WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO THE HOBBY

[kreika]

Always loved riding and working on bikes of any era. Then Dan Venturi came to town. I’ve been vintage bicycle crazy ever since. I’m not bothered by multiple threads. The more we discuss. The more we learn.

 

[DrRumack80]

I’m not bothered by multiple threads. The more we discuss. The more we learn.

I agree. Unless the server is on its last gig of space, what difference does it make?

 

[Gully]

The thread reads what inspired me to get into the hobby. Well, I like anything old and mechanical and I cannot spend a lot of money on some of what I like. So I ran across an old 30s bike and bought it just because I liked the look of it. That's it. It was something that was pulled from a junk pile and built into a new life. Basically rusty junk in some people's eyes, but it still exists and now serves a purpose. That is what has inspired me.

 

[Skiroule69]

In the early '90s I made a friend in my freshman year of high school. The first time I went over to his house I noticed a blue Schwinn Stingray girl's bike in the garage. It was 100% original with a whitewall slick! I thought that was the coolest thing ever (even though it was a girl's bike) and pestered him to sell it to me. From there I bought a $25 Murray Missile from the local indoor flea market and it took off from there. Our town had/has a 'city wide cleanup' day that follows 'garage sale days' where you can put literally anything out by the curb and the city will haul it away. My friend had an '87 Ford Ranger and I had a '91 GMC Sonoma. We went down every road in our town each year and filled our trucks to capacity with old bicycles that people were just throwing away! At one time we had close to 100 of them in his backyard (much to the chagrin of his mom!) Those were the days!

 

[CURTIS L LINDGREN]

I was driving down HWY 99 in Lynwood Wa. in 1994 . Saw a few old bikes as I drove by. Turned around and pulled in ( Keelers Korner ) it was an old Gas station turned into an Antique store. I believe this is not a store any more , but turned into a private residence. I asked about a green house paint old timer there and thought the price seemed fair ( $75.00 ) I figured there was enough there to make it into a rider. It ended up being a 1936 Colson DBR / LWB . I did make it into a rider and was very pleased how it fit me and rode. Also was liking it's very rough appearance. I fiddled with many bikes before this , but this was the trigger.................I've been hooked ever since !

 

[Sped Man]

For me it was this bike. He wanted a small fortune for it and I saw the possibilities. This got me to buy several books on prewar bicycles. That fueled the fire, before I knew it I had 10 of those bikes pictured in those books and parts everywhere. I was like a drug addict needing his weekly fix Today the urge is still there but current prices are way to high for my blood.

 

[Darthvader]

I got into it to attract the hot babes. It worked as I married the best woman on the planet.

 

[Rivnut]

Mine started when my wife came home from visiting her dad in Omaha. They somehow stuffed a ‘52 Schwinn Hornet into the hatch of her Ford Focus. I had just watched an episode of ‘Pickers’ where Mike pulled an old bike from a pile that had a sweet heart skip tooth chain on it; same as the bike Linda brought home.

 

[Muji]

This most recent interest in bicycles, which is vintage bikes, started last fall. I’m an avid Craigslist peruser and I found a 1961 Raleigh Sports. In addition to this bike was a 24” vintage bike, appearing in poor condition, missing its seat and seat post. I got the Raleigh and the other bike, as it turned out was a 1948 SamSco badged Rollfast, sat there for the next few weeks. Ultimately, when I thought the ad was about to expire, and concerned about the status of the bike, I decided to get it. I cleaned it up and learned some along the way (through the generosity of many of you not to mention this website) and found the finish on both the frame (white head tube and Rollfast darts) and the wheels (painted white) were in pretty good condition. Obviously the bike is not finished. The fenders didn’t clean up or fare that well (I learned some about ball peen hammmers) but I have it and I admire it regularly. I’d love to have a collection like many of you, but I’ve successfully fought that urge in that I am cramped for space. I live vicariously through you all and this website. And thank you for allowing me to share!

 

[Muji]

Darthvader, you can’t have married the best woman on the planet, I married the most wonderful woman on the planet; and contrary to popular opinion, there can’t be two?