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Anyone Out in Vintage Land Never Spend More Than $1000 on a Bike

1412 Views 24 Replies 13 Participants Last post by flyingsuperpetis, Aug 16, 2004

Shayne

Discussion Starter · Aug 12, 2004

I was reading that best buy ever thread from a week or so ago and got to thinking....I have never spent $1000 on a bike or to build one up. New or Used.

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Rumpfy

· #2 · Aug 13, 2004

Shayne said:
I was reading that best buy ever thread from a week or so ago and got to thinking....I have never spent $1000 on a bike or to build one up. New or Used.

Wow...you must be really good at finding sweet deals then! I don't see how you could never have spent over $1k on anything that you're currently riding? Upgrades? Restorations? That 'have to' part?

As a fluke, I picked up my Yeti Ultimate frame and some misc. parts for $350...swap meet parts kept me well under $1k large. Same for my Stumpy Epic.

But my Slingshots...*groan*....well over $1k easy for both. All the parts I've purchased over the years... I'm sure I've got $1k tied up in tension discs alone. Ringle and Syncros parts, 1" Rock Shox forks, ect.
And I won't even start about the Ventana...

There is no way I'm ahead of the game on this one.
But...there are others here that sit at the big boy tables while I stick to the nickle slots.

Rumpfy

· #3 · Aug 13, 2004

Shayne said:
I was reading that best buy ever thread from a week or so ago and got to thinking....I have never spent $1000 on a bike or to build one up. New or Used.

Mantis XCR with all Campy parts...that ain't cheap!

vdubbusrider

· #4 · Aug 13, 2004

Well, when it comes to vintage i would never spend more than 1k. Thats just a moral thing. I guess i love to talk about my bikes and talk about what a screaming deal i got. When it comes to the modern dual squishy bikes while i still wont pay retail and i will only purchase something if its a screaming deal i will certaily spend 1or 2 thousand.

ssmike

· #5 · Aug 13, 2004

I spent $1200 on my Salsa Ala Carte in '86. That what the last bike I bought at "retail." Soon after that, I was working in a shop buying parts for cost + 10%.

Vintage not withstanding, there are only a few bikes that I would consider paying retail (meaning $1000 +) for and none are mountain bikes. Pegoretti road frames top the list followed by lugged Merckx or De Rosa in Molteni Orange.

mwr

· #6 · Aug 13, 2004

I've never spent more than a thousand bucks on any bike, new or used. 1986 Cannondale SM600 was ~$600 new. The closest to the 1K mark was the Mantis ProFloater, lovely original with lotsa trick parts for $925.

Elevation12000

· #7 · Aug 13, 2004

1992 Koga Miyata TerraLinerCarbolite - $2000 (most luxorious hybrid ever? Carbon frame, Syncros post/stem/bar/barends, XT, Titanio...and in very distinguished Black)
1995 Koga Miyata SkyCarbolite - $2700

My Yo was $720 on eBay.com. As I live in Holland; with transport and duties it easily exceeded $1000.

Shayne

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 13, 2004

I'll see your tension discs and raise you....

I'm sure you have well over $1k in tension discs.

If were talking parts I have well over $1k in Continental tires hanging in my basement and probably about as much worth of unbuilt rins to go with them.

And for some reason 2-3 years ago I had accumulated like 6 RS Mag 21 SLTi forks.

But pretty much everything that I buy that I dont NEED goes right back out the door. The exeptions being listed above 'cause most of the tires are out of production now and there is virtually no market for rims so they're not worth getting rid of.

But no, I really havent dropped $1k into a bike. Closest thing was a 1994 Cannondale Delta V 600 at $962 including tax and accessories (just happened to find the reciept while moving)

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flyingsuperpetis

· #9 · Aug 13, 2004

Ohhhh, you guys are killing me. My best deal was my NOS Mountian Goat Whiskeytown, which I picked up for $60 last fall. Unfortunately, one doesn't get far riding around on a bare frame, and I've already crossed the 1k line with 2/3 of the build left to go, which I thought I got pretty cheap, till now...

Shayne

Discussion Starter · #10 · Aug 13, 2004

I hear you there

flyingsuperpetis said:
Ohhhh, you guys are killing me. My best deal was my NOS Mountian Goat Whiskeytown, which I picked up for $60 last fall. Unfortunately, one doesn't get far riding around on a bare frame, and I've already crossed the 1k line with 2/3 of the build left to go, which I thought I got pretty cheap, till now...

Had I finished building the NOS Colnago Ibex I had a while back that would have gone well over the $1k mark but it was too pretty to ride so I gave up and sold it ant the parts I had accumulated for it.

~martini~

· #11 · Aug 13, 2004

Madison swap? I can't wait till I can attend there. I'll be with in two hours of Mad-town in a coupla days.

back on topic...I've spent over $1k on nearly every bike I've owned. But not much over $1k. I can't see spending more than $2k on a bike ever. That just seems wrong to me.

Shayne

Discussion Starter · #12 · Aug 13, 2004

Hey Martini PM Me...

...if you're still looking for Campy MTB parts

ssmike

· #13 · Aug 13, 2004

~martini~ said:
I've spent over $1k on nearly every bike I've owned. But not much over $1k. I can't see spending more than $2k on a bike ever. That just seems wrong to me.

I think the folks here are a bit more resourceful than the average guy riding around on a Blur when it comes to building up a ride. If you read the magazines, you have to be spending at least $1800 to get a decent ride. I shouldn't be one to talk (many road and mountain bikes valued - I said valued, not paid for - at $3000+).

Fillet-brazed

· #14 · Aug 13, 2004

ssmike said:
I think the folks here are a bit more resourceful than the average guy riding around on a Blur when it comes to building up a ride. If you read the magazines, you have to be spending at least $1800 to get a decent ride. I shouldn't be one to talk (many road and mountain bikes valued - I said valued, not paid for - at $3000+).

Yes, I see so many guys locally that just plunk down $4-5k on a Blur or whatever. No questions asked! Once youve been in the bike industry and been riding for years I just cant do it. Retail prices blow me away. I have spent upwards of $1000 though on my modern bikes and also on a few collectible bikes. For most vintage bikes $1k is tough to spend, but it can be done. That last Potts went for $2400 on ebay.

But ya, I have become very resourceful over the years. Theres no way I could have the bikes I have if I wasnt.

bikerboy

· #15 · Aug 13, 2004

I must just be a cheap Bass-turd

Shayne said:
I was reading that best buy ever thread from a week or so ago and got to thinking....I have never spent $1000 on a bike or to build one up. New or Used.

I am your typical poor college student, so I haven't got a lot of money. My nicest bike is a 1988 Diamondback Apex in mint original condition, but my uncle gave it to me. Ive spent a few bucks over the years on tires, brake pads, grips, etc... Then, Ive got a 1988 Jamis Explorer converted to singlespeed. I added it up and I dont have more than $100 sunk in that project, including the initial purchase of the bike (bought from thrift store for $24.99). I have a 1987 Jamis Boss Cruiser that I picked up at a thrift store as well. I have about $60 in that bike, including the bike purchase itself ($15.99). My last vintage bike is a 1990ish Trek 700 hybrid I picked up for $24.99. I swapped all the bottom end Shizmano 200GS parts for a bunch of old school Deore parts I took off another bike. Then I had a friend repaint the frame and fork in a nice ugly satin epoxy primer black just like hotrods are done in (it actually looks really good). I bought a new set of wheels, handlebar, some other odds and ends and the bike still has yet to breach the $200 mark.

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vdubbusrider

· #16 · Aug 13, 2004

flyingsuperpetis said:
Ohhhh, you guys are killing me. My best deal was my NOS Mountian Goat Whiskeytown, which I picked up for $60 last fall. Unfortunately, one doesn't get far riding around on a bare frame, and I've already crossed the 1k line with 2/3 of the build left to go, which I thought I got pretty cheap, till now...

you suck.

i thought i had the best deal on a goat. i got a near new unscratched 91 whiskeytown frame, fork, and xtr headet for $100.

Rumpfy

· #17 · Aug 13, 2004

vdubbusrider said:
you suck. i thought i had the best deal on a goat. i got a near new unscratched 91 whiskeytown frame, fork, and xtr headet for $100.

You guys both suck. I can't find an MG for anywhere close to those numbers combined!

Rumpfy

· #18 · Aug 13, 2004

bikerboy said:
Shizmano 200GS parts

Shigi

· #19 · Aug 15, 2004

This year alone I spent a little bit over 1k on my Mantis Pro Floater: 1" Marzocchi MX Comp, shimano xt 8sp shifters, avid speed dial ti levers, Sram 9.0 front and rear brakes, XTR 8 sp rear cassette, new xtr chainring set, new sella italia flite ti seat (bent my last one) and rebuilding my white industry hubs with new mavic 517's put me back alot. All in all, if you want to own a vintage bike, but want to remain competitive, you gotta be prepared to put down some cash.

The main thing is that you have to be doing it for the right reasons. The reason why I have spent over 2k on this bike in the last few years just trying to maintain it and keep it somewhat modern is sentimental value. That bike was my fathers racing bike, its also the bike that he broke his neck on, and because of that, that mantis pro floater means a whole lot to me. I could have taken the money I spent on that bike and bought a modern bike that will outperform mine, but it would just be some cookie cutter bike that wouldn't mean as much to me. On top of that, the mantis pro floater was custom made to my dad's specs, which just so happen to be mine, so the bike fits me like a glove.

If you want to turn heads with your vintage bike, and make sure that those heads are turned in front of them instead of behind, you have to be willing to spend some money.

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Fillet-brazed

· #20 · Aug 16, 2004

Rumpfy said:
You guys both suck. I can't find an MG for anywhere close to those numbers combined!

My all time best buy was -$2400 for an almost mint Ritchey Team Comp. Well, actually it was an estate sale. I basically cleaned out a garage (of a foreclosed house) of high end cycling stuff from the 80s. It had a mint Richard Sachs signature frameset, a nice Medici frameset, a mint Ritchey Timber Wolf, a near mint Ritchey Team Comp, a truing stand, sew up wheels, sew up tires, and basically tons of high end 80s stuff from tools to parts to roof racks. I gave the guy $450 for everything. I could hardly hold back the smile as I loaded this stuff up. I couldnt believe it. He was happy I was happy. I sold the Sachs for $1200, the Timber Wolf for $865, the Medici for $280, and a few of the parts I couldnt use or didnt need for $500ish all on ebay. I just kept the Team Comp out of all of them. Cost for the Ritchey: -$2395.00. I dont think I'll ever beat that one. That was the find of a lifetime for me.

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