I am still quite young, but I have collected vintage and antique bikes for most of my life. I've also studied the history of bicycle collecting. I love the hobby for the most part. Riding the bikes is fun and good exercise. "Talking bikes" is enjoyable. People stop me while I'm out riding to say they like the bike and ask about it's history or why a certain part looks so different.
My collection has gone up and down drastically in the past 6 years. I've owned hundreds of mostly better bikes. Blue Panther, green phantom, 2 Glidacycles, a bunch of Huffmans, etc etc. Not huge dollar bikes but lots of $2,000 , $3,000 bikes many $1,000 bikes. Most recently I had 40 bikes. In less than two months the number has gone down to 16.
When I started posting them some people asked if I was ok. why was I selling so many. Am I getting out of the hobby. I appreciate the concern. No moving, no divorce, no illness. Thank God! No I'm selling off so many now to get to my core collection due to my feeling that vintage and antique bike values are about to decline big time in the near future. I don't follow CL or ebay at all. But I do watch the CABE. There have been multiples of so many rare bikes lately. Bikes that you used to see one posted every few years and all of a sudden there's 3 on here at once. Many of the older collectors who had 2 or 3 of some of these bikes are also now selling. Some sellers are younger (like myself) and may be selling to buy other bikes or because they have a family and need the money. But there seems to be too many rare and or expensive bikes on the market now. Not to get political but it seems the economy as a whole may get shaky soon. This could further the decline in values as people sell to live off the funds.
I still own 16 unusual bikes. If my predictions are correct and values do decline, it will effect me. But I don't care. I'm not selling these bikes anyway, so I will not lose money. Obviously this will upset some collectors. some of you (many of you?) will disagree. That's ok! I was lucky in that 11 bikes went to a local friend of mine. He has owned a few 70's bikes but not the type of bikes I sold him. Instant collector! He got a great deal, he's happy, I'm happy. Will I be proven right or wrong? Time will tell. But I believe prices will decline sharply.
My collection has gone up and down drastically in the past 6 years. I've owned hundreds of mostly better bikes. Blue Panther, green phantom, 2 Glidacycles, a bunch of Huffmans, etc etc. Not huge dollar bikes but lots of $2,000 , $3,000 bikes many $1,000 bikes. Most recently I had 40 bikes. In less than two months the number has gone down to 16.
When I started posting them some people asked if I was ok. why was I selling so many. Am I getting out of the hobby. I appreciate the concern. No moving, no divorce, no illness. Thank God! No I'm selling off so many now to get to my core collection due to my feeling that vintage and antique bike values are about to decline big time in the near future. I don't follow CL or ebay at all. But I do watch the CABE. There have been multiples of so many rare bikes lately. Bikes that you used to see one posted every few years and all of a sudden there's 3 on here at once. Many of the older collectors who had 2 or 3 of some of these bikes are also now selling. Some sellers are younger (like myself) and may be selling to buy other bikes or because they have a family and need the money. But there seems to be too many rare and or expensive bikes on the market now. Not to get political but it seems the economy as a whole may get shaky soon. This could further the decline in values as people sell to live off the funds.
I still own 16 unusual bikes. If my predictions are correct and values do decline, it will effect me. But I don't care. I'm not selling these bikes anyway, so I will not lose money. Obviously this will upset some collectors. some of you (many of you?) will disagree. That's ok! I was lucky in that 11 bikes went to a local friend of mine. He has owned a few 70's bikes but not the type of bikes I sold him. Instant collector! He got a great deal, he's happy, I'm happy. Will I be proven right or wrong? Time will tell. But I believe prices will decline sharply.