Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this thing! Look how cheap and cheesy the fork is!

[ricobike]

I concur with SirMike1983's assessment. I have a modern Huffy bicycle that I bought just because I liked the style and colors, it's fairly lightweight for a ballooner, and got it cheap. The alloy parts are good and lightweight, but anything steel on the bike was junk. Paint is so-so, discolored in places but hasn't chipped off at all. Welds are sloppy but no cracks in them yet.

Basically I had the same problems as @SirMike1983 . The Chinese steel is just bad. Over time I ended up replacing almost everything on this bike with either aftermarket parts, or older parts from my parts bin. The only original parts on the bike are the frame, rims, spokes, front hub (only because it doesn't take much abuse), fenders (not the struts, they were junk), chainguard, cup holder, and surprisingly the plastic pedals. Everything else was sent to scrap.

There were a pair of these bikes at the Memory Lanes swap for cheap and I eyed them to maybe give to friends as riders. But remembering how much work and time it took to get my bike running correctly, I decided they just weren't worth the effort.

 

[frampton]

Recycled scrap metal.

 

[Tikibar]

Those bikes will be future collectables probably.

When I was a kid in the '60's, the plastic toys were replacing the metal ones. I remember the adults at the time saying our toys were crap and would never be worth anything. Now, many of them are fetching hundreds and up by collectors.

This bike is made of crap that won't last. The fewer the number of survivors, the greater the future rarity. When the kids that had this bike reach their 40's and 50's, they'll pay big bucks to recapture their childhoods.

As an owner of some very expensive plastic, I'd agree with Vincev on this one

 

[the tinker]

Commies.

 

[barneyguey]

If they survive. I see the City DPW trucks bring in trashed bikes by the dozens every week from the homeless camps. I'm sure these will be showing up too along with the many brands pay to ride bikes and scooters. I took this photo early this week on my commute. The hoodie worn as pants really goes well with the Electric Scoot Scooter. I'd guess he was 35 or so but very tanned and weathered face, a buzz cut, half smoked cigarette tucked behind his ear. He brought on board his own special miasma of odors. But the wardrobe, White T-shirt under gray hoody with a blue hoody for pants, legs in sleeves and the very stunning effect of the hood hanging between his legs. But then it got better. As the bus got up to speed the scooter starts beeping , 4 beeps, pause, 4 beeps, pause etc. He starts talking to the scooter, scolding it for making noise, "Why are you doing that? You didn't make that sound in the parking lot!" "Stop that now, your too loud." He addressed the scooter like someone talking to a dog or small child. At times the beeping stopped and I realized it seemed to be related to how fast the bus was going. I think the beep was a warning that the scooter was traveling too fast. As we crawled south on 101 it would beep as speed increased and stop when we slowed, he scolded the scooter for beeping each time, commenting at large to his fellow travelers. The hood swung back and forth under him.

View attachment 915853

I used to buy a monthly bus pass when I was younger, you never know what you might see on a bus. Ha Ha Ha
I saw a grown woman holding a baby seated right behind the bus driver picking her nose and eating it. I'd say the bus had about 40 people on it watching her. Wow!

 

[cyclonecoaster.com]

Nostalgia brings value to childhood toys - bikes - etc. ... The adults then still aren't buying up things that they thought were crap back then - it's still the same children buying fond memory items - This generations parents many times uses a iPhone to keep their children busy ... they will probably be trying to buy Playstations & things they remember as a child ...not a cheap retro bicycle from a Target or Walmart ... a bicycle is more of a punishment these days because your parents couldn't chauffeur you to everyday life events ...

 

[RUDY CONTRATTI]

Are we sure thats a cup holder and not a speedo housing???

 

[fattyre]

Meet your destiny you junk import bikes.