COOK BROS = GOLD!

[Rat Rod]

Wish I had a few dozen of these sitting around.

Click to see what it sold for

 

[user 135]

That makes for an expensive bike..... with all Cook stuff.

$800 fork http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-bmx...864?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cfdfb3660
$450 Hubs http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cook-bros-bros-brothers-hubs-bmx-26-/321818277737?hash=item4aeddd3769
$750 Stem http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cook-Bros-B...958?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c9ea57a86
$500 Handlbars http://www.ebay.com/itm/COOK-BROS-R...559?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2802a90a8f

 

[Bicycle808]

I'm surprised we don't see more counterfeit CBR frames and bits.

 

[Fv2]

If I had that much cash on hand I don't think I could bring myself to buy a bicycle frame with it.... Unless it was my dream bike,spacelander.
Other than that I think I'd spend the money restomodding my van 70's style..... My van by the way I'd probably trade for a spacelander, gas gets pricey at 6 miles per gallon. Bicycles not so much.

 

[baldwooky]

Never understood why these are so highly overpriced.. Old School BMX is where the cash is right now, and its gotten worse in this market than any other bicycle style/era.

I can't wait till the market falls in BMX and all these Nostalgic suckers/idiots that keep driving the prices on stuff are stuck with stupid torn up $300 Oakley grips and $200 tuffpads on bikes they don't even ride.

I'd like to actually get some classic bmx bikes from when I was a kid, but multiple thousands of dollars for a bike that I can't ride comfortably a whole day is crazy. Its all based on some goofy perceived value. Read a great article about card collecting and how that market killed itself, and I see BMX doing the same exact stuff, every manufacturer is jumping on that train now to milk that cow for all its worth.

$5000 for an that frame lolololol. AND IT NEEDS A REPAINT!

I could get a custom handbuilt titanium Moots fully spec'd for that.

Anyone wanna buy my 26" CW cruiser? ROFL.

 

[Rat Rod]

Never understood why these are so highly overpriced.. Old School BMX is where the cash is right now, and its gotten worse in this market than any other bicycle style/era.

Let me help you understand.

The age demographic of 40-55 year olds are usually going through a midlife crisis. They also tend to have more spending power than they had in the past. Combine these two together with a relatively decent economy and you get ridiculous prices for the things of their youth...in this case it's vintage BMX. It also explains why other items from this generation's childhood are also off the charts right now....vintage lunch boxes, vintage skateboards, Star Wars toys, Hot Wheels, etc.

Once people get into their 60s they start thinking more about retirement so the collectible market for them isn't usually as interesting. We've seen this with the muscle bikes...especially the Krates. 15 years ago they were bringing top dollar and they seem to have come down significantly.

Now all that being said, I agree that the prices on some of this stuff is insane. While I know that Cook Bros. bikes and parts are super rare, I still find it hard to believe that anyone would pay that much for a frame unless it had some kind of pro racing provenance to go with it. You could contact John Severin at True Torch and have him make you 10-15 of these exact frames for the same price. But hey, that's the beauty of a free market!

 

[Bicycle808]

... You could contact John Severin at True Torch and have him make you 10-15 of these exact frames for the same price. ...

I agree with your theory re: the $$$$ being brought by old school bmx (especially high-end 26" cruisers like a CBR) but i gotta say, the eBay auction buys you one real CBR with an actual history, and collector's value, plus they'll ship it when you pay, and you know what you're getting. Ol' Johnny True Torch will take months and months to build you a frame, and then you'll have to ream the seat-tube yourself, deal with out-of-spec rear spacing, and pay someone to fix the finish.... plus, the 35 year-old Cook Bros will have nicer decals than a True Torch, fresh out the box.

If you want a nice replica BMX cruiser, look at a Santa Barbara ( http://www.santabarbaracruisers.com/ )-- a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. And, if you don't mind modern touches like 1.125" headtube and canti posts, check out a Genuine Bicycle Products Article 1. Really nice, bomb-proof frame, with geometry that splits the difference between a CBR 26 and a GLJ Fireroad cruiser.

 

[Rat Rod]

Gary Turner is also producing frames again...

http://www.gt1972.com/

 

[Bicycle808]

Looks rad!

 

[baldwooky]

Let me help you understand.

Oh, I know WHY they are in demand, as someone who's currently in that mid life crisis, albeit earlier(36).

I just don't understand why someone puts that kind of value into them. If it was an actually racer owned and ridden bike, I can see there being some sort of value added, but right now, its like all the super duper expense BMX stuff is just super duper priced because its been resold 3x in the past 5 years, and everyone wants to make money off it. Alot of this isn't actually because its something you wanted back then, its because all that social conditioned desire manifests itself, and you want to have something "COOL" for status, at least that's my opinion.

Like you said, you can go to the original builder and have him make you whatever you want.

What I want to know is why BMX prices have shot through the roof. I've never seen beat up ballooner or stingray frames sell for anywhere near what BMX go for. Not even close. A mint or fully restored might fetch a few thousand, but $5k for a frame only, and it needs refinished? uhh... what?

 

[baldwooky]

What specific patents or features does a CBR have that he could even attempt to pursue a lawsuit?

For one, IP trademarks and patents are worthless in China/Taiwan, where basically 99% of bikes are made now. You might be able to block the sales of something in the US, but to stop production completely, not gonna happen.

Secondly, you can't patent a bicycles geometry, only a technology or name.

 

[deorman]

If I pay that much for something called CBR, it'll be made by Honda, recently state inspected, and have a full tank of gas.

 

[Toeslider]

 

[Rat Rod]

Someone just got rich.

 

[Bicycle808]

You can't legally sell something as Cook Bros without getting clearance, but no one can try to patent geometry

What specific patents or features does a CBR have that he could even attempt to pursue a lawsuit?

For one, IP trademarks and patents are worthless in China/Taiwan, where basically 99% of bikes are made now. You might be able to block the sales of something in the US, but to stop production completely, not gonna happen.

Secondly, you can't patent a bicycles geometry, only a technology or name.

Yeah, and I suspect that @Joaquin Suave is recounting dialogue with Jack Witmer wherein ol' boy is threatening to sue anyone who improperly uses the Cook Bros name. And, stickers. Apparently, he's always getting at ppl for selling repop decals and such. I think it's funny that GBP sells Cook Bros knockoff handlebars and seatclamps as "Crook Bros".

 

[Toeslider]

Someone just got rich.

Not me. That was like six months ago. Was posted at 4am, no phone #. Of course, I never got a reply to my email.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

I'll be on the lookout


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CruzCtrl]

Being the gentleman who purchased said Cook Bros I can say that I don't feel foolish at all in my purchase. Lets do the math. So far the highest serial number accounted for in a Cook Cruiser is around 750. Craig Cook has stated they made around 800 26" cruisers total . So the only database out there which is being kept by a gentleman in SoCal has around 140-150 of the 800 that are accounted for with around #750 being the highest at this time. So lets say that over the next 10 years another 100-150 are found. That is 250-300 of the total built.

I won't go into all the uniqueness of this white bike, but that is a threaded euro bottom bracket just as an example. The paint is actually great just the decals are weak someone tried to clean them up and jacked them.

I have a Dean Ti and a few other customs as well, customs are cool. I also have the 1st Schwinn I bought with my own money in 1977. A 1964 Wasp. Schwinn built millions of Ballooner's and how many Stingrays is anyone's guess.

So yes give me 1 of 150 known Cook Cruisers. Made in SoCal before Jack Witmer out of Chromoly. Yes I'll take that over an $11,000 Specialized S Works Epic or just about any bike built today. Oh and it will be ridden, Pearl Pass 40th comes to mind.

So should the economy crash or the market crash I could lose lots in the stock market, but I will have my Cook. Can't ride stocks last I checked. Can't ride a Jackson ....... either, plus I don't have 141 million lying around.

I would easily sell off many of my bikes because last I checked Dean is still making bikes. Guess what going to lose money on my Dean Ti for sure.

Craig and Gary Cook will never make bikes again. Maybe I won't make any money, but then again.. Either way I will be riding a sweet cruiser.

 

[Bicycle808]

Well said, @CruzCtrl .... that's an incredible frame. Have you hung any parts on it yet?

 

[CruzCtrl]

Thanks 808, Early ideas. It fits a 6 speed which opens up lots of possibilities.