NOS Frames?
 

Where are they? I mean, when a manufacturer produces frames, they must produce at least a couple hundred more than demand. So where do they all go? Say a KHS Flite 100 frame for example. The 2004 model is out now, so where are all the 2003 frames? Do the manufacturers recall the frames and melt them down to make the new line?

I would think that there's a warehouse out there somewhere with all these old frames in it. Anyone have more knowledge about all this? More theories perhaps?

I suspect they just repaint them with the current color.

I have the same question. On fixedgeargallery.com a guy has a NOS 1989 Colnago! Where do they come from? I shall leave no stone unturned.

Probably in some unused backroom of an LBS waiting to be put up for auction on Ebay only to fetch the finder a good sum of money!

You're assuming that companies produce more than the demand. They don't. They produce less. Any NOS usually comes from some crusty shop that has had some stock lying around, or a wholesaler has some older frame that get lost in the warehouse before someone discovers them.
What happens increasingly these days, is mail order places buy up all the remaining stock at the end of a season for a discount and liqidates them.

I assume you're talking about this one: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/e/abramson1.jpg

I saw this on Monday and almost fell over. What a beaut!

Someone should tell that guy he threw up on his frame on Saturday night. Gawd, isn't Eurotrash cool?

What do you mean? That frame is drop dead gorgeous.

Depending on the bike manufacturer- they have a lot of ways to get rid of last years frame. It may be this year's frame in another country...

Seriously this does happen with all sorts of manufactured products.

On bicycles though- some mfg'ers like American Bicycle Group have their own outlet online (www.preownedbikes.com if I remember right) others may use ebay under a subsidiary's name to not peeve their dealers. Others still may just sell the lot to a 3rd party like PricePoint or JensonUSA for disposal. These new owners have bought the frames/bikes as an investment. They are likely to wait until whever they think they can get top dollar to sell. I have a high school friend who's dad bought 4 of the last VW Bug convertibles made in Germany in the late 70's and still has them in storage as an investment. People do wierd things.

Look at all the '02 and '03 Jamis Nova frames still around when you can't get an '04 anywhere. Jamis over-corrected and stocked-out early this year on that bike.

If the bike is built- I don't think the mfg'er is going to pay to have the bike disassembled and then re-painted as mentioned in an earlier post. I work for a large consumer products company- this just doesn't make sense.

A loccal lbs has a 58cm khs ready to roll for $ 500cdn. Riders Cycles Yates Street.
Yellow and ready if you want it.

The Colnago's pretty sweet, but I generally like their more subdued stuff. But frankly, I'd go for *any* Colnago. :)

Speaking of which: http://www.zweknu.org/blog/index.rhtml?s=p@633&c=T

www.cambribikes.com
They have several NOS frames and claim to have 25 NOS Colnago. If anyone does phone for prices, please post here.

link didn't work mon frere.

ya, add an 'a' and subtract an 's'

www.cambriabike.com

Thylacine only likes metallic root beer paint jobs with faux-scratchmarks on the tubes. Its just his style. ;)

Sorry for the typos. It looks like their website is in a mess today. Hopefully they sort it out soon.
None of us would know about going 'live' before it is sorted, would we.

these guys have a few:

https://secure.netonline.nl/ssl/rena...opean.asp?t=51

just got an NOS colnago bititan to play around with :)

Most NOS come from shops who had them for a long time in storage, builders who decide to just shelve them since some people have the frame and was in an accident they can buy it without the builder rebuilding the frame again and the maker no longer stock that model, builders also sell to local shops they know and give a discount to them to off load them.

S/F,
CEYA!

if i had to nit pick... the high-flange front hub isnt cool.. and the paintjob could be 'quietier'... but still my favorite bike on the fg gallery.........


my local shop has a ton of NOS mercian frames... and im talking n.OLDDDDD.stock... pretty, simple, frames.. but piss-poor paint jobs (lugs outlined by a monkey)

I recently met Colonago he is outstanding. I will post on a different topic his All Carbon Track bike.

Some people just over stock frames. The internet has been a way for them to get rid of them finally.

S/F,
CEYA!

This one is on chucksbikes.com for 295. Aluminum and carbon, if you like that sort of thing.

They even have them in turdysize

you mean freewheelers?