# repo parts hello



## willy wonka (Jan 25, 2009)

hello fellow collectors and restores. my name is william im new here. ive only been here a few days its awesome. nice job scott.i  was wondering how many people read my suggestion on  creating our own line of exsclusive parts through the cabe members here would vote one what thed like to see produced. what do you think scott im a creative person hope i can add to your wonderful page william


----------



## MartyW (Jan 25, 2009)

Once the parts are repopped I think that it hurts the collecting hobby and makes it harder to trust what you are buying is an actual original part, Plus the more of something that is repopped the less the originals would be worth. Just my opinion.


----------



## JRE (Jan 25, 2009)

I agree with Marty although I work in a metal fab shop and I'm working on left and right side dies to build a 36 Schwinn tank to use on one of my bikes until I can find a nice Original to replace it with.I  don't plan on buildng any for resale.


----------



## willy wonka (Jan 25, 2009)

*thanks for your reply but*

  thanks for replying guys. ive collected bicycles a long time. id say the same thing here as id said to some guys in my other hobbie vintage gijoe action figures why are you collecting for profit or the love of it  .in my case i do it for the love of it. repops can be slightly altered so you know the diffrence .see to some people if you make repops than they cant get rich and goug on thire originals. the little guy who has a tight buget wants to enjoy the hobbie too and as ive heard hear already some parts you just cant get .im sorry if i offended anyone it was just a sugestion so we could all enjoy the hobbie we love thanks again for replying william


----------



## Aeropsycho (Jan 26, 2009)

*I wonder why???*

People that call themselfs collectors of any hobby put a (price) like they are actully gonna get that money when they are gone and there inlaws have to clean up their mess....

I say your right on this ...repop for the underpaid working class there are too many secrets and (FAT CATS) in this hobby, time to blow it apart!!!!

They already have their bikes time for us little guys to join together!, so what if you sell the repops.

I am done with BIKE SNOBS!!!

Oooo but I might retire on this money hmmmm  10-$30,000 is not enough to retire... better collect Hummel Figures!:eek:

I AM READY!!!

J A M I E


----------



## 37fleetwood (Jan 26, 2009)

for what it's worth, here's my opinion.
as a collector, I wouldn't mind seing the values of originals go down to a reasonable level. also I would not mind seeing good quality reproductions. these reproductions you propose could possibly have an identifying trade mark or something stamped into the tin or cast in the plastic as the case may be in a non intrusive spot but somewhere easily findable to a collector who wants to have original parts. I collect toy trains as well as bicycles and there is a whole industry devoted to repopping train parts and even the trains themselves. the prices were affected a bit but not terribly. some collectors still want originals and are willing to pay the price, and some of us like Jamie and I are willing to have repops to ride around without paying tons for them. it is my experience that repops don't kill the hobby they grow it by letting more people participate at a reasonable price. funny how some people get about this topic but when restoring a '57 Chevy everyone buys brand new nuts, bolts, springs, clips and stuff without it devaluing their vehicle. my uncle restored a 1910 Pierce Arrow Model 66. all he started with is the engine and the transmission out of a model 48 (which is different). he sold the thing about 10 years ago for over $500,00.00!!! somewhere along the way, this hobby got hijacked by a few vendors who wanted to sell stuff like Wingo hubcaps, and Persons Aero pedals for hundreds of dollars apiece and we've all been following them like the pied piper! and JRE, think of what you are saying, it is ok for you to have a repop but not everyone else? after you find your original tank what are you going to do with the popped one? cut it up so no other poor sap who can't find or afford one can have it? no I think we all deserve to be able to have a repop if we want one and if the market will bear a company making them. the biggest question is if in a hobby this small, a company could make money on parts that only a few will sell before the market is saturated. Schwinn repops work because they made 800,000 Phantoms! and that's not counting the other models. you'll never be able to make parts for my streamliner because me and Ronald are probably the only ones looking for them. by the time you tool up you'll have spent more than you'll ever recoup. Do like Jerry Williamson and stick to accessories that can be used on any bike and you should be fine, or at least stick to parts where the potential customer base is over 2
sorry this is so long:o
Scott


----------



## JRE (Jan 26, 2009)

Yea I can see both sides of the argument and agree that if it is a repop part with a identifaction mark put in a easy to find spot it would be ok. The tank I'm building is more of a challange to myself to see If I could do it have'nt really thought about what i'm going to do with it afterwards.


----------



## willy wonka (Jan 26, 2009)

*my idea*

its nice to here everybodys input . as ive posted before theres a product called smoothit that could be used to make alot of prototype parts they have there on web site  it comes in big tubs. i think it would be a great product to make tanks and fender lights with id really like to copy the 1985 coke bike tank it would fit many bikes it would be a nice custom tank .mud flaps would also be nice. what would really be cool is make a the cabe.com bike using our own parts take it to shows post it here use it as a club give away


----------



## mre straightbar (Jan 26, 2009)

*ww please expand on this smoothit stuff*

im interested


----------



## Strings-n-Spokes (Jan 27, 2009)

I have not seen any repo parts that:
     a. hurt the value of the originals
                     or
     b. can't be destinguished from the original

Reproduction parts differ from a counterfeit parts with the latter having a better chance of hurting the 'market'

I need a ton of dropstands, about 2% of my bikes that should have one, actually come with one, I think that I can make these myself.  Would I like to have originals?  Sure, I would, but it may not happen.

I think good high quality reproduction Troxel seats and EA or Delta lights would be great for the hobby as well as tank horn units.

All of these are fairly simple to make/produce. Why not??


----------



## BWbiker (Jan 27, 2009)

*35-36 repop Motorbike tank*

If you really want a nice German made repop 35-36 Motorbike tank then step right up! Bicycle Bones has one on right now for $475....You just missed a "buy it now" 35-36 tank that looked good for $450" on 1/23. BW


JRE said:


> I agree with Marty although I work in a metal fab shop and I'm working on left and right side dies to build a 36 Schwinn tank to use on one of my bikes until I can find a nice Original to replace it with.I  don't plan on buildng any for resale.


----------



## MartyW (Jan 30, 2009)

Aeropsycho said:


> People that call themselfs collectors of any hobby put a (price) like they are actully gonna get that money when they are gone and there inlaws have to clean up their mess....
> 
> I say your right on this ...repop for the underpaid working class there are too many secrets and (FAT CATS) in this hobby, time to blow it apart!!!!
> 
> ...




Nice to get a little insight on your thought process. Now go down to WalMart and buy a Macargi and go for a ride.
It is a Cruiser Repop.

Just Curious how you can sit back and judge a guy when you do not know what sacrafices he has made for his high end collectible bike then you call them a bike snob that has forgot about the poor under paid working class.

The bikes are out there if YOU are willing to make getting one a priority!
Nothing is free 

Stop judging and start having fun with it.


----------



## willy wonka (Jan 31, 2009)

*i started the thread*

scott i apollogize in advance.   jamie dont worrie about these guys comments. i seen thire kind before. marty ive been reading your post past and present why is it you love to bash people  . whether its repops or religon oh yeah i read your posts.   :eek:


----------



## MartyW (Jan 31, 2009)

Sorry that you take an opinion as bashing.......

I'm wondering if you feel that the "rant" that I responded to was bashing? Just curious?


----------



## 37fleetwood (Jan 31, 2009)

MartyW said:


> Nice to get a little insight on your thought process. Now go down to WalMart and buy a Macargi and go for a ride.
> It is a Cruiser Repop.
> 
> Just Curious how you can sit back and judge a guy when you do not know what sacrafices he has made for his high end collectible bike then you call them a bike snob that has forgot about the poor under paid working class.
> ...



 Hmmm... do you have any idea just what bikes Jamie has? or me?, or what sacrafices we've made? Jamie is free to make his list of high end bikes if he chooses but be assured he has more high dollar stuff than I do by about double. do you have a 1937 Dayton Superstreamliner? there are around 10 of them in existence, I have one. do you have a Twin Flex? I have 2, one with aluminum fenders and chain guard. do you have a Huffman Champion? I have one. do you have a 1944 blackout war time balloon tire bike? I have one all original parts. do you have a 1937 Firestone Superstreamliner? I do. do you have a 1937 Huffman tankless Superstreamliner? I do. you know, you might think about reading these threads before you put your foot in your mouth. no one is saying everything needs to be reproduced, and no one here wants a Wal-mart bike. and finally don't flatter yourself, you don't rank with the people Jamie was referring too. there are those people out there who gather all the really cool stuff and then highjack the rest of us for hundreds of dollars for what the screwed some old lady who's husband just died out of for a few dollars. these sharks need to hunted down and done away with for the good of the hobby. these guys don't even like the bikes they just know they can rape the hobbiests like Jamie and I if they do what they do best.I applaud people like Jerry Williamson who has broken the strangle hold on some of these items by offering an inexpensive alternative. anyone who buys these bikes from someone who's loved one has just passed away for the purpose of reselling it for huge profits should be ashamed of themselves.
sorry if I am a bit harsh but I love my old bikes and have struggled to have them. I have bit the bullet and paid $200.00 for a reflector, $400.00 for a chainguard. you mistake what we are saying. good reproductions lower the demand and ease up prices on supply. I for one am willing for the parts I paid hundreds for to become worth less if it means more people getting their bikes together and riding.


----------



## MartyW (Jan 31, 2009)

37fleetwood said:


> Hmmm... do you have any idea just what bikes Jamie has? or me?, or what sacrafices we've made? Jamie is free to make his list of high end bikes if he chooses but be assured he has more high dollar stuff than I do by about double. do you have a 1937 Dayton Superstreamliner? there are around 10 of them in existence, I have one. do you have a Twin Flex? I have 2, one with aluminum fenders and chain guard. do you have a Huffman Champion? I have one. do you have a 1944 blackout war time balloon tire bike? I have one all original parts. do you have a 1937 Firestone Superstreamliner? I do. do you have a 1937 Huffman tankless Superstreamliner? I do. you know, you might think about reading these threads before you put your foot in your mouth. no one is saying everything needs to be reproduced, and no one here wants a Wal-mart bike. and finally don't flatter yourself, you don't rank with the people Jamie was referring too. there are those people out there who gather all the really cool stuff and then highjack the rest of us for hundreds of dollars for what the screwed some old lady who's husband just died out of for a few dollars. these sharks need to hunted down and done away with for the good of the hobby. these guys don't even like the bikes they just know they can rape the hobbiests like Jamie and I if they do what they do best.I applaud people like Jerry Williamson who has broken the strangle hold on some of these items by offering an inexpensive alternative. anyone who buys these bikes from someone who's loved one has just passed away for the purpose of reselling it for huge profits should be ashamed of themselves.
> sorry if I am a bit harsh but I love my old bikes and have struggled to have them. I have bit the bullet and paid $200.00 for a reflector, $400.00 for a chainguard. you mistake what we are saying. good reproductions lower the demand and ease up prices on supply. I for one am willing for the parts I paid hundreds for to become worth less if it means more people getting their bikes together and riding.





Trust me I am not putting myself in anyones league (esp. not yours)I am simply saying that I know a lot of these high end collectors and have dealt with many of them, The Sharks also I believe that I know exactly who your talking about! If you do not like the way they are then do not do business with them, but on the same token do not bash them either, Unless you have a point to the bashing like "he took my money and jacked me". Not "I feel like he charges to much", that is BS in anybodies book.

And to answer your question yes I do have some high end stuff and no I am not going to list them nor will I list my parts collection on this site. PM me if you are interested and I will let you know what I got.


And as the good samaritain stuff I have sent NOS parts to folks on here with me paying shipping and I have donated more bike that I can count to the needy kids around San Diego.


I guess the long and short of it is that there should be a prefered answer listed with the question that is posted. 

I still do not like the idea of repops


----------



## 37fleetwood (Jan 31, 2009)

you may not like the idea of repops but wouldn't you like it if the price of originals went down a bit? I sure would. and there are certain things where its all good to be a purist but really, don't you put new tires on the bike you ride? to be strict about it no one should buy nicer original parts for their bikes because they aren't the parts that came on that bike and are therefore not correct. you can take this to the degree you like but for those willing to put repop pedals on their rider so folks like you can have originals on your museum piece, I'm all for it. I'm for repop lenses for the lights repop pedal blocks, grips, pedals, reflectors, decals, tires, lights, horns, accessories of all kinds. I would have to think about if it would offend me if someone wanted to make frames and tanks and racks and stuff, probably not. would I buy one? not to say it was original but as a rider, yeah probably. I paid $362.77 for a Firestone Chain Guard and if you want the name of the guy I got it from I'll tell ya but the point is, that's ridiculous! I just sold a complete bike this weekend for over $100.00 less than that!
I agree with Jamie, no one is going to retire off the few hundred dollars of rusted crap they're trying to hawk, if that's the plan it is likely to fail dramatically.
as I stated before, in the toy train hobby, originals still get the money while the new and little guy can still have something without it being broken up crap.
a nice original bike will always be that, while without decent replacement parts we all might as well take those projects to the dump. the alternative is we feed these guys who come up with beautiful original bikes and strip them out on ebay for us to pick at like buzzards.
even if I don't use them on any of my bikes, I am for reproducing old bike parts and say go for it!


----------



## MartyW (Jan 31, 2009)

Scott,
        I fully understand what you are saying, My whole problem with the repop parts are that they always try to get passed off as the original deal.
I am not in this for money reasons I am in this for personal reasons. I too have certain folks that I do not care to deal with because that have way over charged me in the past, I don't deal with them problem solved. I do not slander them unless they took my money and did not give me my parts.
     They have repoped pedals, grips tires and many other parts they may not be 100 % original but that is a good thing in my book.

    I collect bicycles for me and I help a lot of young collectors around here locally. I will not start listing how much that I have paid for parts because honestly it is embarrassing.


   Supply and Demand come into play here if people stop paying the high prices then the prices will come down, I do not think that introducing reproduction parts is the answer.


Peace Out,


----------



## willy wonka (Jan 31, 2009)

*your right*

your right marty you have the right to your opinon. and scotts right maybe we should all think be for we say .we dont want to lose focuse of why where here to enjoy our hobby and maybe make some new friends .


----------



## MartyW (Jan 31, 2009)

willy wonka said:


> your right marty you have the right to your opinon. and scotts right maybe we should all think be for we say .we dont want to lose focuse of why where here to enjoy our hobby and maybe make some new friends .




I apoligize for coming across wrong earlier.


----------



## old hotrod (Jan 31, 2009)

Not that it matters but...here is my take.
After hovering around the fringe of the bike hobby for years...decades actually, I can compare it to the last 20 years of the VW hobby. In the beginning, deep pocket collectors drove the demand and prices beyond logic. NOS, NOS was all anyone spoke. Then came the repops. What I noticed was that when the product was made with integrity-a quality piece, customers were willing to pay a little more for the assurance that it would fit and operate properly. Nobody ever bough a fully 50 year old, restored VW believing that the wiring harness was NOS. But when the product was made as cheap as possible, and didn't fit or last, the customers got frustrated and went away. 
That is where we stand now. Jerry has repopped some parts that I have not been too impressed with (pedals) or feel that should not have been done (lights and reflectors). At the same time, I don't own a bike worth putting $200 Torrington pedals on so I have no problem with the Signal and #10 pedals I have seen because they seem to be of a high quality. 
So I guess my point is if all that was available for my 39 Rollfast was NOS or used pedals and old tires, I would have been gone long ago...and most of the old bikes would be getting scrapped or turned into rat rod bikes. And for those selling repops as NOS, karma will catch up to them sooner or later...


----------



## 37fleetwood (Jan 31, 2009)

we need to keep in mind that some of this stuff was not great quality in the first place, the Comet pedals that are available now weren't that good when they were new in the '50's. quality is an issue. to take what you said and run with it, a restored 1957 Chevy almost always has repop wiring, and nuts and bolts and at least some of the trim pieces. nobody gets upset at this. it is what it is, if you want to keep these old bikes going  and want new blood in the hobby, we're going to have to make concessions somewhere. which is better, a restored pre war bike with 1960's middleweight pedals, some rusted junk because no originals could be found, or a set of repop pedals? we're getting to that point, the stuff going on ebay today can't keep going forever, parts are already getting scarce on many things. one example is that so many people complained when Persons reissued their pedals and leather seats in the 80's and 90's, and they were great quality, and made by the original manufacturer! what was the issue? why not? I have a set of these pedals and had one of the leather crash rail seats, they were great! yes Jerry needs to work on the quality of his repops, but we're talking about someone else making repops. whether we like it or not if there is a demand there will be repops, we might as well have a say and some input as to what is repopped and to what quality levels, and make sure they can be distinguished from originals. if we can't beat them (and we can't) we might as well join them and have a small say in how it's done.
the next issue is copyright infringement. I understand one of the owners of one of the biggest classic car parts reproducers was actually hauled off in handcuffs from one of the shows as an example to anyone foolish enough to try making stuff without the rights to do so.


----------



## cyclingday (Jan 31, 2009)

*Repop or die!*

WOW! 
 Hot topic.
 I have been away for awhile, so it's good to see such passion being debated here at the Cabe.
 My take on the repop issue is mixed. I have never been a purist when it comes to the perishable parts like the tires, grips, pedals and seat covers. These parts were never meant to last forever. The shops made more money selling after market parts such as these than they ever did on complete bicycles. 
 My main concern with the repops is when they are merely turned out for a profit with no regard as to how well they actually work.
 It kills me to buy a part and have it not fit because the bonehead that made the part didn't factor in the shrinkage when he made the cast from an original part. I don't understand why anyone would go to the trouble of remanufacturing something and not make it exactly like the original. That's why they call it a reproduction.
 What is even better is when the repop is better than the original.
 The model train industry has actually done that. Lionel has teamed up with one of their arch competitors and produced the prewar tinplate trains in China using state of the art construction and electronics that are far and away better than the originals. In 1934, a complete outfit cost about $40.00 and now that awesome reproduction will cost about $600.00. Needless to say, these aren't aimed at little kids anymore. 
 So, it shows that the repop doesn't have to be a bad thing. Remake a good quality 26X 2.1/25 Goodyear Airwheel that looks and rides and lasts just like the original, and I'm on it. I saw where a N.O.S set sold for $600.00. I'll bet you could make that same tire exactly like the original and sell it for much less. And who wouldn't be standing in line to buy them. I know I would. If you ride your bike, you're going to wear out those high dollar tires.
 There will always be a collectors market for the ultra rare items. I bid $600.00 on a Northwest Patrol headbadge and didn't win it. I didn't think that anyone would be crazy enough to bid that high, but there was, so I lost out. I can tell you that neither I or the lucky winner of that little piece of brass would have paid two cents for a reproduction know matter how well it was produced. In the highend game, it's all about originality. You can make as many Mona Lisa's as you like and they will never bring the adoration as the original does. It really is'nt even that great of a painting. But It's the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci!  What more can I say?


----------



## ColsonTwinbar (Jan 31, 2009)

Yeah i think tires are definitely worth repoping, if you want to have the originals you can get them, but if you ride your bike every day, you usually have to settle for the cheng shin ones. Ive almost ate it a few times on account of my age hardend Allstate's. I would also like to see some of those fender mounts for your initials.


----------



## Strings-n-Spokes (Feb 1, 2009)

I like the Cheng Shin tires, so do my bikes.


----------



## redline1968 (Feb 1, 2009)

those tires dont work on my 37 zepp. repop tires would be great as long as the correspond to the year of the bike.  28 single tube whitewalls would be killer.


----------



## pedal alley (Feb 1, 2009)

*coker tire*



redline1968 said:


> those tires dont work on my 37 zepp. repop tires would be great as long as the correspond to the year of the bike.  28 single tube whitewalls would be killer.




coker tire in tennessee makes the ones you need .
they where $100.00 each. last year.
you can check their web site.


----------



## VintageSchwinn.com (Feb 6, 2009)

Some items that are needed simply are not out there.  I needed a fender light cover for an Elgin Skylark (same as the Elgin Robin).  I had a friend reproduce one from an original for me, very high quality, but very expensive as well !!  I had to make a minimum of five, so if anyone else needs one, hollar !!!

Aaron


www.VintageSchwinn.com


----------



## Aeropsycho (Feb 7, 2009)

*Yo!!!*



VintageSchwinn.com said:


> Some items that are needed simply are not out there.  I needed a fender light cover for an Elgin Skylark (same as the Elgin Robin).  I had a friend reproduce one from an original for me, very high quality, but very expensive as well !!  I had to make a minimum of five, so if anyone else needs one, hollar !!!
> 
> Aaron
> 
> ...





NICE SITE!!!

I need one...$$$?....pm me!

Jamie


----------

