# " Vintage " defined by a bike collector who can't take it anymore!



## MOTOmike (Jan 8, 2013)

I just happen to be searching the Indianapolis Craigslist for vintage bikes and came across a post from someone who is providing a "public service" to teach other sellers what the term "vintage" means in the world of bike collecting.  Love it or hate it...... this guy is feisty!  Here is the link:

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/bik/3436156575.html

Mike


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## GTs58 (Jan 8, 2013)

I wonder if I can get him to post on the Phoenix CL.


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## fordmike65 (Jan 8, 2013)

This needs to be posted in every city's Craigslist nationwide. I'm sick of 80`s-90`s Huffy cruisers being listed as vintage and even antique.


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## dfa242 (Jan 9, 2013)

That's funny - well said, with a little attitude.  Kinda' pooped on Schwinn though, didn't he/she?


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## MaxGlide (Jan 9, 2013)

*He's full of vintage "s**t"*

His message is valid BUT.... when used as a NOUN his definition fits but when used as an ADJECTIVE, vintage bicycle is absolutely correct. 

Vintage 
 adjective
6. 	(of wine) of an outstandingly good year
7. 	representative of the best and most typical: vintage Shakespeare
8. 	of lasting interest and importance; venerable; classic: vintage films
9. 	old-fashioned; dated 

and many of us will pay good bucks for that pos Schwinn with bent rims if the rack/chain guard/stem/ bars/seat/pedals/ crank/etc are of value to us.

Wayne


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## bricycle (Jan 9, 2013)

I smell a can of open worms.....


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## bike (Jan 9, 2013)

*language evolves with time*



msreust said:


> I just happen to be searching the Indianapolis Craigslist for vintage bikes and came across a post from someone who is providing a "public service" to teach other sellers what the term "vintage" means in the world of bike collecting.  Love it or hate it...... this guy is feisty!  Here is the link:
> 
> http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/bik/3436156575.html
> 
> Mike




So accept and lower your blood pressure!


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## Freqman1 (Jan 9, 2013)

So I'll fan the flames a little here. I guess his point was is that if you could get a couple of neurons together to use the computer to post the ad why couldn't you expend just a little (probably the operative word in these cases) more brain power to research the value instead of watching American Pickers and thinking every crusty pos with two wheels is worth big money? V/r Shawn


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## SirMike1983 (Jan 9, 2013)

The word's root actually comes from the field of wine indeed. In fact, the French term "vin" means wine and shares the common ancestor back to Latin "vinum" or "vino". So yeah, "vintage" is wine related. 

But as was rightly said above, the word has come to be used to describe a particular era of production ("pre-war" or "depression vintage" might refer to the 1930s for example). It's pretty commonly used that way. So the term does not always refer to wine. I think it's just a snarky remark this fellow on Craigslist made in that regard.

That said, I think he's getting at a key point- people use the word as an advertising point for stuff that's junk or not even really that old. Many states have vintage or antique car plates, but have to set a particular year as the cutoff point for this reason. I grew up in CT, and there it was 25 years for a long time. He's right about people using the term to describe stuff that really isn't that old, but what can you do to stop them?


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## bike (Jan 9, 2013)

*try searching ebay with the keywords VINTAGE or ANTIQUE*

bicycle or whatever and you  see 100 times more new or repro stuff than actual old stuff. 

According to them (paraphrase) "Ebay wants to be the internet portal to retail sales. We are not a flea market"

They have made search funky to find new items - best match, words you did not ask for but they "think" you want etc.

If they don't want the people on whose back ebay was buit on the site- why not start a site for old stuff only ebaycollectables.com or something- roll back the fees and rules to ~1999 and the collectors would not have to wade through trash.

Whew glad to get that off my chest.


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## militarymonark (Jan 9, 2013)

well here is what I think, depending on the era of the bike vintage could mean a few things. Vintage in BMX is 70's and 80's, vintage for mountain bikes 70's-mid 90's, vintage for road bikes depends on the maker and could be also classified as "classic", but most people do not know the difference between mid weight and ballooner so vintage for a mid weight would be late 50's-early 70's, as far as ballooners we all know what they are classified as.


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## Lynotch (Jan 10, 2013)

*I'm a Schwinn guy!*



dfa242 said:


> That's funny - well said, with a little attitude.  Kinda' pooped on Schwinn though, didn't he/she?




But I kinda agree with the writer, some people see and know the brand name "Schwinn" and they think they hit the jackpot or there gonna get rich selling a frankenbike....


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## Balloontyre (Jan 11, 2013)

"Vintage" that's easily and innocently over used. 


 "rare" on the other hand... most abused by sellers, certainly must imply that the claimant has knowledge and basis for proclaiming "rare".


  or the all time one upmanship "this is ______ (insert number) of these *known to exist*"  Paahleez, I wanna see the registry.


All good


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## oskisan (Jan 11, 2013)

This got my curiosity, I went to go read the craigslist posting and unfortunately the link is no longer there (expired).... So I guess we can say that it is now a "vintage" posting.




msreust said:


> I just happen to be searching the Indianapolis Craigslist for vintage bikes and came across a post from someone who is providing a "public service" to teach other sellers what the term "vintage" means in the world of bike collecting.  Love it or hate it...... this guy is feisty!  Here is the link:
> 
> http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/bik/3436156575.html
> 
> Mike


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