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Bluebird - Market Value of Bikes

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With all due respect to the 'restorers' mentioned, you're kidding yourself if you think any restored bicycle will be a good investment. Nice original unrestored examples will likely hold their value, but if you're looking at any of this as an investment, good luck to you and/or your heirs.
I think restored anything is aok and original anything is usually better ( to most). The thing is, beauty and value is in the eye of the beholder. I think the sentimentality of original things is dying off ( as are the people) with the newer generation, as quite simply they can't relate it to anything in their lifetime. Bright and shiny/bling has an obvious appeal. We can't all afford an original keepsake and there is limited supply. ( a car, a bicycle, a tractor, a bread bag clip).

I for one have original examples of bicycles, vintage toys, cars, motorcycles, signs, juke box, coke machine, guitars etc..etc ....and some restorations, and even a few repops. They all have value to certain people ( me for one). How much value? It's what 2 people agree on what is a fair price to them, them alone. This DEAL/NO DEAL auction format on the Cabe is a good example, or other auctions on line or live.

I have bought more than a few well restored bicycles, some not done as well as I'd hoped, but still a decent example, and something I'm happy with. Lets assume there was profit for the seller on some of them. That was a good investment for them. I don't collect as an investment. I buy what I like and what I can afford. The economy and trends usually dictate the market size for anything. The state of the world right now financially is not great based on health concerns and all the negative spin off's. I think you all know what I'm talking about. Job loss, cash flow. Less travel. There will always be people with deep pockets, and speculators for quick buck spins.

I think ( my humble opinion) a well restored bicycle ( people named above#66, Bobby U. should be added) is a good investment. I'll attach a well restored 20" Schwinn Hornet Bobby U did up with some original paint parts. I didn't buy it as an investment, but I love it, it's well restored, rare, and I suspect if I was ever to sell it, I'd get my money back and have enjoyed it for years.

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Not everyone likes "patina/barn finds/crusty" ( over used terms) and even a Frankenbike holds a certain charm if not misrepresented as "factory" original. I've said this before, that "original" is a factory nut and bolt/paint example, and they are few and far between. A hobby is a pastime to be enjoyed in whatever scale and depth a person wishes. To get caught up in what is best to invest, all is lost, and the fun is over.

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Agreed! Look at other collectibles and antiques and the top prices within individual categories. Compare what political buttons, Star Wars figures, American stoneware, and on and on; American bicycles are completely undervalued. There are reasons for this which has been touched on within this forum but not related to how the problems effect collector confidence.
Overall there has been a lack of scholarship in the field of American bicycle collecting (post 1895 period). Scott’s McCaskey willingness to reprint John P’s old volumes are helpful but there are gaps we as a group need to fill in. The old guard has hoarded literature to their personal advantage. Few people have taken the time to go to museums/historical societies to really pin down questions that have been asked for a couple decades. Yesterday I posted the German built Indian in the 12 Days of Christmas: even today we cannot say with confidence what year this bike was offered by Indian! There must be an ad or mention in Indian Motocycle’s monthy publication to the dealers and enthusiasts during the late 1930’s.
It feels like the “old guard” jenky ways are faltering. Just in the short time I have been on the CABE it is great to see our group knowledge growing, an increased willingness to share information, and connoisseurship levels improving. I love it when a catalog or advertisement gets shared, members such as Jeff Kidder, Patric, Jesse, Bill Corbett, John A, and Walter offering tasty morsels of knowledge, (there are several others I am missing on this list), Shawn’s monographs, etc. I truly regret the loss of Will @filmonger and his contributions; and others still alive who are off doing other things. But we need to do more!
Plus there’s relatively few museums displaying bikes, and almost no media attention. Besides for American p*ckers theyd probably still be getting scrapped on mass
 
I guess @nick tures and I don’t exist
I think there are lots of great young people entering the hobby, many have been in it for years ( some on the Cabe, some not). Like I have said in other threads, I think many of the bicycles right up into the 80's are collectible to all sorts of people. Once mass produced, the quality and art sorta falls off the scale. I have over 20 bicycles ( pre-war and 1950's) and my girlfriend likes to ride a Custom 1980's beach cruiser I own. So be it. At least she rides. Generally, the hobby is made up of older people, no shot on younger new collectors of any type of bicycle. It's just a demographic reality. An age thing. We lived on our bicycles growing up, now not as many youth do. They live on their cell phones. To my late deceased parents and grandparents, bicycles were a life line. The fact they were often hand made/assembled by proud craftspeople worldwide and had style and function is part of the value historically and worth owning or admiring. Especially by us old goats! Ha!!
 
Here is a great example of a fine ,high end bike no one has purchased , 8,950 in Nashville,,sorry for bringing the speedline into view , it seems to be a false ad , . A serious purchase was attempted and was ignored by the seller,. I will know better in the future to not use undocumented exchanges . My mission is to display factual information , . For historical reference,
 
I think there are lots of great young people entering the hobby, many have been in it for years ( some on the Cabe, some not). Like I have said in other threads, I think many of the bicycles right up into the 80's are collectible to all sorts of people. Once mass produced, the quality and art sorta falls off the scale. I have over 20 bicycles ( pre-war and 1950's) and my girlfriend likes to ride a Custom 1980's beach cruiser I own. So be it. At least she rides. Generally, the hobby is made up of older people, no shot on younger new collectors of any type of bicycle. It's just a demographic reality. An age thing. We lived on our bicycles growing up, now not as many youth do. They live on their cell phones. To my late deceased parents and grandparents, bicycles were a life line. The fact they were often hand made/assembled by proud craftspeople worldwide and had style and function is part of the value historically and worth owning or admiring. Especially by us old goats! Ha!!
40 years from now...CACPE...Classic & Antique Cell Phone Exchange! Time to start saving those old iPhones... 😆🤣
 
Got an iPhone 4 sitting on the shelf!
I finally broke down and got a cell phone.( I used one as a necessity of some jobs before I retired. I'm almost always using my laptop, but don't miss it much when I travel). A flip phone. It sits on the counter and buzzes music or something when my Daughter texts me. Texting her back is laughable, but I try. Email and actually getting some folks on their cell phones is becoming a lost effort now the rage is texts. I admire people who don't have a cell phone attached to their hip, hand, night table, dashboard unless they are tied to it for employment, or emergency.

I'm afraid the cell phone has deteriorated human contact while trying to expand it. Survey says that people feel more lonely and depressed and have less contact with friends and loved ones more now than ever before. I had an article I contributed to published a couple of years back about the uninhibited use of cell phones ( with camera's) in public change rooms/pools/poolside. Even school playgrounds. Noone cared until the article. Hopefully one or more pervs were stopped.
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I was ( the health panic has stopped me going as I'm not worthy) a lap pool swimmer over 25 years and started getting creeped out when dudes had cell phones in the showers and locker areas/ and poolside. On weekends, often a Dad would bring their Daughters into the men's change rooms ( Mom was away/divorced/take turns..whatever) and we have swinging dicks walking around with their phones and total nudity of children of both sexes? WTF? Of course there were signs, but noone followed the rules. If I wandered around a change room with a 35mm camera, what then? Of course what's so important that a phone can't be left in the car, or anywhere other than a public/private space. Lots of rants for me today. Ha!! If anyone wants to read the article I'll try to find it and PM. That's me in the purple glasses before my sex change! Ha!
 
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