# Another Deal In The Making



## Sigh1961 (Aug 25, 2016)

I talked to this guy today, have him talked down to $80 for both bikes if I come pick them up.  I know the handlebars aren't correct, but the bikes look to be in fair shape.  Going to pick them up next Saturday.



 



 



 

The seats and rack together are worth $80.  I tried to get him to take pictures of the serial numbers, but they are at his parent's farm.  I'll just have to wait and see what they are.  Looking in the catalog, I think they may be 1970 Collegiates.


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## Schwinn499 (Aug 25, 2016)

67 or 68 is my guess


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## detroitbike (Aug 25, 2016)

If you don't watch out you'll have 100-150 bikes by November .....


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## Sigh1961 (Aug 25, 2016)

detroitbike said:


> If you don't watch out you'll have 100-150 bikes by November .....



I'm sure the wife is going to bring my collecting to a screeching halt very soon.  I talked her into the 66 Varsity by telling her it was made the same year she was born.  She doesn't know about the Continental yet.  And I promised I would sell on all the ladies bikes.


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## schwinnman67 (Aug 28, 2016)

Sigh1961 said:


> I'm sure the wife is going to bring my collecting to a screeching halt very soon.  I talked her into the 66 Varsity by telling her it was made the same year she was born.  She doesn't know about the Continental yet.  And I promised I would sell on all the ladies bikes.





My wife gave up after the first 25....


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## Sigh1961 (Aug 29, 2016)

schwinnman67 said:


> My wife gave up after the first 25....



I should be looking for "sheds" on craigslist.  One large enough for my bikes and a cot.


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## schwinnman67 (Aug 29, 2016)

The collection here is about 100 right now... Before I lost her, my wife was a little shocked, but not surprised. Right now I have 2 bikes in my living room (74 Speedster and 72 Collegiate). I have about 40+ downstairs in my finished basement. Still sorting through stuff, but someday I'll put up the display rack I got from an LBS out here...


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## momo608 (Aug 30, 2016)

This is the kind of Schwinn lightweight mature collectors want. Maybe not this particular bike at this price, but something really collectible. 

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=272356099391


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## vincev (Aug 30, 2016)

Dont fall into the quantity over quality trap.I would rather have one 73 Paramount than 100 varsity's


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## Sigh1961 (Aug 30, 2016)

vincev said:


> Dont fall into the quantity over quality trap.I would rather have one 73 Paramount than 100 varsity's





momo608 said:


> This is the kind of Schwinn lightweight mature collectors want. Maybe not this particular bike at this price, but something really collectible.




Call me immature, but I want old Schwinn bicycles.  Would I like to have a 73 Paramount?  Sure I would.  Not gonna happen, tho.  If I did stumble across a barn find, I couldn't afford to replace any missing parts.  And I can assure you I will never buy one that has already been restored.  Same goes for most of the other higher end lightweights.  I'm the guy whose parents couldn't afford to buy him a Schwinn bicycle, because I was the youngest of five.  I got my older siblings cast off bikes, or had to wheel and deal to get a bike.  Couple of months ago, I saw a couple of cool old Schwinns that I could afford, and I bought them.  Now I want to learn to how to restore old Schwinn bikes.  I figure the best way to do that is buy up those $50 craigslist bikes and clean them up.  I'll probably sell them on for what I have in them or even take a loss.  There was a young couple that came over last night to buy some furniture I had up on craigslist, and they saw my old Schwinns and wanted to know if any were for sale.  I told them to come see me in the spring, and I would have a couple that were done.

Every one of these bikes I pick up and restore is one less Walmart POS that gets sold.  It is saving bikes that were made to last and giving them new life and a chance to last another 40 years or so.  Maybe by then, they will be worth something.  I'm not a collector, at least not in the sense you are talking about.  Hopefully, among all the bikes I will find one or two jewels that I can restore and keep for myself.  But I'm not keeping a list, or turning up my nose at anything that can be saved from the landfill.


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## Sigh1961 (Aug 30, 2016)

Anyone think this Sportabout is overpriced at $45.00?


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## Schwinn499 (Aug 30, 2016)

Does this mean im obligated to act like an adult now?


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## Schwinn499 (Aug 30, 2016)

Sigh1961 said:


> Anyone think this Sportabout is overpriced at $45.00?



Paint and decals look a little rough from what i can tell , would be a pass for me even if it was just to flip.


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## momo608 (Aug 30, 2016)

> Every one of these bikes I pick up and restore is one less Walmart POS that gets sold. It is saving bikes that were made to last and giving them new life and a chance to last another 40 years or so. Maybe by then, they will be worth something. I'm not a collector, at least not in the sense you are talking about. Hopefully, among all the bikes I will find one or two jewels that I can restore and keep for myself. But I'm not keeping a list, or turning up my nose at anything that can be saved from the landfill.






I knew that would have been taken the wrong way and wrote it anyway. Doesn't matter to me what you buy but you have me scratching my head over buying anything and everything. There are bikes that are more worthy of the time, money and effort of refurbishing them. I assume that's what you mean when you say restoring them.


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## momo608 (Aug 30, 2016)

vincev said:


> Dont fall into the quantity over quality trap.I would rather have one 73 Paramount than 100 varsity's



I don't know about a hundred but you could probably buy about ten good Varsity's for the cost of one Paramount. Better to have both and a bunch of other kinds too.


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## vincev (Aug 30, 2016)

momo608 said:


> I knew that would have been taken the wrong way and wrote it anyway. Doesn't matter to me what you buy but you have me scratching my head over buying anything and everything. There are bikes that are more worthy of the time, money and effort of refurbishing them. I assume that's what you mean when you say restoring them.




I agree.Just tryin to give a little advice to a new bike person. Most of the 70's road bikes from Schwinn are not worth the price of new tires and tubes.They are easy to get but not worth putting much money into.We have a bike shop that has "Varsity Mountain" where 70's Schwinn road bikes are piled up.Its easy to get carried away because of their low purchase prices and soon you are over run with them. Just sayin'


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## momo608 (Aug 30, 2016)

vincev said:


> I agree.Just tryin to give a little advice to a new bike person. Most of the 70's road bikes from Schwinn are not worth the price of new tires and tubes.They are easy to get but not worth putting much money into.We have a bike shop that has "Varsity Mountain" where 70's Schwinn road bikes are piled up.Its easy to get carried away because of their low purchase prices and soon you are over run with them. Just sayin'



Totally! besides, who wants to look at a Craigslist junkyard everyday? 

damn I'm good!


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## Sigh1961 (Aug 31, 2016)

I appreciate the advice, and I'm sure you guys have lots more experience with this sort of thing. Right now, I am like a kid in a candy store, I want everything.  I'm sure it will wear off. I just hate seeing these cool bikes rusted are neglected,  and I want to save them from the junk pile.  Where I live, very few of the high end lightweight bikes were sold new, so I won't be finding any at garage sales. And I can't justify paying $500 for a Superior that isn't complete.


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## Eric Amlie (Aug 31, 2016)

You'll probably get over it when you own so many bikes that they take up every spare nook & cranny of your space and you begin to wonder what you're going to do with them all. At a certain point they can become a "ball & chain". Better to concentrate on the ones that you either really, really, like, or the ones that are worth something and will be easier to sell when that time comes(and it will, eventually). Take it from a guy who owns about 80 bikes. You probably don't want to do that.


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## Dale Alan (Aug 31, 2016)

Your goal is admirable,I did the same thing .Actually I still do it,just to a lesser degree. I always feel I am saving another cool old bike from the junk pile,but in reality many of these bikes we think we are saving will eventually be sold and put back in rotation . There are plenty of folks out there in this hobby that do not join forums so it is hard to get a good read . I sell bikes to like minded folks all the time that would never talk bikes to strangers on the web,but they are just as enthusiastic about bikes as I am.

Nobody can tell you what to do with your time and money so that is a non-issue . I think text over the web is a hard way to convey the message,but I think folks are just trying to slow you down a little .It is fine to learn on 25-50 dollar bikes but after awhile stepping sideways all the time will get boring . Nothing like finding something worthy of getting all excited about . If you stick with it and show some patience you will find the gems .I live in the sticks where good bikes at a good price are few and far  between . I usually drive 3-4 hours one way for quality rigs,well worth it in my book. 

Not sure if this ramble makes sense to you,just giving you my experience so far in this hobby. Have fun with whatever approach you take,and remember you can't save them all.


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## Sigh1961 (Aug 31, 2016)

Eric Amlie said:


> You'll probably get over it when you own so many bikes that they take up every spare nook & cranny of your space and you begin to wonder what you're going to do with them all. At a certain point they can become a "ball & chain". Better to concentrate on the ones that you either really, really, like, or the ones that are worth something and will be easier to sell when that time comes(and it will, eventually). Take it from a guy who owns about 80 bikes. You probably don't want to do that.



Well, the wife has certainly weighed in with her opinion.  She just got back from 10 days out east to see family, and she was a little disturbed that I had acquired 4 bikes while she was gone.  She reminded me, rather forcefully, that our oldest is getting married next fall, and we have to set aside money for the wedding.


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## SirMike1983 (Aug 31, 2016)

vincev said:


> I agree.Just tryin to give a little advice to a new bike person. Most of the 70's road bikes from Schwinn are not worth the price of new tires and tubes.They are easy to get but not worth putting much money into.We have a bike shop that has "Varsity Mountain" where 70's Schwinn road bikes are piled up.Its easy to get carried away because of their low purchase prices and soon you are over run with them. Just sayin'




I agree, and I do think Schwinn road bikes are generally under-valued in today's market (not Paramounts and high-end stuff, but mid and lower end stuff). Raleigh, Peugeot, Motobecane, and some of the Japanese bikes from the 1960s-70s tend to sell for a bit more. The Schwinn bikes are heavy, but easy to work on and ride fine.

The best advice I can offer is to use these entry-level Schwinn road bikes as a first stop in vintage bikes. They're plentiful, easy to fix, and ride OK. But don't go "all in" on them. After doing a few, branch out into different areas-- perhaps earlier Schwinn lightweights, or other American brand bikes, or even into English and French lightweights. I think you will enjoy these bikes more with a variety to fix and ride.


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## Gasbag (Aug 31, 2016)

Depending on where you are in central Illinois, them older Schwinns sell great to the college students. You just don't want to see them after they have had them for a semester though. I'm up near Kankakee and the Chicago Craigslist has sooooo many Schwinns that I use the -Schwinn filter when I'm searching Chicago CL for my next project just to clear the search of hundreds of bikes. There are so many that I honestly wouldn't take one for free. But you live in a desert for finding cool old bikes unless you want to travel a few hours to buy bikes, so do what you have got to do to fuel your hobby. I have plucked a few pretty nice old bikes from central Illinois but they are far and few in between. Peoria usually turns up a few nice ones. 

I started out in this hobby much like you have and the progression to early English bikes and 1938 - 1955 American lightweights was pretty natural. Not much more money and I enjoy chasing the history behind the older bikes. But in the end it like the man said, "Whatever floats your boat and let your freak flag fly!" 

Keep on Keeping on.


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## detroitbike (Sep 2, 2016)

Some of us are nuts (Like me) and have several hundred bikes. Some I have 3,4 or 5 of each model. I bought 1 of every color available in some models. then I figured It would be nice to have some kids tricycles , I now have 20-30 or so. I also bought a cool old wagon, I now have 15-20. I've bought bikes that the grand kids won't use for 5-7 years. I buy odd bikes , unicycles, one of a kid bikes like all chrome versions. I buy tall bikes in case I grow (I'm 56). I have an Ingo bike , an Everlast exercise bike, a skate bike (3), a folding 20" tandem ,.
  I also like tandems and have approximately 15 or so newer 1960's and 70's Schwinn Twinns.
 I have 6 or 7 Town and Country Tandems, I have rollfast tandems I have a Rear steer tandem a kids Mini Twinn tandem and a few Paramount Tandems of course. I have Lots and Lots of Early Schwinn Paramounts , (my favorite). I have quite a Few 3 speed Schwinn Continentals from the 40's and 50's as well as LOTS of the Conti's from the 60's and 70's. I have all of the Early Fuji's from the 70's as well as a rod brake version.
  I have bikes still in the boxes that are 40-50 years old. I have French bikes , Italian bikes, Track bikes. I have stepper bikes, I have folding bikes.
  Then I have parts and LOTS OF THEM.
      I have 1 building that is full of almost all wheels, I have a bicycle sidecar, I have dealer cabinets, boxes upon boxes of literature, I have Loads of bicycle rims, I have an entire bedroom full of JUST tires, Ones I cant get myself to throw out, I have 100+ Semi Pneumatic tires, I have single tube tires , I have sewup tires. I have seats . I have 3 Bathrooms that stuffed full of parts, one full of only NOS Schwinn wheels in boxes. I even have stuff in the Bathtubs of these bathrooms. My garage at home ,Where I live, has 20-25 bikes hanging from where ever I Can put them.
    I have bikes in the garage at my cottage and my shed up north. I have bikes in my parents garage.....
   AND I STILL BUY MORE.
 thank god I'm not a Hoarder.


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## momo608 (Sep 2, 2016)

detroitbike said:


> Some of us are nuts (Like me) and have several hundred bikes. Some I have 3,4 or 5 of each model. I bought 1 of every color available in some models. then I figured It would be nice to have some kids tricycles , I now have 20-30 or so. I also bought a cool old wagon, I now have 15-20. I've bought bikes that the grand kids won't use for 5-7 years. I buy odd bikes , unicycles, one of a kid bikes like all chrome versions. I buy tall bikes in case I grow (I'm 56). I have an Ingo bike , an Everlast exercise bike, a skate bike (3), a folding 20" tandem ,.
> I also like tandems and have approximately 15 or so newer 1960's and 70's Schwinn Twinns.
> I have 6 or 7 Town and Country Tandems, I have rollfast tandems I have a Rear steer tandem a kids Mini Twinn tandem and a few Paramount Tandems of course. I have Lots and Lots of Early Schwinn Paramounts , (my favorite). I have quite a Few 3 speed Schwinn Continentals from the 40's and 50's as well as LOTS of the Conti's from the 60's and 70's. I have all of the Early Fuji's from the 70's as well as a rod brake version.
> I have bikes still in the boxes that are 40-50 years old. I have French bikes , Italian bikes, Track bikes. I have stepper bikes, I have folding bikes.
> ...



Geez Louise, what is the final plan for all that? 

I have a few serious collections and think about that quite a bit, but nothing like you have. My largest collection is of military artillery pieces, I can tell you I need to better prepare if I want it disposed of properly and not cause major stress  if something sudden happens.


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