Can we talk about the money we spend on bikes?
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i wish i spent a little less than i do, but its an addicting hobby! :lol: for living in the 4th largest city, vintage bikes are slim pickins. i drool when i see swap meet pics from the midwest and new england! 8) because of this situation, i depend on ebay and this site to fuel my fix. i very rarily ever buy a complete bike. im more addicted to searching out interesting and unique parts to use for future builds,whether it be a rat bike or a classic bike. right now i have the correct springers for my next 4 builds.im glad i bought them back when i did, cause they are starting to get a little pricy lately! :shock: and then of course there is the special parts pile that you stash away, but you dont get to play with till may 1st. :lol: for myself, its a great creative outlet, i get a little exercise and have met some really nice people here. 
yoothgeye said:
What colour is the Gary Fisher? Mine is a flat green with yellow and primer gray. It looks awesome.
I've spent up to $100 for a bike. I've had a few new bikes, but prefer used at the moment. I could see spending up to $200 on one if it met all of my criteria.
I want a 29er singlespeed or 26" bmx. I know that's going to cost a lot more than $200, so I'll hold out until I find one.
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
GreatWhite00 said:
This was mine, I sold it summer before last for $475, used $150 to buy a 2000(ish) Gary Fisher Marlin from a friend and used the rest to buy my wife a 10 year wedding anniversary gift, I was out of work at the time. For 10 years the gift is aluminum, so I told Donna I sold my aluminum bike to get her gift.
I spent $4k on a mtn bike while I was in high school (and $600 on my honda civic). But I used to ride everyday and I rarely drove places so that was ok.
Now... I ride everyday and rarely drive places (ironic since I race cars all summer). But I mainly ride cruisers and my dollar limit for them is about $300. I've only found 1 totally free bike, and that had a broken frame so I only got the parts.
My problem is I buy them to sell sometimes, but then I have to put so much work into them I don't want to let them go. I'd like my living room back eventually.
Now... I ride everyday and rarely drive places (ironic since I race cars all summer). But I mainly ride cruisers and my dollar limit for them is about $300. I've only found 1 totally free bike, and that had a broken frame so I only got the parts.
My problem is I buy them to sell sometimes, but then I have to put so much work into them I don't want to let them go. I'd like my living room back eventually.
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Normally my bike price limit is how much cash I have in my pocket....lol. :mrgreen:
But usually I'll go up to $50-$100 then I try to trade for it. :wink:
But usually I'll go up to $50-$100 then I try to trade for it. :wink:
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
Sounds like most of you are like me then, limisted spending on the bike, unlimited spending on the parts.
I really want a 24" BMX, but what I'm looking for is a 24" mountain bike frame with BMX geometry that I can put BMX wheels, bars, stem, fork, seat, and cranks on. After I spend the money on parts, I could have already bought a used 24" bmx.
It's all about cash flow though. I've seen one or two 24" DK bikes come up for sale for under $200, what I consider a good deal on a bike I like. BUt having $200 cash all at once is either hard to have or hard for my wife to see go to "another bike." But a free 24" mountain bike can be made into a faux BMX over a couple months only spending $40 or less at a time online without the wife really caring. It's kind of like money laundering.
I really want a 24" BMX, but what I'm looking for is a 24" mountain bike frame with BMX geometry that I can put BMX wheels, bars, stem, fork, seat, and cranks on. After I spend the money on parts, I could have already bought a used 24" bmx.
It's all about cash flow though. I've seen one or two 24" DK bikes come up for sale for under $200, what I consider a good deal on a bike I like. BUt having $200 cash all at once is either hard to have or hard for my wife to see go to "another bike." But a free 24" mountain bike can be made into a faux BMX over a couple months only spending $40 or less at a time online without the wife really caring. It's kind of like money laundering.
It's nice to see some honest realistic people talking about their addiction to bikes. I guess I find myself fortunate enough to live in a biking mecca where people are such gearheads that only the latest and greatest will do. My last three Bikes are freebies. My 80's Murray Monterey cruiser, an 89 Specialized Hard Rock Comp, and a 1999 Gary Fisher Marlin. People are willing to throw out stuff which amazes me they don't understand that with a little wrenching and grease an old bike can be brought back to life pretty easily.
I have tons of bookmarked pages of bikes and parts from CL and Ebay but my wife keeps me in check with spending excessively. I think if she weren't around I would spend alot of money. We'll see what happens at tax return time because this year looks like a biggie and most of my bills are caught up on. I'll definitely post the results. I really wanna build a 30s-60s rat from the frame up, but a muscle bike would be an option if the right one surfaces. Regardless this hobby we have is not polluting the earth like my old car addiction did so I can justify spending money and getting exercise in the process. Plus biking is a family affair which is about the only hobby I can think of I can involve the kids and wife with. This hobby is a win win for me so I am not going to worry about my spending money on it at this point! 8)
I have tons of bookmarked pages of bikes and parts from CL and Ebay but my wife keeps me in check with spending excessively. I think if she weren't around I would spend alot of money. We'll see what happens at tax return time because this year looks like a biggie and most of my bills are caught up on. I'll definitely post the results. I really wanna build a 30s-60s rat from the frame up, but a muscle bike would be an option if the right one surfaces. Regardless this hobby we have is not polluting the earth like my old car addiction did so I can justify spending money and getting exercise in the process. Plus biking is a family affair which is about the only hobby I can think of I can involve the kids and wife with. This hobby is a win win for me so I am not going to worry about my spending money on it at this point! 8)
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yoothgeye said:
I have a nice chrome Magna mountain bike frame and fork I was going to turn into BMX but I just got a 24" Mosh on trade. If you're interested I can get a pic. Here's the mosh NOT FOR SALE.
DING! DING! DING! DING! That's where I live too! :mrgreen:
Cheers!
Dr. T
yoothgeye said:
Cheers!
Dr. T
My opinion, what you guys are talking about as a lot of money, ie 400 for a bike is peanuts in the bike world. I know we are talking about old bikes without many components. Still, the price of high end bicycles has been rising. Look at what Dura Ace cost now, the cranks alone are 400, shifter/brake lever are 700, the complete groupo is almost 3,000. So we can make beautiful, smooth riding bikes for less than 500. Sounds economical to me. Not to mention most bikes that aren't classics loose value as they get older. I don't consider this an expensive hobby when I see a roadie and know his clothes and bike add up to at least 10,000.
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
$400 is alot of peanuts for me. haha
I would agree to a point, I think bikes are like cars, not really a good investment, for the most part, they go down in value, but as for a "classic" gaining value, sure, but it takes a LONG time.
I thought when I sold that Gary Fisher I was going to roll in the dough, but I talked to some MTB guys who admitted I had a cool model (last year on the Fisher line before Trek started producing them), but because technology had advanced so much I was going to take a bath.
I still think I did pretty well getting $475 for it though.
Bettleguise said:
I would agree to a point, I think bikes are like cars, not really a good investment, for the most part, they go down in value, but as for a "classic" gaining value, sure, but it takes a LONG time.
I thought when I sold that Gary Fisher I was going to roll in the dough, but I talked to some MTB guys who admitted I had a cool model (last year on the Fisher line before Trek started producing them), but because technology had advanced so much I was going to take a bath.
I still think I did pretty well getting $475 for it though.
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
Dr. Tankenstein said:
Thanks. haha, I thought about this after I posted it and wanted to make sure others didn't think I was trying to hide purchases from my wife, she knows what I spend, it's just easier for her to agree with it a little at a time. Same goes the other way, if she wants new clothes for her or the kids (all have plenty of clothes, new would be because something is cute or in style) then I agree she can buy clothes, but a little at a time, not an entire wardrobe at once, I encourage smart bargain shopping. Of course, our budget does have a line item for clothing, but not for bicycles, what's up with that Dave Ramsey?
Even bikes cost more than what I can get to have money for but because I can't afford to restore a classic car or truck even less like I want to do so I pretty much now want to get bikes and fix them, what I can/have mostly payed is free or $1-$60 for a bike and/or parts.
The first bike from the past twenty years was a 94 Monterey that a guy at a used car dealer gave me for free then a 80's-90's Western Flyer, 96 Santa Cruz that I payed $90 for both, the Schwinns, an 86 Monterey, a Vertical X2 mountain bike, a XGames Motobike and parts for free as well as the two spacelinerswhich one is the frame, fork, chainguard for $45 and the Spaceliner Klunker that I payed 80 bucks for.
The first bike from the past twenty years was a 94 Monterey that a guy at a used car dealer gave me for free then a 80's-90's Western Flyer, 96 Santa Cruz that I payed $90 for both, the Schwinns, an 86 Monterey, a Vertical X2 mountain bike, a XGames Motobike and parts for free as well as the two spacelinerswhich one is the frame, fork, chainguard for $45 and the Spaceliner Klunker that I payed 80 bucks for.
I`ve never really had a set amount that I`d spend on a bike. Alot of times I don`t flip `em even though I should. The most I ever spent on one bike was $175, it was Trek Y11. I was watching it for a week at the thrift store. They originally had it for $225. I went in the store with $180 to try and talk them down to that when they had already marked it to $175. I flipped on the bay for $500. That was the most I ever spent and made at the same time.
I think I`ve spent more in fixing up my BMX`s and hoarding them lol instead of flipping them like I`m supposed to do. Oh well, its been fun lol.
I think I`ve spent more in fixing up my BMX`s and hoarding them lol instead of flipping them like I`m supposed to do. Oh well, its been fun lol.
I very rarely sell a bike. I have 18 complete bikes right now and I ride them all. I had a 39 Majestic ladies bike with a top bar welded on that I gave $20 for to get the wheels, etc. Then my friend liked the frame, so I sent him to one corner of my basement to gather parts and he painted it, and we assembled a nice rat for him, for free. Every now and then I'll find a decent bike for 10 or 15 bucks and I'll grab it and throw it on craigslist. I got an old hot pink/white db hot streak for $10, flipped it for $120, pretty much the same deal with my db mike dominguez. I get o ton of freebies from my dad, who hauls away anything people will give him. But most of the time I just use the parts to build a tall bike or a swing bike or whatever. But I did recently spend $300 (the most ever...so far) on a bike. But I just got my taxes and it's a bike I've been wanting as a winter project, and I just happen to have a lot of cool correct parts for it. However, in the defense of others, I can say what I paid for things because I don't really care to sell mine.
I try not to spend to much money, mostly into new tires and tubes but sometimes the free bikes come with fairly new tires. A good seat is nice but I get cushy $20 ones at Benny's. I do buy parts and other stuff from my LBS just to keep my foot in the door.
The most I paid for a $100 bike was $75 and afterwards I thought I could do better but I liked the bike and I paid him the fair price I thought it was.
My best free bikes cost me $75 each to box and take back with me on the plane from San Diego to Boston.
Thats what I spend and then my wife goes off Cape on a shopping spree and calls me from a WallMart and says " I'm standing in front of the spraypaint, what colors do you need, the're real cheap?". :shock: I love those calls. She bought me a front bag for the Grunge Rudge too!
I have arround a 100 bikes, half cut for parts and 25 hanging and and 25 riders. I have friends looking for parts for their kids and I give them what they need. Free is good and I feel real good
Graylock
The most I paid for a $100 bike was $75 and afterwards I thought I could do better but I liked the bike and I paid him the fair price I thought it was.
My best free bikes cost me $75 each to box and take back with me on the plane from San Diego to Boston.
Thats what I spend and then my wife goes off Cape on a shopping spree and calls me from a WallMart and says " I'm standing in front of the spraypaint, what colors do you need, the're real cheap?". :shock: I love those calls. She bought me a front bag for the Grunge Rudge too!
I have arround a 100 bikes, half cut for parts and 25 hanging and and 25 riders. I have friends looking for parts for their kids and I give them what they need. Free is good and I feel real good
Graylock
I've bought a few $90-100.00 dime store bikes, a couple of $50.00 old Schwinns, God only knows how much on cables, tires, grease, and spent about a grand setting up my Mongoose ATB I rode through the 1990's. Everything else (there have been piles :mrgreen: ) has been salvage or leftovers.
