Which Bikes to watch for?

[Bowman]

To some degree, we have figured out a lot of what to watch for when buying cruiser bikes. Now we are buying to build and just to flip as is. Now we figured the next step would be to watch for BMX and Mountain Bikes that are collectable. Can anyone give us a idea of what bikes to look for?

Thanks

 

[outskirtscustoms]

As far as BMX goes anything "Hutch" is like gold, older (1980's) Haro, Redline, Diamondback, some Mongoose, and similar can be collectable but look for GOOD condition, originality, and as complete as possible. Also remember to ask if they have the original parts (You never know what they might have hidden away)

As far as mountain bikes go look for high end components and good name brands like Trek, Diamondback, GT, Specialized, and other brands with a "Cult following". Don't try to make money on Next, Magna, or Huffy bikes, the tires, tubes, and cables cost more than a new one and you'll loose money every time.

Check police auctions for cheap bikes, check scrapyards in your area (If they sell stuff out of the yard) My local scrap guy is cool and I have saved many bikes from there on the cheap and made good money.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[dragnusa]

As far as BMX goes anything "Hutch" is like gold, older (1980's) Haro, Redline, Diamondback, some Mongoose, and similar can be collectable but look for GOOD condition, originality, and as complete as possible. Also remember to ask if they have the original parts (You never know what they might have hidden away)

As far as mountain bikes go look for high end components and good name brands like Trek, Diamondback, GT, Specialized, and other brands with a "Cult following". Don't try to make money on Next, Magna, or Huffy bikes, the tires, tubes, and cables cost more than a new one and you'll loose money every time.

Check police auctions for cheap bikes, check scrapyards in your area (If they sell stuff out of the yard) My local scrap guy is cool and I have saved many bikes from there on the cheap and made good money.

Hope that helps a bit.

Now Huffy and Murray up till about the late 80s can be collectable but like outskirts said complete as possible.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

As far as BMX goes anything "Hutch" is like gold, older (1980's) Haro, Redline, Diamondback, some Mongoose, and similar can be collectable but look for GOOD condition, originality, and as complete as possible. Also remember to ask if they have the original parts (You never know what they might have hidden away)

As far as mountain bikes go look for high end components and good name brands like Trek, Diamondback, GT, Specialized, and other brands with a "Cult following". Don't try to make money on Next, Magna, or Huffy bikes, the tires, tubes, and cables cost more than a new one and you'll loose money every time.

Check police auctions for cheap bikes, check scrapyards in your area (If they sell stuff out of the yard) My local scrap guy is cool and I have saved many bikes from there on the cheap and made good money.

Hope that helps a bit.

Now Huffy and Murray up till about the late 80s can be collectable but like outskirts said complete as possible.

True, Also anything BMX and 24" is good too.

 

[Bowman]

Thanks for the help guys, it's always good to learn new stuff.

I've always thought these type of questions are funny. You basically are asking a business question on a hobby site. :wink:
If you are only buying a bike for profit, then you might as well be asking for stock tips here. If you run across a decent bike at a reasonable price, buy it because it interests you, not because it might interest me--or anyone else.
Every region has things that sell better or worse than that same item may sell on the other side of the country. The answer to your question from a guy in California or Florida will be different than the answer from a guy living in Denver or the North East coast.
Buy up a bargain because you personally like it and you will find that someone else likes it more than you do and is willing to pay you a profit.

As far as a business question, It's more of a question to keep a eye out for other items that will help pay for my Rat Rod Addiction! :lol:

 

[Bicycle808]

This is why old bikes are so expensive nowadays. Everyone wants to be a flipper, so every time an old bike changes hands, it has to go thru between 2 and 20 "flippers" who think they're expert speculators, and it drives the price up for the end owner. If you don't want the bike, don't buy it. If you really "need" to try to make $20 tops after you muss the machine up with your shadetree hackjob "tune up" and the cheapest replacement tires you can find, maybe you oughta get a truck and start scrapping instead.

The hobby doesn't need profiteers, aside from actual talented ones-- you know, ppl who actually make something unique, or possibly the ones who have the connections to find awesome bikes that are squirreled away somewhere, and who already know "which bikes to look for". Yeah, I know I can't stop the flippers, but I can complain about 'em all I want.

OP: the hott bike to look for is the "Pacific". Also good are those goofy walmart fake fixies with the one red tire and the one yellow tire. Sell a few of those, and you can retire early! :roll:

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

From someone who has made a business out of vintage bicycles, I say stay with what you know...

If you don't know Bmx, you can get burned easy.
Everyone thinks all Vintage Bmx is "Gold" but 99% of your finds are department store bikes and those never sell. :roll:

Look for quality when it comes to road and mountain bikes.

And finally when it comes to old cruisers, Get anything with Tanks!!!! (if the price is right)

Also look for the old Schwinn's...everyone can relate to those!

Follow my finds here
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanVintageBicycleSupply

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

The hobby doesn't need profiteers, aside from actual talented ones-- you know, ppl who actually make something unique, or possibly the ones who have the connections to find awesome bikes that are squirreled away somewhere, and who already know "which bikes to look for". Yeah, I know I can't stop the flippers, but I can complain about 'em all I want.

I hate flippers too!

That's why I consider myself the customers personal picker :wink:

I've got connections :lol:

 

[Colyn.]

I've never seen the point in buying something to make money off of it.... but once I get attached to something I won't let it go for hardly any amount of money if its something I truely like... just my personality guess I'm sort of a pack rat / greedy.


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[Bowman]

Thanks for the info Double Nickle, I am just 15 so i have been trying to flip bikes to make money for a car I also understand what you guys mean about fliping brings the prices of vintage bikes up.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Thanks for the info Double Nickle, I am just 15 so i have been trying to flip bikes to make money for a car I also understand what you guys mean about fliping brings the prices of vintage bikes up.

I'm 18 and I started messing around with old bikes at about 12. Keep up what you're doing! I have people from all aver the world buying my bikes and I'm able to support myself at doing what I love.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Bowman]

We should go for a ride one day double. I live in huntsville so it not to far from you

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

We should go for a ride one day double. I live in huntsville so it not to far from you

I don't know if you have anything planned for tomorrow but i'll be at The NE Georgia Swap Meet, held at the Atlanta Dragstrip, in Commerce, Georgia.

I'll have a load of bikes for sale as a vendor, swing by if you can!

 

[Rat Rod]

That is one of the many positive sides to this hobby, if you know what to look for you can fund it via buying and selling. That's pretty much the case with any hobby really.

If you're like most of us, you don't have loads of extra income laying around these days to spend on hobbies. If you did, you'd probably be spending it on cars and motorcycles instead. :lol:

I agree with Double Nickle...focus on what you know or spend a lot of time researching and learning first.

Many of us who are into vintage BMX grew up in the 70s and 80s and it was what we knew back then. We stared at the BMX magazines and hung out at the bike shops and the details of those bikes are permanently etched into our brains. We can usually spot the bikes or parts a mile away because we wanted them so bad as kids.

My theory is that anything that was popular with kids who are now in their 40s and 50s is going to be a hot item. They have the money to spend now on reliving the past. Having a mid life crisis doesn't hurt either. :lol: Just do a search on Ebay for "Vintage Skateboard" and you'll see what I mean.

Some folks give material objects souls and would never think of selling them for profit and other folks just think of them as hunks of metal. You'll get all kinds of opinions on the subject, but in the end you just need to do what's right for you. :wink:

 

[Bowman]

We should go for a ride one day double. I live in huntsville so it not to far from you

I don't know if you have anything planned for tomorrow but i'll be at The NE Georgia Swap Meet, held at the Atlanta Dragstrip, in Commerce, Georgia.

I'll have a load of bikes for sale as a vendor, swing by if you can!

I would love to but i cant, some of my family is coming over tomorrow

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I am one of those guys that sees old bikes as awesome things and part of my childhood story but I also know that bikes come and go and I do keep pictures of all of them to tell the story. I always say I won't sell this bike unless I get big $$$ for it. My biggest problem is that I almost always find that one guy who likes it more than I do. I'm gonna start putting 6 figure prices on stuff so I can keep one or get rich trying. :lol:

 

[Bowman]

Well outskirts your bike are worth 6 figure prices compared to mine.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well outskirts your bike are worth 6 figure prices compared to mine.

There's a sucker born every minute...lol. I do my best but I still work on a non-existent budget out of a rusty old shed. :lol: