Ladies bike guilt

[Jim Barnard]

Good morning!

I have a number of fair to nice ladies Columbia Ladies balloon tire bicycles from the 50's. I have 2-3 of them that I adore and have in with the men's bikes on display. I have a few that I have tried to sell on CR to no avail. The bikes I want to be rid of are not in the best condition, but are complete and functional.
I repeatedly have set time aside to strip the parts off them and keep head lights, saddles, fenders and other parts for when a men's bike comes in need or perhaps to sell trade for a part I need.

So far I have been unable to do it. I am not sure if it is the history of the bikes or if busting up something that has been assembled in a factory 65 years ago is the reason I have not yet done it.

Am I nuts?

 

[kwoodyh]

Certifiable! No just kidding I feel your pain but the demand for the ladies bikes just isn't the same as the men's! How about thinking of it you are parting them out to complete other men's bikes and enthusiastic riders?


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[vincev]

I like girls bikes ! They have great lines and are usually in nice condition. I wont pass one up if It is collectable.I wont take parts off one either.I'm not that way.

 

[friendofthedevil]

Jim, You are not nuts. Or if you are, then so am I. I too am loath to 'bust up' a complete survivor. I have a 24 inch girls banana seat bike that nobody wants at any price. Needs tires tubes and the seat recovered, so do I put the money into making it a rider? I'd still have a bike nobody wants. So it hangs in the garage waiting for someone to show it some love.

 

[friendofthedevil]

In this post-Weinstein era we should have equal regard for the ladies as well as the men's bikes. But what should be and what is are not always the same.

 

[partsguy]

It has be a unique model, usually in REALLY nice condition for to not part it. I have...three in my collection. One is a slow-going restoration.

 

[Squiggle Dog]

#MeToo

Actually, it would be a bit funny (and sad) to have a #MeToo thread showing all the parted out women's bikes.

 

[Oilit]

I'm guessing that part of the problem is that these bikes really aren't relevant any more. A girl who wanted to ride a bicycle while wearing a skirt needed a step through frame so that she could mount without "compromising her modesty". These days she just wears shorts.

 

[bike]

I have parted and not parted. If I cannot get parts value -I part- no excuses if there is no one to save it.

 

[Oilit]

Step through frames are the corsets of the bike world.