# Is the hobby dying again?



## Nickinator (Oct 9, 2019)

So I know I've been out of bicycles for quite a while but, it's come to my attention that prices have gone down in parts also the demand has too so I'm just wondering why that is. Has everybody found the parts they've been looking for? Have people moved on to different eras instead of art deco? I'm curious to see what everyone else thinks. 

Nick.


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## cyclingday (Oct 9, 2019)

Nope!
Not for me it hasn’t.


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## JAF/CO (Oct 9, 2019)

Hobby looks [emoji102][emoji102][emoji102] GOOD to me
One ho dies with the most toys wind !!
JIM


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## Harley Mclemore (Oct 9, 2019)

ive spent 4k on 3 bikes plus parts. its rough for me as im not rich like most of you but it seems like it has slowed down just a bit. As with everything there are ups and downs.

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## bobcycles (Oct 10, 2019)

As a frequent buyer/seller/flipper/collector/restorer...
It is indeed the worst it has ever been in my over 40 years goofing with these old bikes
I love the balloon stuff and have focused mostly on Schwinn which I always thought
was fail safe.  Market has indeed tanked and it's really discouraging.
Currently working on several nice restorations to offer publicly and
reaaaaalllly  wondering if anyone cares any more about this stuff...
at least at the levels historically that have been sound.
As long as it's a hobby, have fun with it.  Think twice about
making a business or even part time job.
Many millennials and younger could give give a rats @ss about vintage goods.
I grew up flipping mid century modern stuff and vintage bikes as
a good side gig most of my life... I don't even look at cool 50's kitch'
anymore...no one cares.  They just buy Ikea and throw it out in 2 years.
don't get me started on electric bikes and other such lazy endeavors
regarding cycling...
ah well... was fun while it lasted.
Encourage people to get involved in the hobby...
Vintage bikes are green...not coming out of chinese factories etc....
recycled style.  Should be all the rage.
again..
go figure.
blowwws


....I might add... rare and exotic stuff seems to be doing ok...established collectors
buying, selling and trading...
it's the entry level, the at one time 'bread and butter' market ...that is slowly fading..
the more common balloon parts are a tough sell.


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## partsguy (Oct 10, 2019)

Bob, I hope that isn’t true in the long run.

I firmly believe the cheap, poor quality retro bikes at the big box stores have helped to destroy the market.


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## island schwinn (Oct 10, 2019)

I haven't noticed. I'm too broke to worry. Anybody wanna buy some license plates?


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## Freqman1 (Oct 10, 2019)

I've noticed a lull but think overall the hobby is healthy. I have noticed a 'market correction' on high end parts though which I think is good. Just my observations. V/r Shawn


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## charnleybob (Oct 10, 2019)

No.


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## Harley Mclemore (Oct 10, 2019)

island schwinn said:


> I haven't noticed. I'm too broke to worry. Anybody wanna buy some license plates?



i do my brother but i too am tapped out. 

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk


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## bricycle (Oct 10, 2019)

This isn't a motor scooter web site?


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## bricycle (Oct 10, 2019)

Well if this is any indication... https://www.ebay.com/itm/153679668912


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## pedal4416 (Oct 10, 2019)

I’ve backed away from the hobby a bit because the prices were getting stupid. I was spending way too much to piece bikes together and now I’m broke! I’m back into the vintage BMX scene but the same is happening there!! When a BMX seatpost clamp sells for $1500.....


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## SJ_BIKER (Oct 10, 2019)

People deep in the hobby want parts and if it is a needed part like cant live without need..itll sell and fast. As for  the next generation of potential hobbyists....i think its tough to hold their attention with so many distractions out in the internet world.
We live in a short attention span vortex that i dont see getting any better. However the bike shows and ride meets still can be effective to spread awareness and for peets sake have a non bike person or kids ride the bikes just for kicks so they can experience the joy of pure fun we get and it can only get better after that.


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## vincev (Oct 10, 2019)

THIS segment of bike collecting is slowed down. The hot money maker is BMX bikes.These are the bikes younger people grew up with.Just look at the sales section.More 60's and newer bikes popping up.Seems a new younger generation is now growing and many have no interest in the older ballooners,etc. we have. just go to a BMX show and look at the prices. They are through the roof.  The hobby is evolving.I remember when high wheels were the thing but not so much anymore.


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## Autocycleplane (Oct 10, 2019)

bobcycles said:


> As a frequent buyer/seller/flipper/collector/restorer...
> It is indeed the worst it has ever been in my over 40 years goofing with these old bikes
> I love the balloon stuff and have focused mostly on Schwinn which I always thought
> was fail safe.  Market has indeed tanked and it's really discouraging.
> ...









Reading this reminds me of a story I have told Bob many times. Back in the early 90s my buddy and I happened upon a vintage bike meet in our town that was attended by some of the legends of the hobby from that era. They were just as into our vintage and dusty canyon/fire road runners as we were into their Aerocycles, TOCs, etc. The one thing I remembered most about those discussions were "The hobby is dying" and "younger folks like you aren't interested in these things, we need more of you". This concern seems to have been expressed by many a collector/hobbyist over the years but I see new people come in, old ones come back, and others take a break or cash out entirely. All seems pretty normal to me.

The traditional venues for the hobby may be "dying", but I think this is just an evolution of how it works because interwebs. There are so many more bikes out there than we can imagine, both in existing collections and waiting to be found. Time will eventually provide the supply to reinvigorate the hobby.


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## piercer_99 (Oct 10, 2019)

the sky isn't falling, perhaps it is more similar to how the housing market was in 2005, artificially inflated prices.   Maybe in reality that $200 head badge is really only worth $50.

I see a lot of people who really just get bikes to tear them apart and make money off of them.

I have 5 projects in que, all of them need a couple of parts, and I am not planning on dying anytime soon, so if and when the parts show up, at a decent price point, I will get them.  The reality is though, if you have a bike that is only ever going to be worth $500, and all you are missing is a drop stand, it is hard to suck it up and lay out $100 to 150 for a drop stand.

Yet some folks still score a complete bike for 100 and turn the parts into 1,000.    If that is how you make your living, more power to you.   

I make my living in construction, we are always asked to 'lower' our prices to get projects.   Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't.   I do know that for the last 15 years we do lower more often than not.    More volume still leads to a profit margin.

Bicycles on the other hand, are a hobby for me.   I have the ones that I really enjoy, and when I get a good deal on a complete bike that I don't want, I pass that on.  I am not in it for a profit, I am in it because I love to ride old bikes.


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## skiptooth (Oct 10, 2019)

I've noticed that the 20'' Schwinn  bikes are off the charts ! I was heavy into bikes in the 80's, then dropped out in till now and caught the bug again , prices has allot to do with it! prices are so high now compared to the 80's.


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## SJ_BIKER (Oct 10, 2019)

Bmx bike prices are strange to me. I grew up reading BMX plus as a teen. The catalog then had complete bikes ranging from 1000 to 2500. And prices are just the same now sooo id say they didnt increase in value? If you bought that 2500.00 bike back in the 80s and sell it for 2500.00 now....i dunno. The bmx world did see some really neat geometry on certain frames and real nice components.


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## SJ_BIKER (Oct 10, 2019)

Oh wait..i just saw a 10000.00 bmx on the bay sold....ok gents gotta go...ima gonna source some of this goofy bmx stuff asap....wish me luck!! This way i may be able to afford someones original paint super deluxe autocycle?


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## Bikebones (Oct 10, 2019)

I started collecting in the 1980,s, it was hot then, fun, and most finds were original bikes, now its changed repro bikes, repro parts, the foreign influence, and many people buying bikes and breaking them down and selling them on ebay.....in it for the money....that's ok, but I'm a purest like that original bike rustic or ruff it's still original....as I look at bikes now ....its really changed sad but true..many of the old collectors i knew are dying off and bikes are being passed down, then what....dont know.....all this said I'm a person who loves old bikes and always will and I sometime run into a collector who feels the way I do....then I'm stimulated by that......I'm in Arizona, wish I were closer to where stuff, shows and swaps are happening like the mid west or east coast... my concern is when the economy collapses in next year or so .....how will the hobby be then. Keith.


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## redline1968 (Oct 10, 2019)

You couldn’t put it any better.. things are “deflating” for sure...rare bikes is king but it’s starting to drop in prices.. Ive watched the market for many years in dealing with antiques and collectibles and I see a big change in direction. Sales are dropping as interests for “ acquiring things” don’t mean anything to the newer generation.   When I grew up you didn’t have Internet ,  cell phones and electric devices to entertain .... you had basic TV and models...played with toys ..rode  bikes and  collected  things  to pass the time..with advent of the Internet and all has changed... the type of kids today  are mostly interested in vintage clothing and traveling are the new trend.  I hate being a pesamist but it looks like it’s here to stay...this trend goes strait across the board including classic cars... automobilia I’ve watched my “ junk” I’ve collected go down in price. Lol. 


bobcycles said:


> As a frequent buyer/seller/flipper/collector/restorer...
> It is indeed the worst it has ever been in my over 40 years goofing with these old bikes
> I love the balloon stuff and have focused mostly on Schwinn which I always thought
> was fail safe.  Market has indeed tanked and it's really discouraging.
> ...


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## SirMike1983 (Oct 10, 2019)

I think the ultra-high end exotic bikes are still doing well. What I've seen going down are more the mid-level type bikes. BMX has become much more collectible, vintage mtn bikes are headed there too. English bikes went up and now are headed back down.

One thing that I've seen happen is companies bringing and array of modern "retro" themed bikes. When I lived in the DC area, the number of new "retro" bikes went crazy. At the same time, I saw the value of vintage bikes in that area go up and then down, at least for the mid-level classics.

I don't have a lot of confidence in bikes as a long-term investment. It's a great hobby, but not a great way to make a living or to invest for-profit. I'm happy with my array of $100 Raleighs.

The relative lack of interest in having a lot of "stuff" among younger people, combined with student debt, has reduced demand among the younger segment for now. There are always exceptions, but this has been what I've observed. I know a number of people who collected antique furniture - stuff back to the 1700s. The market for antique furniture is in free fall. I know of a couple people who bought into that stuff in the 1970s-90s era, and now their estates (people have passed) are selling those pieces at cut rate. There's no one to replace the old collectors of antique furniture dying off.


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## bikebozo (Oct 10, 2019)

I have some great bmx, and early mountain bikes , not boasting , ! I just thought years ago there would be a time for them , . I live near a bmx track , it is easy to find nice examples , from families who have been involved since the beginning . , i have not sold very much of that kind of stuff , . I tried to stick with antique bikes , and I can report , that it has really changed . I still search ,all the time and everywhere I go ,


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## Frank and Pam Skid Kings (Oct 10, 2019)

It go's up and down. You only notice when it's down, just like stock market watchers. Stuff reaches the stratosphere in cost, and as soon as it drops a little, everyone thinks it's crashing, just like the stock market. See a pattern ? That's why you hang in, have fun and buy when the stuff's affordable. Sell when it goes up if you need the money. Just can't assume everything you invest in will double in value. I guarantee in our hobby if bikes like Aero Cycles and Wing Bars were to come down to let's say a grand or two in value, they would go right back up quick as everybody would clamer to own one. Quality and classic items will always hold value, just sometimes the market corrects or as a new generation get's interested it takes a while for them to figure out where their money and interest is best invested. That's my ramble and I approved it !


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## NoControl (Oct 10, 2019)

I restore and mod what I want, and if it sells, great. If not, then I try to apply the wisdom that in perhaps twenty years it will be worth a fortune. How many of you wrinkled up your noses at "old junkers" in the 1970's (like I did), and wished you hadn't done that! How many of you ignored early-80's BMX as a stupid kid's fad (like I did)?

Then again if I saved everything, my house and property would look like a hoarder nightmare.


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## rickyd (Oct 10, 2019)

I flip a few bikes and parts tend to keep the odd stuff have been thinking of a major sale to fund another hobby but probably won’t. I believe here in Midwest hobby is seasonally affected with slow season commencing now lasting until the Haysville KS swap in April. Wish I liked bmx stuff but I just walk on by bout the same with muscle stuff.


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## unregistered (Oct 10, 2019)

I think it’s dying and who knows if it’ll come back.

How many young folks give a dang about vintage Schwinns? Coupled with an impending massive economic slowdown, I think @#%! will hit the fan for classic bike pricing in coming years.

But hey, there’s a bright side, maybe I can afford that Super Deluxe Stingray now!


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## kreika (Oct 10, 2019)

If it’s dead and dying, I have cash for your dirt cheap prewar’s!  PM me and I’ll take them off your hands for a fraction of what you spent.


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## Freqman1 (Oct 10, 2019)

"my concern is when the economy collapses in next year or so .....how will the hobby be then"  Not wishing the economy tanks because that affects my true investments but I can tell you from about 2008-2010 I got some of the best bike deals of my life! V/r Shawn


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## robert bell (Oct 10, 2019)

looking for dying and worthless Schwinn fender bombs, seiss lights, and delta speedo housing horn buttons. before ya throw in the towel, let me at um!!


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## 1817cent (Oct 10, 2019)

I look at it as a hobby not a business.  I collect for enjoyment and also ride most of what i collect.  
I wont spend money on a bike that cuts into living expenses and i will sell a bike at a loss if makes sense at the time to further another goal.
This is a great hobby and will go through cycles, just like everything else.


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## Wanted33 (Oct 10, 2019)

Maybe not my brother, I was just thrust into it by a 1957 Murray Meteor Flight. I just brought a 1980 Schwinn Collegiant home today.

I've been messing with old cars nearly all of my life. I'm quite sure old bikes, old cars, and anything old have the same ups and downs. I can't count the times I've seen the price of my '67 Camaro RS go up, and down. But, our friend Bob is correct about one thing. Kids these days could give a poop less about hobbies like these. They have to be initiated into the hobby by us if we want it to continue. It looks as if it isn't a new phone they just aren't interested.


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## Saving Tempest (Oct 10, 2019)

It's not a hobby for me, it's my transportation. I keep my stereo gear up because I like music. I keep my old TVs and coaxial lines up because I like watching TV. And I keep my house up because I don't dig living on the street.

Fun or not, these are all jobs.


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## Saving Tempest (Oct 10, 2019)

And I happened to get only one of my biokes off of ebay, that was I think 2008. I've had other I got locally and most of the current ones I have I got from YOU GUYS.

Tempest was the ebay bike.


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## schwinnja (Oct 10, 2019)

Bikebones said:


> I started collecting in the 1980,s, it was hot then, fun, and most finds were original bikes, now its changed repro bikes, repro parts, the foreign influence, and many people buying bikes and breaking them down and selling them on ebay.....in it for the money....that's ok, but I'm a purest like that original bike rustic or ruff it's still original....as I look at bikes now ....its really changed sad but true..many of the old collectors i knew are dying off and bikes are being passed down, then what....dont know.....all this said I'm a person who loves old bikes and always will and I sometime run into a collector who feels the way I do....then I'm stimulated by that......I'm in Arizona, wish I were closer to where stuff, shows and swaps are happening like the mid west or east coast... my concern is when the economy collapses in next year or so .....how will the hobby be then. Keith.




Hobby is rolling  in AZ.
Do you ride with the AZ Coaster group?
Over 10,000 riders showed out last Saturday in Tempe for Tour de Fat.
Were you there?  Involve yourself; participate!


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## barneyguey (Oct 10, 2019)

Hopefully the guys that part out the super nice bikes believe that, then maybe the rest of us can get some decent deals. Ha Ha Ha


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## OldSkipTooth (Oct 10, 2019)

...and in other news today, top scientists all over the world are signaling the coming of a 50 billion megaton asteroid hurling through space right towards Earth with all our worries and our bikes!
Just breathe...


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## kreika (Oct 10, 2019)

I’m sick of working anyways!


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Oct 10, 2019)




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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Oct 10, 2019)

Buy what you love
Fix it up
Ride with your group of friends 
Teach your kids to love bicycles


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## Handle Bar Hoarder (Oct 10, 2019)

i think it,s definitely slowing down...


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## detroitbike (Oct 10, 2019)

I think 8+ condition pre 1940 bikes are still strong. Premium ones seem to sell fast.
  Average condition ones just languish and no longer command high dollar.  Rare parts are still strong.



New Quality bicycle sales are flat But Repairs/restorations just keep surprising me.  I've redone conti's , varsitys 
and suburbans ( and just today a LeTour!) that have run 500-800+ and that's without paint! My average repair is 2-300 
 on bikes that were no more than 500 new in the 80-90's. the under 35 crowd in my area won't flinch at a 200$ quote for basic maintenance.


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## Barto (Oct 10, 2019)

Everything I know comes from this site.....up or down I'm not in it for the money and my investments are more on the traditional side so for me I only know I've slowed down buying due to cost.  I would really like a frame mouted Wise lock for my 30's Snyder frame but prices are stupid.  I see Sirens for more then double from what I got mine for two years ago...drop stands over 100......80 for Torrington 8's, seems to me prices are really stupid with little research on prices from some owners who simply tossed a number out there to see who eventually bites.  
I'm fortunate as I keep the CABE site up in the backgroud and get to check the forsale section often so when I see a fair price I jump!  The high end bikes that will always be valuable and around...the ones most can afford are rescued and accossorized.
So, down?  For me it seems to just be getting too expensive!


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## OC_Rolling_Art (Oct 10, 2019)

Personally, I am a collector of many things - as many of us are. Bottles, coins, advertising art, porcelain signs, movie posters, tin litho and cast-iron toys, rare books are things that interest me (and muscle cars), but bikes bit me the hardest. I started collecting and building in 1980 and sorta got out of bikes in the mid '90s, but still kept some basket cases for later. Later is now for me and I see a flurry of activity here on the CABE, but there used to be so many shows and swap meets in Orange County, there are a few now which is a good sign - but nothing like it was. We all like Ballooners and the Safety, and TOC's because they have style, and were just built better (like everything else before 1950). That style will never go away.

I just dug out an old copy of Classic Bicycle and Whizzer News by Leo Dixon, where he said in the '70's he would ride up on a balloon tire bike and other bike collectors would say "get that thing outa here". It wasn't that long ago when prewar bikes were only as old as the early BMX bikes are today. There are phases, and I haven't been active for many years to really tell if there is a slow-down in this hobby, 'cause it' speeding up for me. I think bikes will always be pretty solid, they don't cost as much or take up as much space as a collectible car, it's a hobby where you can own something really nice for less than $1,500.00, and find something that is historically significant for around $4,000.00, you can't get many collectible car parts for that. I guess the hobby really started dying and yet was invigorated at the same time when Schwinn filed for bankruptcy in '92 and ended up selling it's collection, releasing many bikes into the hands of hungry collectors.


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## GTs58 (Oct 10, 2019)

Looking healthy for decent middleweights.  :eek:


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## the tinker (Oct 10, 2019)

Shawn Freqman hit it on the head.  Our economy is falling into a recession. . . and ol' Tinker thinks it's going to be a deep one.  What you're seeing , as far as the balloon bikes, is a combination of lack of interest [ younger guys want the BMX bikes] and the average working stiff tapping out financially. When things are going good, folks spend money on things they don't need. I've seen many of these recessions and the guy that has cash can get some real deals. Folks start reluctantly parting with stuff they'd rather not, for low prices, because nobody is buying. I don't think the hobby is dying. The economy is.


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## Saving Tempest (Oct 10, 2019)

island schwinn said:


> I haven't noticed. I'm too broke to worry. Anybody wanna buy some license plates?




I'd rather BUY them than MAKE them.


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## vincev (Oct 10, 2019)

Not dying.Just evolving.


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## OhioJones (Oct 10, 2019)

I'm 38. I only found my love for the old bicycles 4-5 years ago. Like many of you, I have several hobbies. Each one being special to me in more than one way. For me, i love these bikes regardless of how the market fluctuates. They have helped me through some of the hardest times of my entire life. Be it working on them or pedaling, they are quite the therapeutic tool. Beyond that they're also a very small piece of our history. I feel honored to be a caretaker for the old bicycles. 
If I were to bend each and every single time that the wind blew in the wrong direction, I probably wouldn't be writing this today. 

ps Whether the market goes up or down, I know that many of you will still be the proud caretakers of your bicycles. And that, too, gives me a good feeling inside.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Oct 11, 2019)

There are a lot of collector cars for sale in California, right now. That has always signaled a recession coming.
This one is going to be a bigger one than the last one. The economy is succumbing to a death of a thousand cuts.
Wages have been stagnant for many years, inequality of wealth hasn’t been this bad since the Gilded Ages of the 1800’s.
Infrastructure is crumbling around us, through graft and greed. America has been spending over 60% of our treasury, annually, on perpetual wars. Politicians have divided and conquered us, to the point of anarchy.

Listen to this Pulitzer Prize winning author and scholar.


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## SirMike1983 (Oct 11, 2019)

One comfort I take is that it really is just a hobby for the most part. If you enjoy riding and working on the bikes, then stay with it. Whether my Raleigh DL-1 is worth $150 versus $300 is not a big deal to me. It's worth more as something I enjoy and ride regardless of value. And I think that's sort of the essence of the hobby. I could never really make a go as a bulk bike flipper, I guess.


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## Saving Tempest (Oct 11, 2019)

Gio: One man's misery is another man's ecstasy.  Different boys get old toys.

And it isn't the hobby that's dying, it's the hobbyists. Old ones go and new ones come.

It's that Lion King Circle Of Life thing.


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## biggermustache (Oct 11, 2019)

I started in the hobby around '91. I stayed with it for 7 or 8 years but my kids were far more important. They are now adults, and I am back at it. Because of new cleats, better band instruments, travel soccer, etc., I sold everything I had accumulated for a fraction of the actual value. Now I have disposable income (which comes with age) and am stunned by the prices I am seeing. I am interested in higher end bikes, but they appear completely out of reach. If the economy does continue in a downturn, I might be able to get the type I'm searching for. Obviously I don't wish anyone misfortune, but I hope they begin to show up again.


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## dweenk (Oct 11, 2019)

Autocycleplane said:


> View attachment 1076427
> 
> Reading this reminds me of a story I have told Bob many times. Back in the early 90s my buddy and I happened upon a vintage bike meet in our town that was attended by some of the legends of the hobby from that era. They were just as into our vintage and dusty canyon/fire road runners as we were into their Aerocycles, TOCs, etc. The one thing I remembered most about those discussions were "The hobby is dying" and "younger folks like you aren't interested in these things, we need more of you". This concern seems to have been expressed by many a collector/hobbyist over the years but I see new people come in, old ones come back, and others take a break or cash out entirely. All seems pretty normal to me.
> 
> The traditional venues for the hobby may be "dying", but I think this is just an evolution of how it works because interwebs. There are so many more bikes out there than we can imagine, both in existing collections and waiting to be found. Time will eventually provide the supply to reinvigorate the hobby.




Would you be a Repack rider?


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## Brian R. (Oct 12, 2019)

There is a movement happening now to reject "stuff" in general. Millenials are spending their money on travel in competition with their online "friends" over taking the best selfie. They're posting photos of restaurant food on their plate instead of their new bike. From their point of view, a $3,000 bike will collect dust but a trip to Paris will provide lifelong memories.

Time will tell if it's a permanent societal change or just a fad, but there are other forces at work too. With global warming and plastic in the oceans, people are disenchanted with old ways of thinking and living. Now we have a "sharing economy". Here in Toronto you don't even need to own a single bike to enjoy cycling, you can just rent one from the city's bike share program. If I tell people I have 50 bicycles they look at me like I have 3 heads. But I like my 50 bikes and I'm keeping them!

This hobby may shrink but it won't die. The bicycle is in the top ten of the greatest inventions of all time, plus it's green!

Google this Forbes article for further reading:

033 views|Jan 2, 2019,4:12 pm
*NOwnership, No Problem: An Updated Look At Why Millennials Value Experiences Over Owning Things*


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## NoControl (Oct 12, 2019)

vincev said:


> Not dying.Just evolving.




This is a very good point, Vince. I was thinking about this very thing earlier this morning. I believe the bike industry is evolving faster than we (old codgers who love antique bikes) can keep up with it. Just visit the GCN site or Bikerumor and you'll get plastered with new gadgets or a bikes that weigh under 10 lbs. Everyone interested in bikes with any business experience at all, and with any investment capital at all is looking for a piece of the bike boom action. Classic bikes are getting preempted by a greater demand for technology.


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## Sayitsimple (Oct 12, 2019)

I know collector cars are dropping Not much is moving at any price I don't know the bike market as well but I am sure of this All the men who call for whatever I am selling are old like me so I know it will be for sale again soon


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## Shark Bikes (Oct 12, 2019)

I have  been a bike guy since birth , now at '52 , I'm just an infant in the bicycle vintage world . Couldn't be happier . You can find bargains and parts , but it's tricky . Resale is difficult to regular folk . As for kids , some get it and want to be cool on a rideable customized old  bike , so there is that market . As for the collector thing , it is just a very niche market and you really have to have the hook set deep to get involved seriously.


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## kenny_hungus (Oct 12, 2019)

It has dropped off....been collecting...buying ...selling bikes for over 40 years.


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## Frank and Pam Skid Kings (Oct 12, 2019)

I would just like to make a couple more quick points. Our society has always leaned toward a doomsday obsession. And recessions always start with someone predicting one, so everyone hangs onto their money. It's like the big freeway slowdown because everybody is reading an alert sign. And that sign says "clear ahead". So why did everyone slow down? And young generation not getting into hobbies. Depends on what you consider "young". Yeh I don't see many twenty five year olds at car swaps with wads of money. But I do see the thirty somethings that use to be the twenty guys there buying and building cars and their wives starting to dig mid century home furnishings. There's a point in your life where you figure out what is really cool and want to be part of it. "Bmx's are big because that's what they rode as a kid". Sure but also they haven't reached the outer limits on price.Finally, I may be old, but how many of you are into prewar art deco balloon bikes because that's what you rode as a kid, or like 32 coups because you bought one new.  Get it ?


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## Rusty McNickel (Oct 12, 2019)

"Dying again", sounds like a Bruce Willis movie...


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## CeeBee (Oct 12, 2019)

How does anything "die again"?  The initial question assumes this hobby actually died at one time.  I was not aware of this.


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## the tinker (Oct 12, 2019)

Yeah, I did fantastic in the manipulated stock market last year and continue to do so, as did my parents in 1928.


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## razinhellcustomz (Oct 12, 2019)

Nickinator said:


> So I know I've been out of bicycles for quite a while but, it's come to my attention that prices have gone down in parts also the demand has too so I'm just wondering why that is. Has everybody found the parts they've been looking for? Have people moved on to different eras instead of art deco? I'm curious to see what everyone else thinks.
> 
> Nick.



I think it  has more to do with the supply and demand aspect. Also it has a lot to do with what the market will bear. Most times i have found it has to do with what people are willing to pay. Hope this helps. Ride On. Razin.


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## razinhellcustomz (Oct 12, 2019)

island schwinn said:


> I haven't noticed. I'm too broke to worry. Anybody wanna buy some license plates?



What type of plates? And what are your prices? Thanks. Razin. Looking for bicycle plates.


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## phantom (Oct 12, 2019)

the tinker said:


> Yeah, I did fantastic in the manipulated stock market last year and continue to do so, as did my parents in 1928.



Wow....you must be considerably older than I thought to have parents old enough 92 years ago to be in the stock market. I thought I was old and my parents were just little kids in 1928.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Oct 12, 2019)

CeeBee said:


> How does anything "die again"?  The initial question assumes this hobby actually died at one time.  I was not aware of this.


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## MEKANIXFIX (Oct 12, 2019)

bobcycles said:


> As a frequent buyer/seller/flipper/collector/restorer...
> It is indeed the worst it has ever been in my over 40 years goofing with these old bikes
> I love the balloon stuff and have focused mostly on Schwinn which I always thought
> was fail safe.  Market has indeed tanked and it's really discouraging.
> ...



Hello Bob I always ride & collect vintage bikes! What I noticed are the prices changed someone buy a garage sale for $100 and wants a $1000 ! Now the bmx are back but very high prices! I continues whit my schwinn cycle trucks & balloons take care!


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## Goldenrod (Oct 12, 2019)

There are more bikes in need of collecting then there are collectors?  They are not making old bikes so the number is fixed.  What we need is shows and newspaper stories and more people on the CABE.  I show Whizzers during all seasons.  I got myself and our club into the newspaper 7 times .  I got our Whizzer Club on TV 6 times.  Now the internet repeats these programs to those who Google them.  The CABE uses technology well.  We are having a world discussion right now.  Parts can be gotten easily on Ebay..  Information is just a few CABE clicks away.  There has been some talk of money on this post but it is the joy of sharing and improvement that I see.  Where can I find this large a number of fun loving smart asses like myself?  Only here.  Are numbers more important than quality?


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## Callahooney1 (Oct 12, 2019)

I've seen the hobby change as interest changes.  Back in the early 80's post war balloon tire bikes, parts, various makes were quite desirable and commanded decent $.  As time went on into the 90's early 2k,  Stingray stuff became more popular and desirable, prices increased.  Mid 2k BMX became more and more popular/desirable.  I've noticed that prewar stuff has always been strong and desirable, but now brands (other than Schwinn) are being found, sold, traded, restored etc.   Prewar stuff is still riding strong.  To me the next trend going to hit will be old school Mountain bikes.  It's starting to gain more momentum.  The cool thing is if you like bikes there's plenty of different types to suit your taste.  Market will fluctuate.  Keep it alive. Buy, trade, sell, collect.  Make it fun!


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## KevinsBikes (Oct 12, 2019)

schwinnja said:


> Hobby is rolling  in AZ.
> Do you ride with the AZ Coaster group?
> Over 10,000 riders showed out last Saturday in Tempe for Tour de Fat.
> Were you there?  Involve yourself; participate!



I was there!  It was awesome.  Saw a fair amount of vintage bikes too.


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## KevinsBikes (Oct 12, 2019)

I think the age of the Internet is the age of education.  If you do an hour of research you can ensure you aren't paying top dollar.  Make friends and you can find what you need at very fair prices, if you are willing to do the same and sell to your friends who have different interests.

There is certainly still a market for bikes, and always will be.  Its just not as easy to label your bike "rare" and have people take your word for it.  But if you keep trying and have a true interest they are still out there.  

@Nickinator also you know more about the hobby than most here so with your knowledge you'll have no problem selling.  Maybe just not as fast or as often, with a little lower prices.


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## Nashman (Oct 12, 2019)

Lots of great comments. At the end of the day, it's a hobby and if you dig it, go with it. If It's an investment, prepare to lose, just like the stock market. We are all getting older. Generally we collect what we remember. 1920's/30's car markets are dead, as most people from that era are.  Even 50's cars have been dying and the 60's/70's cars have been hot. Why...because of the market of aging Boomers/ people with $$ are buyers. Today's kids generally don't give a rat's arse about vintage bikes or anything other than the next "text" on their cell phones.

With that in mind, the hobby will shrink (and all cool antiques). I think most people in the hobby and CABE are over 30. No problem. Newbies are welcome. There are certain people ( younger) who can see the quality of items made at a "better time" when things were made with pride and by hand. If you are in a hobby for pleasure, who cares? If in it for profit or status, best look at your cards and fold or suck it up.

I'm just happy looking at my "stash" of history/bikes/goodies, and above all, the pleasure I've experienced with people I've dealt with acquiring said items and to ride them and hopefully pass them on to my kids ( who will flip and get zip$$ no doubt) for someone else to enjoy.  Cheers, Bob


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## Nashman (Oct 12, 2019)

Brian R. said:


> There is a movement happening now to reject "stuff" in general. Millenials are spending their money on travel in competition with their online "friends" over taking the best selfie. They're posting photos of restaurant food on their plate instead of their new bike. From their point of view, a $3,000 bike will collect dust but a trip to Paris will provide lifelong memories.
> 
> Time will tell if it's a permanent societal change or just a fad, but there are other forces at work too. With global warming and plastic in the oceans, people are disenchanted with old ways of thinking and living. Now we have a "sharing economy". Here in Toronto you don't even need to own a single bike to enjoy cycling, you can just rent one from the city's bike share program. If I tell people I have 50 bicycles they look at me like I have 3 heads. But I like my 50 bikes and I'm keeping them!
> 
> ...



Cheers, fellow Canuck!


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## Saving Tempest (Oct 12, 2019)

That's because they suck with money and stuff so they reject that stuff for that reason.

Or so the 'mainstream media' says (whatever THAT is). The secret is to get some things cheap and work on it.

Or as my signature says on another site: My stuff: A bunch of happy little crap that mostly says Pioneer whether it works or not, or something like that.

I agree that I'll probably be dead in 12 years, but I like to say so will these kids, NYAH.

Take with a grain of salt (and these are from Barrie, Ontario, Canadian Content)


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## kenny_hungus (Oct 12, 2019)

Nickinator said:


> So I know I've been out of bicycles for quite a while but, it's come to my attention that prices have gone down in parts also the demand has too so I'm just wondering why that is. Has everybody found the parts they've been looking for? Have people moved on to different eras instead of art deco? I'm curious to see what everyone else thinks.
> 
> Nick.


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## kenny_hungus (Oct 12, 2019)

It's not just bikes ....vintage car and truck parts are down in some cases 50%....this has been going on for about a year now.


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## SJ_BIKER (Oct 13, 2019)

Watch this:




Marketing at its finest.  Learn from SE. Where i live all the kids have these SE bikes and they wheelie all the way down the street....cant do that on a balloon JC Higgins with out breaking your back. Just means i can pick up old bikes others dont want and list them or parts here.... Lovin the idea


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## Autocycleplane (Oct 13, 2019)

dweenk said:


> Would you be a Repack rider?




I’m not that old and was in a different state back then. I have ridden down Cascade Fire Road many times though, but only in this millennium.


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## Freqman1 (Oct 13, 2019)

I'm just waiting on everyone to start bailing on primo, deluxe, prewar bikes--cash waiting!


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## billygoat! (Oct 13, 2019)

My first introduction to the hobby was ART & KAY BRANSKY's Macungie, PA Bicycle Meet in 1986. Met so many nice people there, that were highly enthusiastic about vintage bikes. One of the greatest was the very kind Don Dobson and his lovely wife. A year later, Schwinn historian Jim Hurd attended, from Chicago!. When I told him that my dad was a former Schwinn dealer, he gave me a copy of his beautiful book for free!!!  A few years later, the wonderful Ms. Jay Pridmore, made the trek with Jim, in a Dodge conversion van. Jay published a bicycle-trading publication, and I agreed to supply her with high quality 35mm prints, during the early "firehouse" days (2nd location of meet, see below). Early 90's I believe. Then there was SEAN MAUER, from Levittown, who had (or perhaps still has) his own "disco" radio show "every other Saturday on WTSR in Trenton. A young, very cool and enthusiastic dude. So, to my wife and I, the "energy" that we experienced at these first few meets, gradually diminished over the years. Moving the location to outside the firehouse in Trexlertown, stripped away the paved paths of Macungie-Park. After a while, the energizing "personalities"
began to disappear from the scene. The bike interest never faded for me. There's just seems to be no one to share it with, at least in N.E. PA.
Last May, I finally got an original 1954 Phantom, just like the one I saw at Art & Kay's meet, so many years ago. I know that Kay, Jim Hurd and Don Dobson, have all passed away. These were very special people, that I'll never forget. To me, my love for the bikes remains the same, but the hobby can never be the same without these wonderful people. I'm certain that most every CABE member, has their own story. 

That very first bike meet in '86, was the best day of my life, before or since. (Crazy as it may sound to some)


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## prewarbikes4sale (Oct 13, 2019)

Ask ZE52414 almost sold out his Shelby parts in a few hours. (Not even listed in the for sale section) The good stuff always sells.


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## Wanted33 (Oct 14, 2019)

Barto said:


> Everything I know comes from this site.....up or down I'm not in it for the money and my investments are more on the traditional side so for me I only know I've slowed down buying due to cost.  I would really like a frame mouted Wise lock for my 30's Snyder frame but prices are stupid.  I see Sirens for more then double from what I got mine for two years ago...drop stands over 100......80 for Torrington 8's, seems to me prices are really stupid with little research on* prices from some owners who simply tossed a number out there to see who eventually bites. *
> I'm fortunate as I keep the CABE site up in the backgroud and get to check the forsale section often so when I see a fair price I jump!  The high end bikes that will always be valuable and around...the ones most can afford are rescued and accossorized.
> So, down?  For me it seems to just be getting too expensive!




I see that a lot in the collectible car hobby. To me it seems many of these folks aren't true hobbyist, and more of the venture capitalist sort. They stay on the fringes of the hobby, grab a part that they think will sell, through a huge price on it to see if they can make a big profit. I see that a lot at the Auto Fair at  Charlotte Motor Speedway. So much so that I quit going because the prices became stupid high.


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## Saving Tempest (Oct 14, 2019)

SJ_BIKER said:


> Watch this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I say thee NAY, I am old and slow, also ancient whether justified or not.


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## kreika (Oct 14, 2019)

I think the vintage bike thing suffers from out of site out of mind. Anyone 40 or younger will likely never have seen a balloon tire bike. Almost  no ones just riding around on 70+ year old bikes. With that said go on a vintage bike ride and people’s eyes are popping out of their heads. Saying, “That’s so cool. Who made that? Where can I get one?” It needs a thrust back into main stream to gain traction.


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## bikewhorder (Oct 14, 2019)

Shark Bikes said:


> I have  been a bike guy since birth , now at '52 , I'm just an infant in the bicycle vintage world . Couldn't be happier . You can find bargains and parts , but it's tricky . Resale is difficult to regular folk . As for kids , some get it and want to be cool on a rideable customized old  bike , so there is that market . As for the collector thing , it is just a very niche market and you really have to have the hook set deep to get involved seriously.
> 
> View attachment 1077267



True but you really don't need to give nickinator that advice.  He's bought and sold more top shelf bikes and parts than guys that have been trying just as hard and doing it 4 times longer and he has an amazing ability to catch huge items that somehow fell through the cracks.  There were so many times over the years that I'd log in and see some new find he'd  made and just be like ...


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## jsmaloney (Oct 15, 2019)

I'm just starting to get back into collecting a little bit.  I did it a lot about 30 years ago when I was in my 20's, I'm now in my 50's.  What I have seen with collecting anything over the years is that the interest in a given area (bikes, toys, mid-century modern or art deco furniture, etc.) seems to be tied to when a given generation gets to where their income has risen to where they have the disposable income to spend on nostalgia.  Then they age out and the next thing comes into vogue.  This might explain why the balloon tire bikes are falling somewhat out of favor (people who rode them as a kid in the 30s and 40s would now be in their 80s or 90s?) and BMX bikes are getting hot because the kids who rode them in the 70s and 80s would be in their 40s to 50s and have money to burn on that stuff.  Just an observation.


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## SirMike1983 (Oct 15, 2019)

One other odd thing I noticed when I would occasionally sell an old bike is how averse to repair work the prospective buyers were. On the one hand, you had a growing number of do-it-yourself Youtube videos around for repair of old bikes and parts, but then if you had a bike that needed any additional work at time of sale, the person would try to halve the price on you because he'd say he needed to take it to a shop. I'm not sure if this was a city thing or if you really did have riders who were more averse to doing their own work. But if that was the case, it certainly matched the fact that newly made "retro" bikes were selling better than vintage. It seemed like it was hip to have an old-looking bike, but there was no desire to do your own work. Sort of a bizarre mix, if you ask me.


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## Oilit (Oct 17, 2019)

SirMike1983 said:


> One other odd thing I noticed when I would occasionally sell an old bike is how averse to repair work the prospective buyers were. On the one hand, you had a growing number of do-it-yourself Youtube videos around for repair of old bikes and parts, but then if you had a bike that needed any additional work at time of sale, the person would try to halve the price on you because he'd say he needed to take it to a shop. I'm not sure if this was a city thing or if you really did have riders who were more averse to doing their own work. But if that was the case, it certainly matched the fact that newly made "retro" bikes were selling better than vintage. It seemed like it was hip to have an old-looking bike, but there was no desire to do your own work. Sort of a bizarre mix, if you ask me.



The local university has a mechanical engineering program that includes a basic machine shop lab, where I used to teach the sophomores to machine parts and assemble a small steam engine. We called it an air engine because they ran off compressed air, but it was a single cylinder oscillating engine, similar to a lot of the toy engines you see, and they built and ran it in one semester. Each lab started with a demonstration, and then  the students did it for themselves. And I can testify that a lot of those students had never used a screwdriver before. 
But from all I've heard it was unusual for an engineering program to have students actually machine parts. Most schools don't want the expense, and certainly don't want the potential liability. It's much cheaper and safer to have them run simulations on the computer. They're going to get all their parts made in China anyway.


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## bikiba (Oct 17, 2019)

I havent been in the hobby for decades like a lot of the guys, not even a decade yet [ getting close though ], but I was thinking the same thing for the past few months. I dont have enough knowledge to know if this is cyclical, economy based, older guys in the hobby getting out one way or another, or something else. Im a keen watcher of prices, trends etc and I agree with what everyone has said about prices getting crazy and now there is def a correction happening


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## fattyre (Oct 17, 2019)

Meh.


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## Phattiremike (Oct 18, 2019)

The hobby is alive and well in Dahlonega, Ga. I assure you.


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## SirMike1983 (Oct 18, 2019)

Oilit said:


> ... And I can testify that a lot of those students had never used a screwdriver before.
> But from all I've heard it was unusual for an engineering program to have students actually machine parts. Most schools don't want the expense, and certainly don't want the potential liability. It's much cheaper and safer to have them run simulations on the computer. They're going to get all their parts made in China anyway.




I guess we're getting somewhat afield here, but that's probably so. My impression is that between 1990 and 2010, there was a serious decline in what one might call "shop courses" at the average, subrurban public high school. My older brother went to my high school in the late 1980s and there was a working autoshop and full set of shop courses. I went from 1997-2001 and by then, the auto shop had closed, leaving only two classrooms of shop. There were maybe a half-dozen shop courses taught in total by that point. By the time my nephews were in high school (2008-2012), the shop area was closing down entirely and being replaced by computer science labs. 

This may have somewhat corrected lately - I've seen a renewed talk of opening basic-skills type shop courses in high schools because so many young people who went to school in the 1990s-2010 period ended up lacking even basic repair and shop skills when they left high school.

Sorry for venturing off-topic a bit, but it seems that this is at least somewhat related with the decline of young people doing their own work on bikes in general. It's hard to justify the expense of a vintage bike if you don't know how it works or can't do basic work on it.


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## schwinnlax (Oct 30, 2019)

SirMike1983 said:


> One other odd thing I noticed when I would occasionally sell an old bike is how averse to repair work the prospective buyers were. On the one hand, you had a growing number of do-it-yourself Youtube videos around for repair of old bikes and parts, but then if you had a bike that needed any additional work at time of sale, the person would try to halve the price on you because he'd say he needed to take it to a shop. I'm not sure if this was a city thing or if you really did have riders who were more averse to doing their own work. But if that was the case, it certainly matched the fact that newly made "retro" bikes were selling better than vintage. It seemed like it was hip to have an old-looking bike, but there was no desire to do your own work. Sort of a bizarre mix, if you ask me.



I think the situation actually goes one step further.  It seems to me most people looking for a bike just don't even want to consider "used" no matter the condition.  I am always amazed that someone will spend $400 on a new made in china bike, but would never consider spending half or less than that on a completely overhauled classic Schwinn.  That overhauled Schwinn will be working long after the China bike is in the garbage.


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## bobcycles (Oct 30, 2019)

schwinnlax said:


> I think the situation actually goes one step further.  It seems to me most people looking or a bike just don't even want to consider "used" no matter the condition.  I am always amazed that someone will spend $400 on a new made in china bike, but would never consider spending half or less than that on a completely overhauled classic Schwinn.  That overhauled Schwinn will be working long after the China bike is in the garbage.





Chalk a lot of what ever disinterest there is to mainstream American consumerism.  When I was just out of high school I was
pretty much an anti-consumer and resister of 'trends'.  The kids I hung out with, well most of us, looked to the past for
quality and cool things.  We would thrift shop mostly, and not because we were cheap or poor...we wanted to find
vintage clothes, discover them ourselves and not pay the $ the vintage shops were charging in the  80's...
Plus it felt good not contributing to mass marketing and production of disposable horrible quality goods...
It eventually blossomed into road trips to estate sales and far flung thrift shops buying vintage furninture,
lighting, clothing, appliances, art...whatever and in the mid 80's we would have Vintage themed garage sales
that were more of a party or celebration than anything else...people would literally loiter for hours basking
in the "retro hell" of stuff we amassed for sale.  I pretty much lived a life shunning cheap modern conveniences..
All my appliances were mid century modern and worked great.  The bike bug bit me in the 70s when I would
occasionally spot a vintage balloon bike on our "strand" (the beach bike path) and I knew I had to have a bike
from the 40s or so....even THO.....they were way before my time.  So the whole "buying back the child hood"
thing never really applied to me... I wanted 30s-50s stuff mostly... even pop-art 60's -70s junk.  It was a
self styled rebellion of fad following disposable consumerism... and here in Los Angeles there were many
'like minded' people into 'retro' and kind of living it.   I remember some of my early US bike trips early 90's
and how blown away I was in  my travels to the midwest etc where most people had not a clue how important
and 'cool' vintage goods were.
I can remember one trip in 1993 in Lowell Mass and these sharp individuals had rented an old empty warehouse
to store the Mid Century modern furniture and stuff they had plucked from this old factory town.  Literally stacked
like cord wood in a virtual pyramid in the middle of the huge space. Incredible pieces, Eames, Sarinen, Knoll,
etc etc.   They were having the time of their life and basically laughing at the ignorance of the folks in Lowell
who had no idea how valuable or significant the stuff was.
I supplement my income big time with vintage goods and bicycles as the primary focus and have always
realized how difficult it would be to do this anywhere else in the country.  Southern California is where everything
culturally cool started... end of story.  There is still a hunger here for vintage goods, but the gang buster days
of the 80's and 90's have certainly waned.  All we can do as collectors is educate and stimulate those showing
even a passing interest in the bikes we love.  New bloooood!


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## jimbo53 (Oct 30, 2019)

Just my 2 cents, but collecting much of ANYTHING is not part of our culture anymore. When I was growing up, everyone had a collecting hobby-stamps, coins, baseball cards, records, etc. Collecting went hand in hand with taking an interest in the history of your collecting passion, requiring networking, finding like-minded friends,going to the library (remember those?) and proudly displaying your finds at show and tell in school. All of that is fading, and fading fast. 
As a kid, I loved bikes-worked on them, fixed them up, rode the hell out of them, even earning college beer money repairing bikes in my dorm room. If you cut me, I bleed Phil Wood grease.  Collecting bikes requires a modicum of mechanical talent, room to display and work on them, effort to locate them, find the money to pay for them and the eternal search for parts. I, as do many here, find this hobby exceptionally satisfying on several levels, and that's what a hobby should be-satisfying, relaxing and enjoyable. With schools no longer offering shop classes, kids don't get the basics of working with their hands, and let's face it, it's not a cheap hobby, usually requiring active involvement in going to swap meets and buying parts on line. That being said, this is my hobby and passion. I will continue to support it, invite friends to go on rides with me, patronize sellers on Craigslist, the CABE, swap meets, eBay, etc, hoping for that big score just around the corner. I'm active in the Hurricane Coasters, our local club in Charlotte NC and some of my best friends are in the hobby. I have an understanding wife, whose hobbies I totally support and encourage, as she does mine. Life is good, but it's better on a vintage bike!


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## vincev (Oct 30, 2019)

Not dying,just evolving.I look at some of the bikes for sale in the Cabes "for sale" forum and see newer bikes that are not what I collect. Younger collectors who do not really  like what us older collectors enjoy.They like bikes many times that are from their childhood.


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## catfish (Oct 30, 2019)

It is alive and well. Just because some people are not as publicly active as they use to be, doesn't mean anything. Most of my deals are with collectors who don't do the Cabe or ebay. Or they just lurk on them. Most of the time people just ask me for stuff. There are still a bunch of collections that have never seen the light of day. Stuff that has been stashed away for decades. Just last year, two huge collections that I had been picking out of for years left Massachusetts in the same week. One was hauled off by the pick'n show 

  I still know of a lot of others around the country. I remember seeing high end rare bikes being sold 30 years ago that haven't changed hands since. Someday they will all be seen, but for now they are just legendary.

  Promote what you Love. Don't bash what you hate.


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## rennfaron (Oct 30, 2019)

bobcycles said:


> ...There is still a hunger here for vintage goods, but the gang buster days
> of the 80's and 90's have certainly waned.  All we can do as collectors is educate and stimulate those showing
> even a passing interest in the bikes we love.  New bloooood!



Yes, to that.  
And speaking of new blood...how do we get all these visitors to become members / contributors / enthusiasts? 3x as many lurkers as members. 7 pages of them. (screenshots taken just now).


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## GTs58 (Oct 30, 2019)

rennfaron said:


> Yes, to that.
> And speaking of new blood...how do we get all these visitors to become members / contributors / enthusiasts? 3x as many lurkers as members. 7 pages of them. (screenshots taken just now).




In those pages not all the Guests are actually guests. A member here will show up as a Guest if he is not logged on at the time he's viewing the site, and that happens quite frequently.


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## SirMike1983 (Oct 31, 2019)

Bots/crawlers probably too.


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## KevinsBikes (Feb 14, 2020)

bikewhorder said:


> True but you really don't need to give nickinator that advice.  He's bought and sold more top shelf bikes and parts than guys that have been trying just as hard and doing it 4 times longer and he has an amazing ability to catch huge items that somehow fell through the cracks.  There were so many times over the years that I'd log in and see some new find he'd  made and just be like ...



Well, I think when someone is selling a rare and cool piece - the knowledge and respect for the hobby @Nickinator brings most people would rather sell it to him, knowing its getting a new life.  Going not just the extra mile - but even being willing to restore some of the bikes he has grabbed to full potential is beyond what most of us could do, or would do.  I think the hobby will only die off if everyone gets hooked on cars instead of bikes


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## bikesnbuses (Feb 14, 2020)

Hey everyone! GOOD news!! I heard that "bikes are hot. " Woo hoo!! Gee..I must be living in a hole..   Where everybody throws their worthless prewar bikes in..


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## bike (Feb 14, 2020)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I would like to buy all your nice worthless pre war stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you have 4wd?


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## Pedals Past (Feb 14, 2020)

I have left before and came back and this time been much more selective but I have paid what i believe is about the same level of coarse the lower end stuff seems silent but it was originally because when you first come in that is what you are buying and its not always what you know or how much you know but who you know ..... alot of them have died


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## bricycle (Feb 14, 2020)

It's a "*DEAD Hobby" *If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies!
'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig!
'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
THIS IS AN EX-HOBBY!!
(jest kidd'n)... gotta love Monty Python...


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## John G04 (Feb 14, 2020)

I’m sure the hobbies not as great as it was in the 80’s, But if you go on old for sale posts here on the cabe around 2014 stuff was being given away by todays standards! Sorry in advance that all these links are for schwinns. Theres tons more but these are a few I was able to find again


https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/b...m/forum/threads/1936-schwinn-autocycle.55129/








						Sold - 1938 Schwinn Motorbike 1st Yr Springer Complete Bike /orig Paint 1800.00 | Archive (sold)
					

Nice survivor 1938 Schwinn "LaSalle" Motorbike.  Bike is super solid, paint shows wear but on a prewar scale?  About a 7 condition or so.  Tank is solid, has batter tray and horn post, not rot, couple of minor dings, latch is a bit loose. Good silver ray, not pitted, presentable chrome on the...




					thecabe.com
				













						Sold - 1937-39 Prewar Schwinn Drum Brake / Forebrake   225.00 | Archive (sold)
					

NOTE to file.  This was an old post......While I do try and stay on top of "old posts" that sold etc..... some slip by  Rule of thumb for me......If what I list doesn't sell rather quickly 1-3 days?    I go straight to Ebay with it or Craigslist or other channels.  Any For Sale post of mine...




					thecabe.com
				





unfurl="true"]https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1937-39-prewar-schwinn-drum-brake-forebrake-225-00.75193/[/URL]


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## John G04 (Feb 14, 2020)

John G04 said:


> I’m sure the hobbies not as great as it was in the 80’s, But if you go on old for sale posts here on the cabe around 2014 stuff was being given away by todays standards! Sorry in advance that all these links are for schwinns. Theres tons more but these are a few I was able to find again
> 
> 
> https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/b...m/forum/threads/1936-schwinn-autocycle.55129/
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						1936 Schwinn Autocycle | Sell - Trade: Bicycle Parts, Accessories, Ephemera
					

Here we have a RARE 1936 first year Autocycle. I really hate to let go of this one, but need to fund another bike . . Offering it up to my CABE brothers 1st . . before it hits eBay Sunday evening. I'd like to offer all of the painted parts together as they are all original and not pieced...




					thecabe.com
				












						Best Barn Find ever ! | Sell - Trade: Bicycle Parts, Accessories, Ephemera
					

> > > UPDATE < < < STILL FOR SALE: > Skiptooth chain 45 shipped. > Dropcenter wheelset.  Seem to roll pretty smooth.  95 shipped. > Mesinger seat core.  50 shipped. > Majestic footed badge. 75 shipped.  Been at this about 8 years, and this is by far my Best Barn Find (BBF as opposed to...




					thecabe.com


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## vincev (Feb 14, 2020)

Just looking at the threads,especially in the Break Room I would say the hobby is really slowed down. The same old threads keep going and are reallyon  boring now Not many come up with new threads it seems.SOme of these threads are only commented by the same few members. Bike collectors are becoming as boring as stamp collectors.lol


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## Nashman (Feb 14, 2020)

vincev said:


> Just looking at the threads,especially in the Break Room I would say the hobby is really slowed down. The same old threads keep going and are reallyon  boring now Not many come up with new threads it seems.SOme of these threads are only commented by the same few members. Bike collectors are becoming as boring as stamp collectors.lol




I think the hobby is changing for sure. Dying, no, shrinking yes. The collectors of the real vintage stuff ( pre-war and 1950's/60's) are getting older, and frankly, croaking or losing interest or have it all. Yes, there is some new blood in the BMX/Mountain and last ditch effort in the 70's/non China racer bikes, European quality racers and special interest rides. Minty stuff and unusual will probably always have some market.

Todays generation ( as a generalization) born after...hmnn?...1970 don't understand the fascination of quality (often hand made) items from the past. They don't give a rats azzz.  How many young people attend the shows or swaps? I was scoping the Ann Arbor shots the other day and was impressed with the pics. The thing is, average age looked...well..over 40+

The average age of a Cabe member is probably over 40. This is not a bad thing, but a fact. Look at the vintage car market. It's no different. I've made this comment before. Go to the HERSHEY car show and see what's changed in 30 years. Look at the people/ages. Yup...grey beards like myself.

Even 1960's/70's muscle cars are starting to level out. People in the buying/hobby age are 20- 30ish and buy on line, rarely antiques. I'm 62 and buy most stuff on line now. It's easier. I went to tons of show back in the 80's/90's all over the U.S. and some in Canada, checked out shops and markets in Europe.

Ford Model A's and T's unless mint are dead meat. Brass era teens.....unless mint...same deal. Why? Because people who remember or cherish them are too old to care or deceased. Of course there are exceptions. Look at high end auctions and car shows. Not many young buyers unless exotic cars/sports/Europeon examples.

I think the hobby is "holding it''s own" but lets face it, we love the old bikes but nothing good lasts forever. Collect what you like. Memories and money don't go hand in hand. Don't count on the younger generation to buy your stuff. The Cabe/vintage hobbies in general are great in so many ways, but to say the market is hot or growing in vintage anything is not the direction I see. I say have fun, and enjoy the people along with the search, and score. The next generation probably won't get the wonderful experience we have enjoyed.


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## Saving Tempest (Feb 14, 2020)

We won't know until we're all gone.


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## bikewhorder (Feb 15, 2020)

I think the biggest change over the past few years has been the viralness when something good does come up for sale. I think the good stuff has gotten especially hard to find and when it does surface you need to be super quick and deep pocketed. Not that this wasn't always the case but it's been amplified ten fold.  When I 1st got into this hobby about 15 years ago I used to score amazing deals at auctions and local listings.  But I can't remember the last time I found something I got really excited about and it didn't sell for way more than I would have been willing to pay.


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## Mr.RED (Feb 15, 2020)

I don't think the hobby is dying by any means its just taking a new direction. But then again I guess it depends on what style of bicycle you collect also. People that are saying the prices are high well we can thank shows like American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Storage wars cause now any Tom, Dick or Harry who discovers a old Sears gas pipe 10 speed thinks they hit the lottery.


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## Goldenrod (Feb 15, 2020)

The CABE and Ebay should provide a base for the hobby?  It is not worth anything if you can't sell it?


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## Nashman (Feb 15, 2020)

Nashman said:


> I think the hobby is changing for sure. Dying, no, shrinking yes. The collectors of the real vintage stuff ( pre-war and 1950's/60's) are getting older, and frankly, croaking or losing interest or have it all. Yes, there is some new blood in the BMX/Mountain and last ditch effort in the 70's/non China racer bikes, European quality racers and special interest rides. Minty stuff and unusual will probably always have some market.
> 
> Todays generation ( as a generalization) born after...hmnn?...1970 don't understand the fascination of quality (often hand made) items from the past. They don't give a rats azzz.  How many young people attend the shows or swaps? I was scoping the Ann Arbor shots the other day and was impressed with the pics. The thing is, average age looked...well..over 40+
> 
> ...




Yeah, this is all close to what I said back in Oct. Just one man's opinion. I've collected "general antiques/heavy on bicycles/toys" for 35 years. I used to have a large collection of full size vintage outboard motors made in Canada and the U.S.A., and die cast outboard replica's made in Japan, and a couple of vintage full size boats, and dozens of vintage/mostly wood made in Japan toy boats. I still have one vintage outboard, several of the toy boats and one toy outboard, but I saw the hobby kinda dying as I also lost interest.

I sold off most of what I had marine related. I'm still into vintage tinplate toys ( mainly cars) but that hobby is in a decline as well. More supply than demand. I collect stuff I like without a payday in mind if and when I sell. It helps if you can recoup money you spent, but not usually the outcome unless rare and in high demand, or have 2 or more people that just "need" it. Just watch an auction. I think bicycles are art, much as the other things I like, and think I'll always have some. Riding them is just a bonus.


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## hm. (Feb 15, 2020)

The hobby is strong here.


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## Jimmy V (Feb 15, 2020)

I'm still fairly new to the bike hobby. (10 years or so). I have never spent more than $300 on a bike. Not that I haven't wanted to. Some of that is due to my wife not understanding how someone could spend $1000 on an old bike... I have a lot of fun with what I have. I buy what I can afford, and I'm not in it for money.  I may be buying some bikes from a friend who wants to thin his herd.  I'll have to sell off some stuff and maybe not fully disclose some of the purchase prices.  
To me the prices on most of the pre-war bikes or most ballooners is high, too high for me. Will these rolling beauties be appealing to people in 20 years? 
I can see that as we age out of the hobby or at least slow down the prices could come down.  It's true with vintage cars. But at least with bikes just about anyone can have a collector bike, not true with cars. Hopefully that will help keep the hobby alive. 
I know that I'm having fun with bikes, and have met a lot of good people as a result of the hobby.  The bike swap meets seem well attended, even if we are mostly selling to each other...LOL..  When I visit So. Cal. I love doing the vintage bike rides.  You guys are enjoying the hobby to the max!  Ridden, not Hidden indeed! 
And others on the CABE are doing it too. I'm thinking that I'd like to get that something like that going here too.  It promotes the hobby, and you meet good people, get exposed to great bikes, and see the beauty of the place around you.


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