mtnwkr

So I was out for a ride today and stopped in a shop I used to frequent as a kid. What I found both amazed me and has me a bit depressed. The owner of the shop only does repairs and sells small parts, but he takes anything he can get on donation, fixes em up and sends em off to third world countries. There was THOUSANDS of bikes in this shop, piled up taller than I am. No big deal, probably just junk right? Well, I saw a disproportionately large number of vintage lightweights, including 3 paramounts that I could see on top of the piles. 531 logos everywhere! Bottechia, trek, centurion, fuji, motobecane, butler, c-dale, everything. The owner told me he wont sell anything after being sued for $20,000 by someone that crashed a used bike he sold. He didn't seem to realize what he had. He told me that he stopped selling new bikes because you could buy the same thing cheaper at walmart. I pointed out a paramount under a pile of bikes and stated it would be worth a pretty penny on ebay, the look on his face was "why would someone want that, you can get a new Schwinn at walmart"...
Try as I might, he wouldn't entertain the idea of selling anything.
Here's a picture I found in this thread, appearantly he's collected quite a few more since then as the pile are nearly to the roof.

illwafer

so...you need to buy the frames as "parts". explain how you cant ride a frame only, and you won't sue him. maybe stop in once a week until he relents. bring cash.

tugrul

Maybe you could convince him to throw certain bikes in the dumpster.

USAZorro

Perhaps you could offer him 2:1 trades for things you'd have interest in.

squirtdad

I am curious about the economics, even as a donation, of sending to 'third world counties I wonder the fill up a shipping container and go?

Sound likes the owners is a "character".

roccobike

The guy used to sell new bikes but stopped because he says WalMart sell the same thing? Calling him a "charachter" very kind (typical of the C&V forum). I could think of a few other descriptions not quite as nice.
You really ought to try the 2 or 3 bikes for 1 trade. I'd take a couple of old low end Nishikis or Raleighs in there, all tuned and ready to go and try for a Paramount or a really nice Bianchi. What have you got to lose?

EjustE

Forget the trade

methinks that a partnership might be in order:

You help him with wrenching on the bikes that need work and you get paid in kind. Like a bike (of your choice) from the pile for every day you put in. Win-win situation

Chombi

Just tell him that you will give him a notarized and signed release of liability so he can sell you the bike and sleep at night...........

Chombi

scozim 

Dang - that's only a 2 1/2 hr drive for me and less for Kpug and Abarth. Very, very tempting for a road trip.

repechage

I read Bonnie & Clyde in this. "Just hand over the Paramounts and everything will be fine...."

But the image of a Schwinn Paramount in Nairobi is pretty fun too.

USAZorro

I like your concept, but it doesn't sound like the guy is that rational.

khatfull

Horror...

abarth

I am already thinking about going over there, but what should I do to convince the owner to sale 'em Moto to me.

Maddox

Dang. I can't imagine the frustration you must have been feeling.

There has to be a way to make use of such excellent bikes...

shopgirl

Wow. I would be crying.

ftwelder

The horror that I see is that another person who has dedicated his life to bicycles has been broken beyond repair. I stand by this shop keep and all those who have lost their livelihood to the giant fierce enemy that is eating our society.

mazdaspeed

Who wants to start a "shop" that accepts "donations" to send bikes to third world countries [read: keep the good ones that fit, ebay the good ones that don't fit, and donate the rest]?

RobE30

Sounds right^

jgedwa

There is a guy sort of like that around here. Owns a small antique store/bike shop (huh?) in a small town. He claims to have a barn full of parts and frames from decades of being in the business. In particular, he says he has boxes and boxes full of old Brooks saddles. But he won't sell them to me. I have begged and pleaded to be granted the luxury of looking at the stuff, but he won't let me. Frankly, I don't really believe the stuff exits. But if it does, the thought of regal old leather (and who knows what else) just moldering away in an old horse stall makes me ill.

About once a year I re-try to sweet talk him into breaking the seal on the tomb. I have tried everything: Walking in with 20 dollar bills sticking out of all my pockets. Convincing him to at least eBay it. Offered to buy the lot. Maybe this year I will try a ski-mask and tire iron.

jim

Drillium Dude 

While stationed just across the Sinclair Inlet on the Stennis in Bremerton (the shop in question is in Port Orchard) I had the opportunity to jaw with the owner on several occasions.

He does in fact wrench these bikes enough so they will work for the intended recipient and then ships them all off in a shipping container. He showed me articles regarding one shipment that went to Africa, and how the bikes allowed the locals to traverse the long distances they normally walk/run more quickly and efficiently. A number of bikes went to religious leaders who were using them to broaden the scope of adding to their 'flock' - in fact, that beneficiary group seemed to be the focus of the newpaper articles. 99% of the bikes in that pile are Huffys, Free Spirits, etc - your typical low-end gaspipe 10-speeds and mountain bikes. Some kids bikes, stuff like that. The highest caliber stuff I ever saw were one or two Raleigh Records and the odd mid-range Nishiki or some such Japanese touring bikes. The guy knows his stuff - he's definately not tossing Colnagos or Paramounts in the pile (believe me, I looked). Sheesh, there aren't even any Peugeots in the pile - not even a UO-8!

However, he does have 3 or 4 Paramounts and some older track iron and one or two Italian race bikes in the shop (all NR/SR era bikes), but those are hanging off to the right in the photo, near the back of the shop. The owner is a former racer and Schwinn dealer/consultant.

And, no - he won't sell the vintage rigs. I've asked about 20 times myself! Nice enough guy, however, he will talk your ear off about the good old days (not that that's a bad thing, you understand).

Chombi

Bring a biking buddy with you with a big video camera and tell him you're an "American Picker"!!
Those two guys on cable TV seems to have broken the seal on some tombs rather easily once the owner sees the cameras....

Chombi

OzarkKing

"the giant fierce enemy that is eating our society"...I assume you're talking about accountability because we don't have enough facts to take a blind swipe at attorneys/lawsuits...what if he negligently assembled something, sold it for a profit and due to his negligence ended up hurting someone? Obviously we all have our own opinions so rather than a flame war, lets focus on how to liberate those paramounts.

blaise_f

Sounds like the "All Bikes" owner, in Rye, AZ.

As for the OP, this guy sounds terroristic and makes me sad. Maybe the bikes won't go to "waste", but I'd guess fractions if not fractions of fractions of bikes sent out to 3rd world countries see mostly beater use. Although I guess that's all a matter of opinion. Those bikes probably see more use than they ever would in the states. You never know - assumptions are bad. Here's a 17 year old kid in South Africa.



That Colnago isn't going to waste; no doubt about it.

cudak888 

Why don't you strike up a good friendly relationship with him? Show him that you're an understanding enthusiast. Show him how much passion you have for these machines. Become a friend that he can trust - trustworthy enough that he will sell you something in the pile.

Tell him also that a fellow in Florida will gladly take those Paramounts off of him for $100/ea, no questions asked, liability waver signed if necessary.

-Kurt

Mr_Christopher

I would offer to buy his shop.