Indiana is out of bikes.
12-19-19, 08:29 PM
#51
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Two problems I see. Prices on nice finished bikes are DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. Meanwhile the prices of projects at garage sales/thrift stores/etc, are UP, UP, UP.
So there is a serious margin squeeze. Bikes I used to sell for $300 now go for $150, and it takes a while. On the mid level stuff, the profit is GONE. Its gotten where the crankset, derailleurs and shifters are worth about 2X what I can get for the complete bike. I pulled two I had listed on C/L this year for that reason. Then I dismantled, sold some parts and donated the rest.
Meanwhile, parts still do well. I've got the same total margin in $$ this year as prior years. But in the past I was selling 50 to 60 bikes a year, and no parts. Now it's 5 or 6 bikes a year and a LOT of parts. Eventually the market will catch up and we will see parts drop too. NOS, top of the line, new in box, I don't see those dropping. But a nice, clean, used vintage used parts, I think those are starting to soften up.
I've already seen a drop on BMX. Stuff that would sell in an hour on ebay will now last 30 days, then get re-listed a few times before it sells. At a lower price. Again, I am not talking the super rare stuff.
Lately, my only purchases (other than bikes for parts) have been bikes that interested me, like a 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport and a 1970s Allegro. Meanwhile,I am aggressively reducing inventory as I do not know whether we have hit BOTTOM yet. Its kind of that "catching a falling knife" situation. Just when you think things can't go lower, they do. Its kind of odd. When the economy sucked, vintage bikes were valuable.
So there is a serious margin squeeze. Bikes I used to sell for $300 now go for $150, and it takes a while. On the mid level stuff, the profit is GONE. Its gotten where the crankset, derailleurs and shifters are worth about 2X what I can get for the complete bike. I pulled two I had listed on C/L this year for that reason. Then I dismantled, sold some parts and donated the rest.
Meanwhile, parts still do well. I've got the same total margin in $$ this year as prior years. But in the past I was selling 50 to 60 bikes a year, and no parts. Now it's 5 or 6 bikes a year and a LOT of parts. Eventually the market will catch up and we will see parts drop too. NOS, top of the line, new in box, I don't see those dropping. But a nice, clean, used vintage used parts, I think those are starting to soften up.
I've already seen a drop on BMX. Stuff that would sell in an hour on ebay will now last 30 days, then get re-listed a few times before it sells. At a lower price. Again, I am not talking the super rare stuff.
Lately, my only purchases (other than bikes for parts) have been bikes that interested me, like a 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport and a 1970s Allegro. Meanwhile,I am aggressively reducing inventory as I do not know whether we have hit BOTTOM yet. Its kind of that "catching a falling knife" situation. Just when you think things can't go lower, they do. Its kind of odd. When the economy sucked, vintage bikes were valuable.
12-19-19, 08:34 PM
#52
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by chance, I manage the membership database for the local recreational bike club, and there was some discussion of the aging of the membership.
For fun, I ran the numbers and came up with this age distribution....
It does seem like this problem extends to a number of other local sports clubs too.
Steve in Peoria
For fun, I ran the numbers and came up with this age distribution....
It does seem like this problem extends to a number of other local sports clubs too.
Steve in Peoria
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12-19-19, 09:19 PM
#54
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I picked about a dozen bikes this year. Don't do much CL or Marketplace these days. A few from Garage sales, estate sales, auctions and flea markets because I frequent those anyway, a few from swap meets and a few curbside. Most recently a mostly complete mid 70's Motobecane Grand Record at an estate sale. They had a few bikes in the listing but this one was hanging in the attic of the garage, a little rough but well worth the $10 asking price. The winter bike swaps usually yield some interesting project bikes for reasonable prices.
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Be where your feet are.......Lisa Bluder
Be where your feet are.......Lisa Bluder
12-20-19, 08:10 AM
#55
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12-20-19, 09:23 AM
#56
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I used to buy bikes with specific people in mind. Then I started to buy only in my general range unless it was a smoking deal and had 2x or more resale.
But what I found is, there were a couple of bikes +/- 1 or 2 cm that actually fit me quite well. This has led to me having a couple of extra 56, and at least one extra 61.
But what I found is, there were a couple of bikes +/- 1 or 2 cm that actually fit me quite well. This has led to me having a couple of extra 56, and at least one extra 61.
12-20-19, 09:26 AM
#57
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I hear a lot of people not liking CL. I get that it can be a hassle, but when you find the right one, it's all worth it. I picked up a "nary a scratch" nice 86 Schwinn Voyageur Touring bike last week for $60. It was dusty, but not greasy or rusted. I'll look every day as long as I can do that once in a while. A little time and effort, and it's be a really nice ride.
Last edited by UKFan4Sure; 12-20-19 at 09:35 AM.
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12-20-19, 02:50 PM
#58
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Seattle CL is at a bit of a nadir, especially if you're in the 63-65cm / 25" frame size market like I am, buying or selling. At Christmas time. I've listed a few of my very well restored and sorted bikes for months now, and since the summer never really started with a bang, very few got on the bike train. Sure, it leads to a pristine 1985 Allez SE frame, fork, Spec. HS, BB, and crankset for $100, but the outflow is even worse. A 63cm 1981 Univega Gran Premio, 25" 1985 Novara Strada, 25.5" 1982 Vista Aero Course (made by Araya), and 63cm SLX-tubed Battaglin (needs work) are all in limbo at present. The Novara and the Batty have been listed before, but have since been removed due to lack of demand or potential buyer that wanted me to drive two hours for a killer deal on his end.
I can't even find someone to give good money to for a decent used car. Too many miles and an ok-ish asking price, or lower/low miles and an astronomical asking price--no middle ground!
I can't even find someone to give good money to for a decent used car. Too many miles and an ok-ish asking price, or lower/low miles and an astronomical asking price--no middle ground!
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12-20-19, 09:57 PM
#59
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-----
mrs. sloar -
"Yes indeed, Indiana is certainly out of bikes. And I know exactly where they all are!"
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mrs. sloar -
"Yes indeed, Indiana is certainly out of bikes. And I know exactly where they all are!"
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12-20-19, 11:59 PM
#60
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12-21-19, 06:56 AM
#61
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After I retired from the Honda shop at the end of March, my big plan for the year was to get Syke's Cyclery going again like I had it ten years ago in Montpelier. Do a couple of high end, old, restorations while spending most of my time either doing repairs/maintenance for people who lived close to me (the closest commercial bike shop in Richmond is about ten miles from my neighborhood) and refurbish every Schwinn Varsity I could find for resale to the local college students for transportation.
Never happened. Varsities are being offered around here, in sitting-in-the-garage-for-thirty-years-condition, for what I'd expect to sell the refurbished bike. Picked up a couple of repair jobs locally, although not as much as I expected. The one side that did take off is the serious restoration, mainly due to my involvement with Jamestown Settlement and our annual Military Thru the Ages event in March. There's a lot of WWI, Irish Rebellion, Spanish Civil War, and WWII reenactment out there; and I've become the go-to person for anyone looking to add a period bicycle to the unit kit. I'm stunned as to how many BSA paratroop folding bikes are out there. I'd taken on my first serious commission for the WWII British Women's Land Army group with that '35 Armstrong I was working on.
And then the fire hit.
Once the shop's rebuilt, I not really sure where I'm going in the hobby. At the moment, between third-line leftover tools and donations from members of the group, I've got enough of a shop to do weekly maintenance on what I'm riding. Once the shop's rebuilt, I really want to start working on much older bikes - that Armstrong was something that whetted my appetite, and there's another guy in the area (good friend) who's seriously working on pre-WWI bikes. Other than that, due to the market, I'm definitely not going into working on the level that I was doing the first half of this decade.
Never happened. Varsities are being offered around here, in sitting-in-the-garage-for-thirty-years-condition, for what I'd expect to sell the refurbished bike. Picked up a couple of repair jobs locally, although not as much as I expected. The one side that did take off is the serious restoration, mainly due to my involvement with Jamestown Settlement and our annual Military Thru the Ages event in March. There's a lot of WWI, Irish Rebellion, Spanish Civil War, and WWII reenactment out there; and I've become the go-to person for anyone looking to add a period bicycle to the unit kit. I'm stunned as to how many BSA paratroop folding bikes are out there. I'd taken on my first serious commission for the WWII British Women's Land Army group with that '35 Armstrong I was working on.
And then the fire hit.
Once the shop's rebuilt, I not really sure where I'm going in the hobby. At the moment, between third-line leftover tools and donations from members of the group, I've got enough of a shop to do weekly maintenance on what I'm riding. Once the shop's rebuilt, I really want to start working on much older bikes - that Armstrong was something that whetted my appetite, and there's another guy in the area (good friend) who's seriously working on pre-WWI bikes. Other than that, due to the market, I'm definitely not going into working on the level that I was doing the first half of this decade.
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“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
H.L. Mencken, (1926)
Syke
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
H.L. Mencken, (1926)
12-21-19, 08:00 AM
#62
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My interest lies solely in the high end bikes of yore. I flipped a fair few midrange road bikes but I am starting to look beyond them when I am on craigslist. I still have a couple that I will sell in springtime but my time is more valuable elsewhere these days.
Every year there is another production year of used brifter road bikes in the wild and they get cheaper. The midrange friction downtube shifting bikes are just not as appealing to your average buyer at the prices one wants to get to buy, refurbish and resell with a few dollars to get the next project. One can buy a 105 or similar 9 speed brifter bike for a couple hundred dollars fairly regularly. Hard to sell a 6 speed freewheel cluster bike for the same or more.
Bike flipping has never been profitable when you take into account time but most of us do it because we like to tinker and the few dollars it brings pays for more projects.
Every year there is another production year of used brifter road bikes in the wild and they get cheaper. The midrange friction downtube shifting bikes are just not as appealing to your average buyer at the prices one wants to get to buy, refurbish and resell with a few dollars to get the next project. One can buy a 105 or similar 9 speed brifter bike for a couple hundred dollars fairly regularly. Hard to sell a 6 speed freewheel cluster bike for the same or more.
Bike flipping has never been profitable when you take into account time but most of us do it because we like to tinker and the few dollars it brings pays for more projects.
12-23-19, 08:03 AM
#63
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I've sold 24 bikes in the past 12 months on CL. 9 vintage touring bikes, as well as some other interesting ones. The market may have softened, but there seems to be plenty of deals if one chooses to look.
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12-23-19, 08:21 AM
#64
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I sold two bikes during the last year, one a Raleigh Super Course TT project build and the other a Peugeot U08 commuter build. Both sold quickly at my requested price on CL with quite a few inquiries after the fact. Granted I could have waited it out for more money but that wasn't the point. They went to appreciative new owners at reasonable prices and I made space for a project in waiting.
12-24-19, 08:59 AM
#65
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It’s been slow
It’s been slow the last month but I’ve had a good year overall, so no complaints. Bought 3 completes(91 Cinelli supercorsa, 77 Trek tx900, and 86 pro Miyata) and 2 frame sets(86 Fuji opus iii & Univega Competizione). Got a 1986 Pro Miyata in very good condition in November for only $200.
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12-24-19, 11:30 AM
#67
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Southwest Ontario is definitely running low on bikes! I managed to only find two or three this year and they are low value but keep me busy. They will sell easily to the local rail trail riders who seen to want older ATBs and MTBs. My new business plan is to simply enjoy the process and try not to lose money. Of course every once in a while a keeper comes along and the pattern has to shift. Anybody want to buy a very good condition rebuilt 1972 Raleigh Sports 3sp 23" in Coffee?
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We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
We are what we reflect. We are the changes that we bring to this world. Ride often. -Geo.-
12-24-19, 12:52 PM
#68
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Welcome to Tampa 5 years ago. The market here crashed and crashed hard. It was odd in that supply dried up almost overnight. There's still a few high end classics that show up but not like they were.
12-24-19, 02:47 PM
#69
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However, I did find two mtb's at garage sales that were outrageous deals.
A super nice ParkPre Catalyst with full XT and a Moots YBB 26'r.
Both owners were happy to get them out of their garages.
FWIW I once drove to South Bend to pick up a 1974 Colnago Super.
Almost 25 years ago and I thought I had found the deal of the century.
12-26-19, 04:32 PM
#70
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Well Indiana is about to loose another bike! I have gotten too many in the herd. This one I picked up a year ago thinking I would get to it, and it languishes here still. There has to be a C&V'er out there that needs a project for the winter. PM me if interested. Even if it is from Elwood. It needs some TLC and a right aero lever but comes with new tires and new aero lever covers. Smiles, MH
