American Vintage Bicycle Supply
Double Nickle
Smoopy's said:yoothgeye said:
I turned it into a moneymaking hobby.. :wink:
Do you own a bike shop or something?
Justin's Bicycle Shop, Open For Charity!
- Thread starter yoothgeye
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Do you own a bike shop or something?
American Vintage Bicycle Supply
Double Nickle
yoothgeye said:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Stahp what?
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
Haha, you can go on.
I don't see making money as an evil or as it ruining all my fun, but the amount of effort would not be worth it in this city.
The old bicycle shop closed because people wanted box store prices over quality, so the bike shop fell, that's how I ended up fixing everyone's bikes around here.
Saturday my wife and our neighbor planned a yard sale, mostly kids clothes, but they advertised "bikes" as well. So I put 2 16" girls bikes (one with training wheels, one without) and a 20" boys bike in the yard. All bikes ready to ride and mechanically sound.
16" girl bikes: $5 each
20" boys bike: $10
None of the bikes sold at the sale. I couldn't even buy 2 16" or 2 20" tubes for the price of the bikes! Ugh.
I don't see making money as an evil or as it ruining all my fun, but the amount of effort would not be worth it in this city.
The old bicycle shop closed because people wanted box store prices over quality, so the bike shop fell, that's how I ended up fixing everyone's bikes around here.
Saturday my wife and our neighbor planned a yard sale, mostly kids clothes, but they advertised "bikes" as well. So I put 2 16" girls bikes (one with training wheels, one without) and a 20" boys bike in the yard. All bikes ready to ride and mechanically sound.
16" girl bikes: $5 each
20" boys bike: $10
None of the bikes sold at the sale. I couldn't even buy 2 16" or 2 20" tubes for the price of the bikes! Ugh.
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That's why I try not to mess with kids bikes unless I get them for free or they are the oddball stuff like little Harley bikes or Choppers. Other than those I start with 20" BMX and up from there. Also I try to stay away from 24" as well, just takes forever to sell them. I normally try to deal primarily in 26 inch mountain bikes, cruisers, once in a while road bikes, but mostly I try to stick with what sells. Recumbents, tandems, cargo bikes, oddball stuff, antiques, and BMX.
My biggest problem is I fall in love with a bike too easily and either end up keeping it or spending too much to get it.
My biggest problem is I fall in love with a bike too easily and either end up keeping it or spending too much to get it.
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
I'm outside... I hear buzzing freewheels coming down the hill followed by the sound of sneakers sliding on pavement... that means I have customers.
Silly kids and their brakeless bikes.
I replaced a girl's chain a day ago, she came back with more broken links today... :? Her microdrive hub has so much slop that it's eating chains. Can't be rebuilt again, told her that she needs a hub, I don't have it. Hate to do it.
Had a guy pick up the $10 boys bike, then he brought me a frame and some wheels, and dropped off a nephew's bike that needs a chain... I can handle that.
There are so many of these Walmart China made bottom end microdrive rear hubs around here and they DO NOT stand up to any abuse. I've figured out how to rebuilt them, but I don't have the parts anymore. The outer bearing retainer with "grease cap" (?) is the toughest part right now. Those things just self destruct. Ugh.
Anyway, still kids coming all the time, just listen for the worn out shoes on the blacktop.
Silly kids and their brakeless bikes.
I replaced a girl's chain a day ago, she came back with more broken links today... :? Her microdrive hub has so much slop that it's eating chains. Can't be rebuilt again, told her that she needs a hub, I don't have it. Hate to do it.
Had a guy pick up the $10 boys bike, then he brought me a frame and some wheels, and dropped off a nephew's bike that needs a chain... I can handle that.
There are so many of these Walmart China made bottom end microdrive rear hubs around here and they DO NOT stand up to any abuse. I've figured out how to rebuilt them, but I don't have the parts anymore. The outer bearing retainer with "grease cap" (?) is the toughest part right now. Those things just self destruct. Ugh.
Anyway, still kids coming all the time, just listen for the worn out shoes on the blacktop.
Well it's cool that people are coming to see you still
Too bad the parts can't be rebuilt :roll:
Great that you are giving people a chance to ride for cheap, a reward in itself
I can't sell anything (I'm a horrible salesman) so I make them to give them away
I remember when I was an auto mechanic and it ruined it for me
I hate working on my cars now, just like simpler/cheaper bike work now
Glad to hear you still enjoy it
Keep up the good work!
Steve
Too bad the parts can't be rebuilt :roll:
Of course I never did anything silly ( aka stupid) when I was a kid :lol: :lol:yoothgeye said:
Great that you are giving people a chance to ride for cheap, a reward in itself
I can't sell anything (I'm a horrible salesman) so I make them to give them away
I remember when I was an auto mechanic and it ruined it for me
I hate working on my cars now, just like simpler/cheaper bike work now
Glad to hear you still enjoy it
Keep up the good work!
Steve
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
MplsCoaster said:
The guy came to buy the bike for $10, I tried to give it to him after talking to him, but he insisted on giving me the money.
I too prefer the simplicity of bikes. My car has been parked in need of a water pump for months and I just found out that my Jeep needs upper and lower ball joints and a tie rod end at the pitman arm... yet I'm still working on bikes. I guess when the wheels fall off the Jeep, I'll then know why I've only been working on bikes, since that's all I'll have to ride. I can do the work on my vehicles, I just don't enjoy it as much.
