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SF Bike Expo

Old 11-01-11, 09:51 PM
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SF Bike Expo

I'm considering going to the SF Bike Expo the weekend after next. I've never been but it looks like it may be fun. Have any of you been to it in previous years? What did you think of it?
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Old 11-02-11, 08:49 AM
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Went around ....2008? It was a little junky, kinda like a swap meet. We were disappointed, but it could a bad year.
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Old 11-02-11, 10:36 AM
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Is this the same as the Velo-swap? If so, I was a vendor twice, in order to clear out a bunch of garage clutter. 2008 and 2009, I believe.

2008 was good from both side of the table - bought and sold a lot of stuff. 2009 there was a good crowd, but no-one was reaching for their wallet unless you were giving stuff away.

FrenchFit pretty much sums it up - it is a huge bike oriented swap meet. Deals can certainly be had, but be prepared to pick through stuff to find the deals. It helps a great deal if you have a shopping list, and know what the values are of the things your are looking for. There should be a good amount of folks just looking to clear out a lot of clutter from their storage.
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Old 11-02-11, 12:18 PM
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I should add that the expo has two sections, one is like a big swap meet with individuals and small vendors selling used stuff, the other section has bike shops and larger vendors selling mostly new parts and accessories. They also have other attractions like a cross race.
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Old 11-02-11, 01:19 PM
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i went to something (maybe the same thing) in SF a decade or so ago. don't think it was at the cow palace though.

vendors, and swap meet kinda thing. lots of people and lots of stuff. it was well worth it if you have something that is difficult to find on ebay or cl. i think i'll go... i need a set of 28h 126 spacing shimano 600 hubs and i've come up empty for three months.
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Old 11-02-11, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by hueyhoolihan
... i need a set of 28h 126 spacing shimano 600 hubs and i've come up empty for three months.
Huh - I've got a set of 32h and 36h Shimano 600 hub wheel sets, but no 28h. Those would be a bit tougher to find, I think.
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Old 11-02-11, 02:30 PM
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haven't been, probably going this year though.
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Old 11-02-11, 05:25 PM
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It's fun you can race cyclocross if you want. Watch the BNXers do tricks, check out cool bike stuff and people watch.
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Old 11-02-11, 05:30 PM
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I went to VeloSwap a few times (at least '03-'06 and '09 according to my calendar), and also the Bike Expo last year. I'm glad they kept it at the Cow Palace and not at that place on Brannan. More room and it's slightly closer to the south bay.

It's entertaining, I like going enough to pay admission.

It doesn't look like Sports Basement is selling cheap advance tickets this year, though.
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Old 11-02-11, 05:45 PM
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I'm working the event with Eden Bicycles - should be fun.
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Old 11-02-11, 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by bigbossman
Huh - I've got a set of 32h and 36h Shimano 600 hub wheel sets, but no 28h. Those would be a bit tougher to find, I think.
yes, 32 and 36h are plentiful, but 28H (and they DO exist), not so much... i've already got the rims and spokes so there is little chance that an alternative is likely. i'll just be patient...

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Old 11-02-11, 08:00 PM
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At $15.00 a ticket that's ridiculous, I'm not surehow many of us will want to go for that. I remember a few years ago when it was Velo-Swap it was a lot less. There wasn't much new items for sale, just a lot of used stuff and a lot of junk that people wanted to unload. I guess the guys putting it on forgot that there is a recession going on as they forgot about the economy. If they wanted a good attendance maybe they should take a good look at what they're charging for their price of admission.

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Old 11-03-11, 09:23 PM
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I went to it a couple of years ago and it was a disappointment. You could get better stuff on e-bay cheaper and not have to pay their price of admission. Most of the stuff they're selling is real junk, as someone is cleaning out their garage and a lot of these items are dirty and rusty. You don't see much vendors selling new items for a good price. Yea for $15.00 admission you better find something you need bad.
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Old 11-05-11, 08:17 AM
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Originally Posted by DRietz
I'm working the event with Eden Bicycles - should be fun.

Do you work at Eden? I was just there on Friday.
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Old 11-05-11, 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by ual747captain
At $15.00 a ticket that's ridiculous, I'm not surehow many of us will want to go for that. I remember a few years ago when it was Velo-Swap it was a lot less. There wasn't much new items for sale, just a lot of used stuff and a lot of junk that people wanted to unload. I guess the guys putting it on forgot that there is a recession going on as they forgot about the economy. If they wanted a good attendance maybe they should take a good look at what they're charging for their price of admission.
You don't happen to drive a German Car with a plate that says "747capt"?
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Old 11-05-11, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by BlastRadius
You don't happen to drive a German Car with a plate that says "747capt"?
No, all my cars are American cars, 2009 Ford Expedition Limited, 2007 Ford F-250 Crewcab, 2011 Corvette ZR1

Last edited by ual747captain; 11-05-11 at 09:32 PM.
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Old 11-05-11, 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by BlastRadius
Do you work at Eden? I was just there on Friday.
Yes, sir. As in, yesterday? I was at work yesterday building children's bikes for our Kid's Fair today.

I'm the high school grom. During the summer I was working pretty much full time, but now I can only truly handle Saturdays.
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Old 11-09-11, 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by DRietz
Yes, sir. As in, yesterday? I was at work yesterday building children's bikes for our Kid's Fair today.

I'm the high school grom. During the summer I was working pretty much full time, but now I can only truly handle Saturdays.
Yep, last Friday. Talk to someone, didn't get his name, for a long time about an Orbea and the Pinarello FP2 on the floor there.
I was there with my friend Roy.
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Old 11-09-11, 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by ual747captain
No, all my cars are American cars, 2009 Ford Expedition Limited, 2007 Ford F-250 Crewcab, 2011 Corvette ZR1
Hmm. It may have been the Corvette I saw... it was a sports car for sure.
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Old 11-09-11, 09:33 AM
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Originally Posted by BlastRadius
Yep, last Friday. Talk to someone, didn't get his name, for a long time about an Orbea and the Pinarello FP2 on the floor there.
I was there with my friend Roy.
Was he lanky, or a bigger dude? Our big guy is Matt - Di2 afficionado. Friday I was mostly building bikes, but I did talk to a Denny about some Orbeas.
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Old 11-09-11, 01:06 PM
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I'm hoping I can find an actual cycling sweater. This seems to have become a retro lost item.
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Old 11-09-11, 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by ual747captain
At $15.00 a ticket that's ridiculous.......
Originally Posted by speedemon
..........for $15.00 admission you better find something you need bad.
I look at it a bit differently. For $15, I see it as a cheap afternoon's entertainment. Not much else you can do for a few hours that costs less.

Also, I like pawing through other folk's junk.. I find a lot of the vintage stuff I want doing that. Older Cinelli stems and bars for example, and Regal saddles. Plus, there are always targets of opportunity...... rims, hubs/hub parts, etc.
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Old 11-10-11, 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by bigbossman
I look at it a bit differently. For $15, I see it as a cheap afternoon's entertainment. Not much else you can do for a few hours that costs less.
+1. I am not bringing the wife and son this year so I can do more pawing.
I am hoping to find a seatpost for this mini-velo at the very least-- the stock one is SO BAD. If anyone has any cheap 451 wheels/tires laying around, I might take those, too.
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Old 11-10-11, 08:23 PM
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You can get a $3 discount if your buy your tickets in advance (from Mikes Bikes and a few other shops).
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Old 11-11-11, 12:02 AM
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Originally Posted by johnny99
You can get a $3 discount if your buy your tickets in advance (from Mikes Bikes and a few other shops).
Mike's has them? I avoid their Paly store since they took down their customer bike rack and gave me the stink eye for walking in with my bike.
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