Flipped for big $$$?
07-20-19, 06:04 AM
#51
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The part out line for me is difficult - I’ve bought target bikes for part out many times, though usually it’s because it has something I want for a build. What I don’t use gets sold, or gets tossed in storage and I feel crappy for not selling it as intended.
Generally - I view bikes as a bunch of separate pieces, and I usually change things on what I buy. Some bikes are special, and I can’t bring myself to alter them. It’s not a science...I know it when I see it.
A big part of the equation is if the bike seems mostly original and the date codes all match. But it still depends on the bike. Stuff gets changed out with any bike that gets ridden anyway.
It’s the museum piece vs. rider line, and I don’t view very many bikes as being that special, unique, or worthy of pristine preservation. There are those special bikes that just shouldn’t be changed, or parted out. If you get a Rene herse with original bits, I think it would be a shame to part it out. I’d have no problems sticking the original bits in a box and altering it as I see fit.
Generally - I view bikes as a bunch of separate pieces, and I usually change things on what I buy. Some bikes are special, and I can’t bring myself to alter them. It’s not a science...I know it when I see it.
A big part of the equation is if the bike seems mostly original and the date codes all match. But it still depends on the bike. Stuff gets changed out with any bike that gets ridden anyway.
It’s the museum piece vs. rider line, and I don’t view very many bikes as being that special, unique, or worthy of pristine preservation. There are those special bikes that just shouldn’t be changed, or parted out. If you get a Rene herse with original bits, I think it would be a shame to part it out. I’d have no problems sticking the original bits in a box and altering it as I see fit.
07-20-19, 06:11 AM
#52
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Only have one experience that kind of fits in with this. Years ago, my wife sold a set of Cragar S/S wheels to a guy down the street for what she thought was a good price. Minutes after, he put them out in front of his house with a for sale sign and more than double what he paid. After about ten minutes of disbelief and frustration, I didn't really care. After all, I did say I just wanted them gone. I had no idea she was going to oblige my wishes, though.
With bikes, I never flipped for much profit. A few bikes brought me probably $50 or $60 bucks, but most were losses by the time I was done fitting new tires, cables, etc. I did it more for the fun and learning process of finding and wrenching. I was willing to pay for those experiences. When I decided I didn't want a bike around anymore, I'd list it for a price I know would move it out quicker, or even donate it to charity. Once gone all was fine.
With bikes, I never flipped for much profit. A few bikes brought me probably $50 or $60 bucks, but most were losses by the time I was done fitting new tires, cables, etc. I did it more for the fun and learning process of finding and wrenching. I was willing to pay for those experiences. When I decided I didn't want a bike around anymore, I'd list it for a price I know would move it out quicker, or even donate it to charity. Once gone all was fine.
07-20-19, 08:01 AM
#53
aged to perfection
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Interesting thread about "getting your money back. There are lots of flippers out there. While I don't think one can reasonably expect to recover the cost of a restoration if you buy a candidate frame off ebay, pay a top class painter, and collect all NOS parts, if you find the right bike - maybe somebody else's project - buy it right, and play your cards carefully, you can recover much of your spend (notice I carefully avoid use of the word investment).
Back in 1980 Spence told me of a nice Cinelli that was for sale and I drove to Spreckels, CA to meet the very nice owner. For those who don't know, Spreckels is on Hiway 68 between Salinas and Monterey near Laguna Seca Raceway. I paid $700 for the bike which was all black and in stunning condition with all the documentation. It had been raffled off at a benefit auction and the present owner was the winner.
That bike had 151 cranks and top 63 brakes ! Con Dente pedals too - all the candy. I rode it quite a lot when I lived in the bay area. At some point I sold the cranks for $200 to Jim Cunningham as he needed them for a restoration job - the bike ended up going to cycle art for a repaint - and while it was apart I put the top 63 brakes on ebay and got 1200 bucks for them, sold to a collector in Japan.
I kept that bike until 2010 - so I owned it 30 years - and then somebody came to me thru the CR list who "just had to have" a Cinelli and this bike was his size, so I let it go and the agreed price was 2800 bucks.I will concede that this was a diamond in the rough with many parts that became cool later. Today with nearly universal awareness and a global marketplace, it is pretty difficult - but not impossible - to recoup your costs with a vintage bike restoration - but you absolutely cannot go into any particular project with that mindset.
In my view the first question you should ask yourself is "do I like this bike ? do I want to own it ?" It always makes better sense to buy somebody else's project - rather than undertake your own project from the start. And lastly I think you need to have a long term view - flippers -especially those who add no value - generally won't do well.
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
Back in 1980 Spence told me of a nice Cinelli that was for sale and I drove to Spreckels, CA to meet the very nice owner. For those who don't know, Spreckels is on Hiway 68 between Salinas and Monterey near Laguna Seca Raceway. I paid $700 for the bike which was all black and in stunning condition with all the documentation. It had been raffled off at a benefit auction and the present owner was the winner.
That bike had 151 cranks and top 63 brakes ! Con Dente pedals too - all the candy. I rode it quite a lot when I lived in the bay area. At some point I sold the cranks for $200 to Jim Cunningham as he needed them for a restoration job - the bike ended up going to cycle art for a repaint - and while it was apart I put the top 63 brakes on ebay and got 1200 bucks for them, sold to a collector in Japan.
I kept that bike until 2010 - so I owned it 30 years - and then somebody came to me thru the CR list who "just had to have" a Cinelli and this bike was his size, so I let it go and the agreed price was 2800 bucks.I will concede that this was a diamond in the rough with many parts that became cool later. Today with nearly universal awareness and a global marketplace, it is pretty difficult - but not impossible - to recoup your costs with a vintage bike restoration - but you absolutely cannot go into any particular project with that mindset.
In my view the first question you should ask yourself is "do I like this bike ? do I want to own it ?" It always makes better sense to buy somebody else's project - rather than undertake your own project from the start. And lastly I think you need to have a long term view - flippers -especially those who add no value - generally won't do well.
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
Last edited by mpetry912; 07-20-19 at 08:07 AM.
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07-22-19, 11:09 AM
#54
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i've bought a lot of cannondale and japanese schwinns for $20 and later sold without too much work for $175 or so
does that count?
they all seemed to be 56cm
wle
does that count?
they all seemed to be 56cm
wle
07-22-19, 11:12 AM
#55
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also - "listing for sale" is not the same as "selling the bike"
wle
wle
07-22-19, 11:33 AM
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If I sell a bike and he buyer sells it again at a higher price I don't care. What does irk me is when I build up a nice road-bike for someone who NEEDS a bike and then they turn around and sell if for a couple hundred dollars or less. I've had that happen a few times and it does irk me a bit as the bikes were worth and were fetching $500.00 or more on Ebay or Kijiji. Now if I give a bicycle away for nothing I make sure it's a cheap bicycle.
Cheers
Cheers
07-22-19, 11:42 AM
#57
~>~
Fantasy.
"Investing" in old bicycles to make a "profit"?
Might as well get some hours as a door greeter at Wally-Mart: no wasted time or $ invested, you can stand in the AC and you get a check that won't bounce.
-Bandera
"Investing" in old bicycles to make a "profit"?
Might as well get some hours as a door greeter at Wally-Mart: no wasted time or $ invested, you can stand in the AC and you get a check that won't bounce.
-Bandera
Last edited by Bandera; 07-22-19 at 12:29 PM.
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07-22-19, 11:48 AM
#58
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wle
07-22-19, 12:06 PM
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Flipped for big money beacuse of my 6 mistakes
I purchased an antique/vintage bicycle front fender, or so I thought, at a yard sale. My 1st mistake The front fender was in excellent condition w/ original paint, heavy duty "ridge spine" down the center top and peculiar looking metal hooks along the inside of the fender. These "hooks" reminded me of modern bike caliper pull brake cable hooks but a bike that this fender would fit would be far to old for caliper brakes, why are they there? Oh well I am not an antique/ vintage bicycle expert, what do I know?...My 2nd mistake. So I listed the antique/vintage bike fender on eBay as a bicycle front fender not a bicycle/motorcycle front fender...My 3rd mistake. I had purchased the fender at the yard sale for $20.00 for I listed it on eBay for $69.99 with priority shipping included. I thought my asking price was very profitable at being over 3 times my purchase cost, what an entrepreneur I was...My 4th mistake.
My antique/vintage bicycle front fender sold in about 1/2 hour on eBay, kind of quickly but it happens some time...My 5th mistake.
The buyer paid immediately and I shipped his fender an hour later as promised in my eBay listing promised "same day shipping & handling" Time went by and my buyer received his fender and left me 5 star positive feedback "Super fast shipping & thanks for the motorcycle fender" I emailed my eBay buyer back asking him "What motorcycle fender?" He replied that the antique/ vintage bicycle fender I had sold him, with the peculiar hooks, Was in fact the front fender to an early 1930's Excelsior Motorcycle. I asked him what a front fender, in such fine condition, for an early 1930's Excelsior Motorcycle was worth. He replied $500.00 and gave me his new eBay listing item number. There was my antique/vintage bicycle fender now listed as an early 1930's Excelsior Motorcycle fender for $500.00 shipping not included. Boy did I ever learn a hard lesson as now when I list any bicycle part I also make sure I include the word "Motorcycle" in the title just in case.
My antique/vintage bicycle front fender sold in about 1/2 hour on eBay, kind of quickly but it happens some time...My 5th mistake.
The buyer paid immediately and I shipped his fender an hour later as promised in my eBay listing promised "same day shipping & handling" Time went by and my buyer received his fender and left me 5 star positive feedback "Super fast shipping & thanks for the motorcycle fender" I emailed my eBay buyer back asking him "What motorcycle fender?" He replied that the antique/ vintage bicycle fender I had sold him, with the peculiar hooks, Was in fact the front fender to an early 1930's Excelsior Motorcycle. I asked him what a front fender, in such fine condition, for an early 1930's Excelsior Motorcycle was worth. He replied $500.00 and gave me his new eBay listing item number. There was my antique/vintage bicycle fender now listed as an early 1930's Excelsior Motorcycle fender for $500.00 shipping not included. Boy did I ever learn a hard lesson as now when I list any bicycle part I also make sure I include the word "Motorcycle" in the title just in case.
07-22-19, 03:46 PM
#61
Senior Member
Wait -you have a a Le Champion for sale for $160? Do tell.
07-22-19, 04:19 PM
#62
~>~
Should be a best-seller on BF:
"How To Turn Real $ into a Big Pile of Un-Wanted Junk: Waste Time, $ & Storage Space in Bike Flipping" by I.M. Canvee
Ch.1: Spend real cash, or borrow $$$, to buy old bicycles.
Ch.2: Spend time that could be used on a career, home maintenance or a relationship grubbing around with the "inventory" from Ch.1 while spending $ on parts & stuff.
Ch.3 Carefully craft precise, artful and compelling Crap-List ads for the massive pent up demand cash rich locals no doubt have for your valuable "inventory".
Ch4. Respond to every insulting low-life, drunken, low-ball "offer" from demented sociopaths on Crap-List. Realize that those are the only "offers" you get.
Ch.5 Organize your "inventory" into either heaps or piles alphabetically, by country of origin and by depth of rust.
Ch6. Repeat Ch3 & Ch4 on Flea-bey
Ch7. A national guide to Recycling Centers: How to turn Piles & Heaps of old bicycles into Cash, far less cash than you paid.
"How To Turn Real $ into a Big Pile of Un-Wanted Junk: Waste Time, $ & Storage Space in Bike Flipping" by I.M. Canvee
Ch.1: Spend real cash, or borrow $$$, to buy old bicycles.
Ch.2: Spend time that could be used on a career, home maintenance or a relationship grubbing around with the "inventory" from Ch.1 while spending $ on parts & stuff.
Ch.3 Carefully craft precise, artful and compelling Crap-List ads for the massive pent up demand cash rich locals no doubt have for your valuable "inventory".
Ch4. Respond to every insulting low-life, drunken, low-ball "offer" from demented sociopaths on Crap-List. Realize that those are the only "offers" you get.
Ch.5 Organize your "inventory" into either heaps or piles alphabetically, by country of origin and by depth of rust.
Ch6. Repeat Ch3 & Ch4 on Flea-bey
Ch7. A national guide to Recycling Centers: How to turn Piles & Heaps of old bicycles into Cash, far less cash than you paid.
07-23-19, 06:39 PM
#65
Senior Member
Sure enough...
I sold this Raleigh just last week for $60. It's a Japanese double-blue that i partially repainted, just for fun, to evoke the 70s Grand Sport appearance. Failed experiment. This guy's trying to get $180.
Also sold 5 other bikes within last week to clear space in garage. Maybe they will pop up also?
Also sold 5 other bikes within last week to clear space in garage. Maybe they will pop up also?
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