Murray Missile 

Number 2 is gone, the Free Spirit of all things and I had 2 people wanting it! Went to a very nice young lady that was thoroughly thrilled with it, I like when that happens.

Kobe 

We all know the Free Spirit's reputation, but it is a looker with all that chrome.

Gravity Aided

Might consider Bloomington Normal or Peoria CL, lots of interest a little further east.

Murray Missile 

They should be visible to those areas as they're on on FB Marketplace as well and when I checked I was seeing stuff in Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana too. So far all the contact I've received on them has been through the FB pages I linked them to through our local bicycle sales FB page. CL, zilch.

The tire kickers and "I can get one at WalMart for...." mouth breathers are starting to come out of the woodwork now. Had some kid offer me $50 for the GT because it's "26 years old after all". I told him to read the ad, he came back wanting to know the lowest I'd take, I told him full price.

Murray Missile 

I'm contemplating stripping this one and boxing up the parts for a rainy day, the Mountech RD is twisted up like a pretzel and the paint isn't great



The jury is still out on this 1974 Lambert, while quite rough it was a one owner and it still has the original death fork. Once I get the garage reorganized it might be cool to clean it all up and have it hanging from the rafters.

Murray Missile 

Hmmm, maybe it's the full moon but man there are a lot of "persons of diminished capacity" replying to my FB ads! But at least I'm getting responses. Still not a single response from CL.

Murray Missile 

Put it on the stand, I was thinking of cleaning it up and making it functional but I found several other component issues so I pulled what I could use off it and I'll put the rest of the carcass on CL "free to a good home".

cycleheimer

Wow! I also have too many bikes. Mrs. Cycleheimer is really getting angry that the number has gone higher, instead of lower, recently. She has started to threaten me with the big "D", and I don't mean Dallas. Yes, she is talking about getting a dumpster. It's scary. We will be talking about ways to avoid it (dumpster). Eight is OK with her, so it isn't all bad.

Murray Missile 

Mrs. Missile is thrilled LOL. Now that I'm in sell mode I keep finding bikes I have wanted in my size and cheap. I have been good though, unless they're something special (to me at least) in excellent condition and a screaming deal I'll just walk on by..... I hope.

cudak888 

That's because that's the general populace of Facebook

I've had good luck with CL, even more recently, in a market with much lower prices locally - the extra click of the "Reply" button system (and the additional effort to call/text the number) help weed out time wasters. By comparison, OfferUp's slick, one-click system works smooth as butter, but it encourages every ghoster in town to send you a dead-end message.

-Kurt

cycleheimer

Same here. I keep finding really great deals on really great bikes in my size in excellent condition... quality versus quantity. Stuff you just can't walk away from. CL is pretty beat right now, but FB Marketplace has had some amazing stuff show up lately. I feel like a fat kid on a diet in a candy store.

cycleheimer

$50 is the new $150 around here lately. You see anything posted over $100 reposted over and over again for months. Good for me, since I catch hell for every bike purchase I make.

cudak888 

Look at it this way - it makes it easy to snatch up the good stuff. $60 for a modern Allez frame? Why not?

Granted, that's no guarantee of success either - I've been ghosted at least as many times by sellers as buyers, perhaps more so. Even had one person reply to me...then ghost me for two weeks, reply again, ghost, and then archived the ad. No wonder it was up for eight months.

-Kurt

cycleheimer

You are talking my language.

Murray Missile 

Still not a single hit from CL for me, all the action has been on FB. I'm getting more serious hits than flakes now at least.

cudak888 

Great example of how one market can be vastly different than another. I never ever had luck with a single person on FB Marketplace. Complete flake zone here.

-Kurt

miamijim

As of 2 weeks ago I’m at (0) bikes. Just need to unload the remaining parts.

cudak888 

Send all pre-1984 Campy in my general direction.

-Kurt

Murray Missile 

I took Big Bird for a ride tonight, I hadn't ridden it very far since I put the Panaracers on it and I kind of wanted to get in one last ride on it. It may have been a mistake, I'm not so sure I want to part with the old beast now. I wasn't really impressed with the Panaracers when I had them on the Fuji Espree I just sold but they sure feel good on the Varsity. It is much more enjoyable to ride than when I rode it in the Clunker Challenge a couple years ago, it's like a different bike, it doesn't feel like it weighs 45 Lbs. I had a slight clearance issue with the front fender as the Panaracers are taller than the tires that were on it but finally got it "schmoozed" away from the tire. I'll leave it up for sale for awhile but I'm not sure for how long, something else may end up going instead. I always made fun of "Varsinentals" and I couldn't understand what the attraction was for the bicycle equivalent of a Checker cab but for causal riding on chip and oil and gravel they are actually quite nice.

Gravity Aided

I commuted on the Varsity in Junior high school, took one for a ride at the Bike Co-op in Bloomington the other day, and it sure was a nice ride. I have to admit it punches above weight for a 45 pound, slack geometry, plain steel bicycle Captain Kangaroo recommended.

Murray Missile 

I weakened, Big Bird is staying, I enjoy riding it too much and I know I would regret selling it. But, the purge will continue.

The guy that bought the Espree talked to me yesterday to tell me He's enjoying it so much he hasn't been riding his C.F. Pinarello and is thinking of looking for a lighter vintage steel bike....... I warned him this might happen!

Murray Missile 

Another one gone, got full asking price but I'm kind of sad because he's going to put a rear wheel with an electric motor on it and it's going to have a big old battery and controller bolted to the frame. Oh well, he paid his money and it's his now.......

ryansu

Interesting read as I am thining my herd too this summer, I have sent 3 bike out the door, and have two more listed on CL. And finally one down to the frame for a refurb so I can get it back together while the sun still shines and move it along, If they all sell I will be down to 4 bikes and one of those will need a rebuild this winter/fall so I can evaluate if its a keeper - 87 Trek 520.

I may have to list on FB MP if the two on CL languish just to see if that makes a difference. Good suggestion thanks.

One of my first refurbs ever was a Varsity. The lady who bought it came back from her test ride with the biggest grin and told me it made her feel 13 again, that was a fun sale.

Sold so Far this summer: Schwinn LeTour, Bianci Ibex and Novara Randonee

got it for $50 off CL in a week moment too small -refurb'd and sold


Clunker challenge 2017 spruced up; new tires, grips and bottle cage and sold, fit was just a bit off.


build for my leave at work bike but between overlap with the fleet and a too short TT it went on the block

Murray Missile 

One more gone tonight but it was a "modern" TREK so I won't go into more detail on it but I weakened again and added one last night. A worthy one though, a 1995 Marin Eldridge Ridge MTB, needs some TLC but it has "good bones" as they say, mostly original with very good paint and decals. Don't flame me for the picture, it's from the CL ad, haven't had a chance to take proper pics yet.

John E

I keep thinking about reducing the count, but each has its specific purpose.