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What was your first vintage bike? The one that started it all?

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This 20" blue Western Flyer was my first vintage bike. My dad and I built it around 1990 from a junkyard find, filled the tank, did all the polishing, heated and bent the front forks and my pops painted it. This picture is from around 2012 and I still have it after all these years.

The second bike is a stingray frame we found in a scrap pile around 1993/94 and this was the first iteration of it on 16" wheels. First bike I had that was professionally painted too and I paid for all the chrome plating by working in my dads auto repair shop.

I still have both bikes and most likely will keep them forever. These bikes are the ones that got me where I am now and the fever never died.

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This is what re-started it more recently
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I’ve posted it before, I found it on the side of the road in 2014, took it apart & started painting it got busy & it sat in the garage until 2020? I made a nice rider out of it but in hindsight I wish I had restored it properly
 
I was at the Fleamarket by my house and a saw a old chainless bike as I was looking at it the guy tells me that’s a Aj Spalding I said that’s cool I have a brother named Aj Spalding he said your the only person to notice it doesn’t have sprockets I said that the first thing I saw how much is it he said $100 I said that’s to much for me thanks anyway. Well when I got home I looked up the bike turns out it was a ag spalding not Aj and it’s well worth the $100 asking price well The flea market had closed already so the following Saturday as soon as it opened I made sure I was there and somehow the bike was also I got it for the $100 didn’t even try to haggle with him was just shocked it was still there

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I was at the Fleamarket by my house and a saw a old chainless bike as I was looking at it the guy tells me that’s a Aj Spalding I said that’s cool I have a brother named Aj Spalding he said your the only person to notice it doesn’t have sprockets I said that the first thing I saw how much is it he said $100 I said that’s to much for me thanks anyway. Well when I got home I looked up the bike turns out it was a ag spalding not Aj and it’s well worth the $100 asking price well The flea market had closed already so the following Saturday as soon as it opened I made sure I was there and somehow the bike was also I got it for the $100 didn’t even try to haggle with him was just shocked it was still there

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Did you buy some golf clubs as well? 🤣😂
 
This was my first Classic that started the bug...

This Old Rollfast was at a car show in Kendall, NY. At the time I collected mostly 80's BMX bikes & 90's Mountain Bikes.
I liked this bike at the car show, took a picture & that was the end of it...for a moment!

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A while later...weeks, months, not sure, but it popped up on CL. I called my wife in the room & had the ad side-by-side with my pic from the car show.

Behind my back, she set-up a meet/sale. I fell in love with vintage bikes since then & she also arranged a trade for another Rollfast he had.
I trade a large Dragon Optics display case I obtained when I worked at a Yamaha/Ktm dealership.

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Here they both are now in the shop...


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I wish I could remember the guy's name. He is the one who turned me onto The CABE, so this CABER started the whole Vintage thing for me...
He lived in Henrietta, NY at the time...

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This red one started it all for me
 
I picked this up not all that long ago, its only been about a year now, my first vintage bike. Long story, but in our neighborhood there is a free table called the Awesome Table where folks can put unwanted stuff for others to take. One day walking by I see a big box and it is full with two bicycle engine kits. I grabbed it and the following weekend I see an estate sale ad that showed a cool looking blue bike so I figured perfect so I grabbed it and put the two together. I didn't know what it was, or really what I was doing. Later that month at the automotive swap meet I go to I see a guy with old bikes, I didn't buy one but he told me about the CABE and before you know it I was on a new old stuff path. Through the CABE I found out it was a 1959 Columbia. Its only been about a year and I have collected two more, both Rollfast a 1949 and a 1918.
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A ‘51 Panther about 15 years ago. It began as a frame and kickstand. Antique American bikes are not readily available in Australia and freight is expensive so most of mine have started off a frames. The Panther has been modified many times over the years but this latest version rides the best.

I took a break for a few years and last year I started riding again at least 3 times a week and wanted something more complete and original. I found this sweet ‘53 Roadmaster Pleasure liner on the cabe that @Krakatoa was kind enough to very carefully pull down, clean and pack to ship to me.
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At age 9, in the summer of 1980, I went to a neighborhood garage sale. Saw a very rusty black Schwinn, with several mismatched parts. Price was $2.50! The frame was dated Oct. 1956, so it's a '57 model, and I still have it! Over the years, everything's been replaced on it a few times, but I have enough vintage parts to get it close to original.
 
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