ebay people are on crack...in general. It is a fad these days. I think the Raleigh Sports style of bike has a vintage look that many people might sort of recognize from all of these popular American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Auction Kings, etc. type of shows. Seems to make people think that the age of an item equates to more value. I found my Superbe on a New Jersey CL post 2 years ago, developed a working relationship with the seller and had it shipped and have been putting miles on it ever since. I over payed slightly b/c of the shipping charges ($100), but I'd do it again. Otherwise I'd still be looking.