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why are you into bikes.

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There have been some really good stories and points made in this thread. I've really enjoyed going through it.

My dad saved up all summer long and at the end of the summer, my grandpa took him down to the Schwinn dealership and dad picked out his bike. He bought a brand-new 1962 Schwinn Traveler in black, white and chrome. He loved this bike. He still owns it to this day. In fact, he even still has the tag that hung from the handlebars. He has always been proud of the speedometer on it as it shows 2,600 miles. He said that he took it everywhere and that no one could peel him off of that bike. He also loves telling about the time he and his friends took their bikes and coasted down Division Hill. He said the speedometer was bouncing at 50 mph. He said his clothes were flapping in the wind and tears were running back towards his ears. Oh yeah, and no helmets or pads! :cool:
I remember it sitting in the garage when I was a kid and I was drawn to it. I pumped up the tires and cleaned it up and I rode it around for a summer until the original tires finally gave out and then it sat again but that was enough to spark my interest. I was about 14 when I started dragging home old bikes. I had a pretty nice little pile. I "restored" one for mom, rattlecanning it on the front porch pink and white for her. I must say it looked pretty cool. All of my friends were into BMX and Freestyle at the time and finally, I turned my back on the old bikes and joined up with them. We lived in a small town and we tore that town up. There were 5 of us and we were ALWAYS on our bikes. Then came high school, girls, cars, job, wife, kids, etc and the bikes went away. Until......
One day dad called me and asked for my help. He said he was restoring his old bike and he wanted me to look on the internet for decals, parts, etc. He's not much of a computer guy. So I started poking around and all of a sudden, this whole world opened up to me. I realized there were a whole bunch of people out there that loved classic and antique bikes! Well, the rest history! I've got a real sickness now! ;)

I'm into bikes for many reasons. I was able to relate to the story about having an addictive personality. I always go overboard with collecting. I also know what it's like to be into old cars and the money that it takes to be in that hobby and this is a great alternative. I really enjoyed the description of the magic involved in riding a bicycle and the joy that comes over you. It's very true. It IS almost close to flight. I also really enjoyed the Made In USA bit. It was a really proud time for our country and SO much went into making these bikes. I can set my X-53 at the end of the driveway, set up a lawn chair at the head of the driveway, sit down, crack open a beer and sit there and just stare at the bike. The engineering and design and pride that went into these old bikes is amazing!

Thanks for listening.

RIDE VINTAGE!!!
 
Everything I use is vintage, as I sit here typing this, I am listening to my big console radio from 1948.
There is just something about those days gone by, and the stuff left over from then that absolutely fascinates me.
It's a shame I wasn't there for any of it, as I am only 19. Bicycles are neat because of the history behind each and every one of them, and on top of that, they are something I can use. The quality of the old American made stuff is unsurpassed.
I'll take an 80 year old single speed made right here in the good 'ol USA over 21 speeds made in china any day.
The same goes for everything I own, actually.
 
I'm into the bicycles that I remember as a kid. I have a Western Flyer x-53 , a Schwinn Phantom ('55).
When I ride them , in my mind , I go back to those times. I have a 1946 Chevy pickup & I load up the
bike & head out real early in the mornings to small rural towns nearby that still retain the look that I
recall . Post office , barber shop, movie house & ice cream shop all located downtown with no malls at all.
To get there , I take the back country roads , no freeways. It's about a 30 -40 mile drive & If I could,
I would ride the bike ,my mind says yes , but my body says "no way". The bike is a time traveler for me
& I enjoy as much as I can until that day when I won't be able to do it. I'm 1 year older then my truck !
 
I have always collected "old stuff". my parents would take me to flea markets, garage sales, etc. where I bought whatever I was collecting at the time, WW II items, toy cars, post cards, coins.
I have a picture of myself riding a 2 wheeler at age 4. It's clear I was going FAST! From that day on I was on a bike as often as I could. My dad collected old bikes and so I bought my first old bike when I was 12, a 1960's Huffy Galaxy for $20. I bought and sold bikes and picked up bikes out of the trash. At age 12 I owned 18 bikes! After my grandfather died (he lived next door) we had to downsize our holdings and I only had a little bit of room in my parents garage.

I started collecting coins at age 12 and went head-first into that hobby. I would still ride bikes a LOT, but most of my money went to coins. When I was 22 I had worked at 5 "real" jobs and had enough of bosses already. So I started a coin business. This killed the joy of collecting coins as I did it all day long. So I started selling off my coins and started collecting pop trays, signs, and coolers. Then vintage ice cream items. I have room devoted for these items, but now the space is full. Last year I told myself I needed to get back to old bikes. So I started buying ANY old bike I found at a fair price at flea markets, resale shops, anywhere. I have turned into a haorder of many things, but did not want to do so with bikes. I want "the good stuff" and to have a focus. So I sold all the random old bikes and started buying the bikes I really want SCHWINNS! I have 2 Krates, and 5 balloon tank bikes - all original paint, in nice shape. I'd rather spend a little more up front than to just have a lot of junk that I'm not happy with. Once spring comes to MI I will go riding on these classics with my dad like the old days.

When I go for a bike ride I clear my mind and just enjoy myself.
 
Cities

Grew up in London England and moved to central Toronto later in life - both places are pointles to have cars in so I never even bothered to get a driving license and always rode a bike to get around but in an entirely 'urban' non sporty way and it was always a pleasure. Both my parents raced cars for a living and collected and dealt cars (nothing modern ever) - so it also runs in the familly. I work in the whole car collecting/racing environment - cars bore me though, I usually go round the paddock looking for interesting old folding bikes and such that teams bring to get around during a race meeting. Bikes are great for many reasons. There is nothing wrong with them for a start. You can't say that about so many things. New bikes are revolting because they are built almost entirely for practical reasons and not stylish - except the new 'beach cruiser phenomena. It's pretty cool that by riding an old bike you are going back in time really- experiencing getting from A to B as did people back when the bike was made and used. It's nice to collect something you can actually use rather than which just sits there never getting looked at by anyone except yourself and whoever comes over. I used to find bikes in the trash and rebuild them and sell them on CL. I got known for having tons of crappy 3 speeds around - which I kind of like - I can usually find something nice in any bike although with some of the new ones that gets pretty hard. So people would always say "oh I saw an old bike at somebody's house do u want me to ask them if they wanna sell it ....bla bla" so I'd end up getting cool old bikes whilst most other people weren't into that sort of thing back then, just amused by my stockpile and hive of activity and some of the cooler bikes I had. Gradually I have built up a collection of all types of bikes (not just prewar balloon :) ) - I even have the worlds only ever plastic bike made - even the crank is plastic - big failure that - I'd like to exhibit them in the end. I have had countless offers to and not only can I make money that way but I can inspire people into realising just how cool bikes are/can be. Most people get pretty excited when they see cool bikes. It seems like the right thing to be doing in this life and even if it wasn't I would not have even a tiny chance of stopping myself because I am crazy about all of them. People just shpould know if they ask me something the answer might be long and detailed - I need to learn when to stop!

Interesting idea for a thread :)
 
Well here is my story. It all started for me when I was around 11yrs. old. We didn't have much money and I never had a bicycle before, And one day I was walking down to a friends house and seen a piece of a bicycle in a ditch that a man was throwing away. He was ouside cleaning out his garage, so I walked up to him and asked ifI could have the bicycle that was in the ditch. He said sure grab anything you want. All of my friends already had bikes and I would always hop on the back of one of thier bikes. Anyway, I got the bike out of the ditch and carried it home. No handle bars or seat and two flat tires. all my friends gave me parts to fix it up. As I grew up I started working on cars but about a year and a half ago I nearly broke my back in three places. I now have 9 titanium anchors and three titanium rods supporting my spine and eveything from my left hip to my L3 vertabre is fused together. As part of my physical therapy I rode a bicycle and thought hey maybe this is my calling. So after rehab and therapy I started collecting old bicycles and I hope that my back gets good enough that this summer I can get out to my garage and start to restore some of the bicycles I have collected over the past year and 1/2 . Thats what got me into it and when I found this site about a yaer ago I think I use this site as my therapy now LOL! you guy's are great! and have helped me alot
Thats my story. Thanks, JKent
Sorry Vince I'll make it shorter next time!
 
I have been collecting militaria for over 45 years and was looking for a WWII military bike. I met some local people and started purusing this forum and a few others looking for that bike. I ended up buying a 41' Colson as I liked their looks. I did get a WWII military bike and I enjoy riding both bikes.
 
when the bug bit

I remember having a bmx and some crap mountain bike when I was a kid. For me it didn't happen tell after high school, my friend came over riding a pre war dx he got from the salvation army. I was like that's pretty sweet. Id never seen anything like it. Around the same time I was hanging out with this girl who liked vintage everything, she too had an old Schwinn... So to kinda impress her I went to this tiny old bike shop that my friend with the dx had told me about. Walked in and paid 200 bucks for a mint 61 black n white Corvette ll with the kick back two speed! I was da pimp after that haha. Its been a down hill battle since the day her ex and I became friends and he showed me all his prewar Schwinns he had collected... Twas no hope after that, stick a fork in me...
 
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