curbtender

As the cost of living goes up, the less I see people investing in do it yourself projects. Their time just gets absorbed in other areas. When posting items for sale, it's pretty much the same crowd that responds, and even that's getting smaller. I'm kind of feeling what my dad went through with his vintage radio collection. As parts became more rare and prices crept up, the have nots went to collect newer versions. As stated above, I'm OK with the devalued market. Will still do what I do, as long as the wind blows and grass grows, lol.
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delicious

I don't think the price changes are as clear cut as the OP makes it out to be. Unfortunately we don't have any real data to work off of beyond our own memories, but AFAICT:
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• High-end, especially Campy Record, prices aren't far off from peak on eBay
• The international market is stronger than domestic
• CL prices vary considerably by city
• Spring remains the most expensive time to buy. Fall and winter are cheapest
• 10 years ago, the fixed gear wave was driving the high demand for low-mid level road bikes to convert to fixed gears, and track bikes and parts

The C&V bikes that this forum has been interested in seem pretty timeless to me. The performance difference between them and modern bikes is really quite small, unless you are a serious racer. The aesthetics are unique, and contemporary attempts to reproduce them end up expensive and don't look quite right.

Still, not a smart long term investment if you're interested in yield above all else. I don't think many people here really treat them as such...

jmead11france

I just bought a pantographed Chesini for 80 dollars and a Super/Nuovo Record Gilmour with chrome lugs and stays for 100. So I tend to agree....right now at least.....so I keep looking...

madpogue 

"A big hole in the water you pour money into..."

Q: What are the two best days in a boat owner's life?
A: The day he buys it, and the day he sells it.

brian3069

Boat: bust out another thousand

wrk101

One thing I have been seeing is bike prices are dropping faster than parts. This has made part outs more financially rewarding. Its not that unusual for a bike to sell for what two or three parts might bring.... Sad.

RobbieTunes

Chr0m0ly 

Bikerider007

Good price for mid-upper mid range bikes. Did he sell at that because he felt market was deflated, helped you out, or just didn't know? I can't imagine those bike (if equipped with decent parts and good condition) sitting for long in Tuscon since that is a huge cycling market.

ed4406

It's hard to watch well made, good riding bikes get stripped for the parts, but as those parts became unavailable, their prices make it tempting. I recently bought a beautiful Japanese road bike, barely ridden with full Shimano 600 Arabesque. For the first time, I thought to myself "this $60 bike could get me a couple hundred bucks for the drivetrain". As I prefer and have available Suntour and Sugino, it wouldn't bother me in terms of functionality, but I can't bring myself to do it. Seems sacrilegious.

ollo_ollo

Seems to me prices are maybe a bit depressed, and for sure, not as many upper end components & bikes available as in the past, but maybe I'm just too isolated, living in a rural area. Also, it was always hard finidng buyers for mid to upper end bikes and components. The "have nots" wanted our good stuff, but were unwilling to pay much. There was resistance beyond $300 or $400.


For me, wrenching & riding C&V bikes is still a fountain of youth.


Andy, a Steyr Clubman?? Actually, an inspired choice. I should quit giving away mid level bikes that always get stolen a few years later. Or maybe not, since I was just as disappointed when a gifted, $10, Schwinn Breeze was stolen from my grand daughter while she was at Oregon State U. Don

gbi

See thread "Yard sale find" post #1 .

repechage

Hey, I have one of those holes in the water that one throws $100 bills into- regularly.
But every time I go to the slip in which it is moored, I think "I so like this boat".

RiddleOfSteel

I have noticed in not too recent years past that Recycled Cycles would usually be stripped pretty bare of good used modern and vintage parts by the end of the summer. They also had summer hours that would have them closing at 8pm instead of 7pm. Last year, only Thursday was an 8pm close day. This year, it's 7pm the entire time. This year as well, the vintage parts and cases were well stocked the entire time, and at the end of the summer, they were filled to the gills. Many STI shifters as well.

Like others have said, the highest end frames have either held value or increased greatly. Old Campy is the same thing, mostly. High end STI/Ergo shifters tend to go for a premium now (crazy, for 9-speed?), though you can still hunt down two-generations-old Dura-Ace/Ultegra shifters for great prices. The key is riding the price trough. The market in general and within specific niches will ebb and flow. Demand overall may be less, but the prices, at least here in Seattle, don't seem to be too affected. If anything, the rise of l'Eroica and 650B/Rando bikes have created a resurgence in interest for vintage frames and parts.

At 34, I am happily an '80s vintage bike guy. Period correct or, preferably, upgraded with more modern pieces that dovetail with my nature and commute scenario (busy city plus steep hills). I never knew what a Schwinn Paramount was six years ago(!)--I was (and am still) a car enthusiast, but hey, a Schwinn World Sport paved the way for me. And it was also nurtured by other bike people, whether that was at shops or through conversations with the two or three people, occasionally, at work. Like @AndyK said, enthusiasm needs nurturing, and that's helped greatly by being able to work on your own bike at home, IMO.

The buyer group I sell my complete bikes to is very small: tall people that are 6'3" and over, as that is what I ride as I am 6'5". That group tends to not be too affected by the seasons as anything decent and well-equipped for $300-500 gets their interest. I have noticed that an STI/Ergo-equipped bike will generate more interest and sell more quickly than one without. That, to me, is a big sign of the times, but it is understandable.

My brothers have a few of my vintage bikes that I gave to them, and they really like them, even if they aren't ridden much. It doesn't help that they live on a busy 4-lane street in a hillier town--a town that we grew up in and that now, I would really dislike riding in due to the fact that there is next to no flat road for anything over a 1/4 to 1/2 a mile anywhere! Cyclists are out there and welcomed, but man I thought Seattle was a little annoying...haha.

C&V roadies of primarily '80s vintage are safe with this young guy. I'll happily keep the flame lit.

jmead11france

NOthing seems to move here....these appear to be estate sale finds that they couldn't sell.....till I showed up.

jmead11france

and then there is the Schwinn Tempo in mint condition with 105 all over for 100 bucks too....

3speed

Chombi1 

Campy SR stuff had been staying up there.... pedals and brake levers especially, as they are getting really hard to find in good condition, used.... French threaded/sized stuff had fallen in value, by quite a bit and have not sold that well in the last few years now.

Kommisar89

Years back I used to track the prices of all Bottecchias sold on eBay but I stopped back around 2010. There was a point where prices jumped. I remember having my eye on a red and white Equipe model and that model had been selling for about $900. I bid $1200, thinking I was just about guaranteed to win that auction, probably for a lot less than that. Well, that bike went for $1600 and the prices never came down after that. I have no idea where they are at now. Perhaps that have dropped again. Bottecchia now sells a retro replica bike. I have all the bikes I'll need for a while and the main thing is the cost of restoration. Chrome platers are hard to find and very expensive and I have two frames that need chrome work.

Tamiya

3alarmer 

...northern California SF Bay area and vicinity. I would list some of the deals I've seen recently on what wouild have been $800-1000 bikes that wouild have sold relatively quickly that have been lingering there for months, if not a year or so listed at $600 and under. There is, of course, still some stuff listed pretty high, but the ads are there forever, so the logical assumption is they are not selling.

There really seems to be little rhyme or reason to the listed prices, other than massive confusion about what constitutes a higher end bike..

OTOH, I just saw some guy listing a Schwinn Varsity for over $250. So I guess there's hope for Schwinn Varsity guys.

Edit: But we were probably priced too high in this location for a long time anyway, so it's a natural correction to expect.

Tamiya

Hudson308 

Dang.
I need my buddy in Tucson to start scouting for me...

StarBiker

Sold a bike to a guy in his late 20's today that was a 1989 Trek. He paid $340. And besides the fact that it was a neat bike he wanted it because of it's age.
It's not that buyers are literally dying, it's that they are more savvy than ever, And you have to ship it, or use something other than CL. CL is very weak.
There are so many places to sell things now. Ebay, and CL aren't the only games in town anymore. And there are more vintage bikes than riders.
I have been flipping bikes for 12 years and I rarely have sold a bike to someone over 40. Almost all the buyers are young, and live in the city.

scozim 

I was really surprised at how full the bins were with parts - if I had more time last week I would have really been going through them. I'll need to make another trip. Even their boxes of saddles and handlebars were overflowing.