Glennfordx4

That's what I'm seeing also, time & time again when I turn to Ebay for something I need or want the pricing makes me shake my head in disbelief, I think it's because of the few sellers on there that think their NOS or used parts are gold plated that parts that I would have paid $5 to $20 for are now asking $50 and up. I have gotten much better deals here on BF lately then I have else where.

Glenn

mstateglfr 

totally agree about buying from this site. I buy components here for less overall, and usually in better condition for the price than on eBay. The transactions are faster too. And I definitely sell items on this site for less than I list them for on eBay.

vanritte

People collect what they lusted after in their youth, simple as that. Each generation starts buying memories from their youth when they get enough money and leisure to do so. Eventually, each generation dies off and passes the baton to a new one. They, in turn, start buying what interested them. Functionality has little to do with it. For example, I started racing when I was 12 on full Campy steel bikes -- Atala, Gitane, Bianchi, Rossin, Bottechia, Ciocc, Masi, the usual Italian Stallions. 5 or 6 speed clusters, friction shifting, sew-ups, engraved stems, the whole works. I still have some of them and take them for a spin every now and then. Sure, they don't work as well as my latest 11 speed, 14 lb race bike. But that's not the point: I keep them around because they are an emblem and memory from my youth and I think they are beautiful aesthetically. My kids, now in their 20s, don't understand their appeal. Eventually, I will grow too old and will stop collecting. The new generation, those that grew up with Shimano STI and clinchers and carbon fiber and know nothing about the allure of Campy or sew-ups or a 5 speed 14-18 straight block, will take over. That, in a nutshell, is why prices are down -- vintage stuff from the 60s and 70s is running out of buyers!

Kommisar89

Yep, this, right here.

I'm 56. Even some of my "younger" cycling friends in their 40s don't see the appeal of the old bikes or Campagnolo. While I came of cycling age in the mid 70s they did so in the mid 80s. They grew up with BMX, early mountain bikes, and the rise of Shimano.

Now if I could just find a black and gold Bandit Trans Am...

findfixride

I have some shifters and pump bracket Campy parts, was going to put them on eBay, they are so cool it's hard to part with them.
Each generation wants to buy their youth, why I would like a 1967 Firebird like my first car, not a 1932 rod like the last generation, now it's BMX bikes, kids don't really get after growing up in the China years of what is true quality, still have my His & Hers 1959 Schwinn 26ers and Varsity, last of the 60 or more Schwinns of the past.

Chr0m0ly 

Kommisar89

Everybody has their first "good" bike. I vaguely remember my banana seat bike, metallic gold with a two tone black and white seat. That was followed by my first department store "10-speed" in a small, kids size with 26" wheels and then a larger model with standard 27" wheels though of the same gas pipe construction. I don't collect any of them either. When I was 12 I bought my first "good" bike - a 1974 Bottecchia Special. I'm building a replica of that now. I collect Bottecchias of various periods, not all necessarily from when I was growing up. I have a '59 and a '67 which are from before I was born and before I was old enough to ride without training wheels respectively.

Dave Cutter

80% of the American population couldn't even guess who John Kerry is. 70% can't tell you who Mike Pence is.

curbtender

Isn't he Hunter Pence's brother?

wrk101

"Well, kind of, wage growth overall in the USA was 2.7% in the last year, the Core inflation index was up 2.9%. Averages are just that, but the trend is not terrific."

Knowing a lot of people that struggled through the Great Recession, their problem wasn't hourly wage, it was the number of hours worked per week. Many were cut back to under 29 hrs, so employers could avoid providing insurance.

I would really like statistics on average weekly earnings, instead of hourly wage rate. Most of the statistics show the increase in wages by group: full time and part time. What you don't see is the number of people that are part time but would much prefer to be full time. Moving up from part time to full time is a huge jump in total wages and benefits, whether the hourly wage increases or not.

Wage growth by this analysis is up 4.79%, a pretty healthy amount. How they calculate it is beyond me, so I cannot confirm the accuracy.

I do know that my bike sales during the "Great Recession" were at much higher prices than today. So I think it is more about the end of the fixie craze, the technology change in bikes (more speeds, more convenient shifters, disk brakes).

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/wage-growth

Tamiya

big chainring 

Cost of everything! Insurance, food, education, you name it. I once thought a $100 was a lot of money. And it was. Now... its groceries for a couple days.

greg3rd48 

I started working on and collecting vintage bikes four years back when my wife was pregnant with our first child. I had never ridden a road bike and was not very fond of the hybrid that I purchased for exercise and commuting purposes. I loved the challenge of bringing something back to life in many cases, to my taste in a manner that wouldn't break the bank. I am a francophile so the first bike that I picked up was a beat up Peugeot U08 and my affinity toward French bikes continues now (U08 commuter, PX10, and a Gitane in the works). Over 20 bikes have now passed through my possession and this hobby has left me a satisfied, happy, continuously fit individual. I ride only C&V or retroroadies and have logged 20K plus miles since the addiction started. Considering the benefits that it has afforded me I find the C&V incredibly rewarding and the the tantalizing beauty of the the bikes is captivating. Most of my bikes were created before I was born or during my childhood when I was rolling around on 16in bmx bikes so there is no longing for something from my youth. That being said I do retromod some bikes and I do plan on getting a new carbon road bike to throw in the mix. Why can't C&V and modern coexist?

Oyama

Hi all, this thread is full of opinions from different experience. Personally I would like to share here that vintage bike is not always about the "youth memories". What attracted me much about vintage bike is about beauty and its aesthetics. I am collecting some bikes where in my eyes those bikes are sparks their beauty every time i lool at it. I have Tommasini Prestige circa 1986 where the condition is really superb. After have it for about two years I only ride it twice, and it was really smooth and nice ride. For Everyday ride I choose my alloy Spez or Carbon BMC. Do you all think the vintage bike is a good investment? I say with no doubt, yes they are. There are people who can see the beauty of vintage bikes and many of them are rich enough to spend more to acquire vintage bike. When collectors tend to keep the bike the supply on the market is tend to shrink and it will logically rise the price.

SurferRosa

Riding a bike makes me feel young. But flying down a windy pass on a beautiful vintage lightweight makes me feel athletic, alive, magnificent.