Turn the frown upside down! Retro goldmine!

[PhillB]

I can't claim to be that in touch with what is happening in the Retrobike scene, as although I have been rebuilding bikes on and off for quite a few years I never really realised there was a scene until about 3 years ago . Like @bikeworkshop , I got drawn to this site by google, and joined up just over a year ago. As someone who is not very 'social' my almost 700+ posts in a year here is more than I have ever posted anywhere, ever. . As I said on a recent post, I've learned loads from this site, sometimes from posts from a decade ago, so when they say 'What you post on the internet stays there forever' it's not always a bad thing!!

I don't mind the emoji replies too much, I see them as an interaction. The equivalent of typing 'Nice!' or 'Haha' etc. But everyone is different.

In terms of buying and selling, I tend to buy much more than I sell, so it's a good time from my perspective. I've given a couple of bikes away to people close to me who have expressed a genuine interest. My eldest son loves bikes, so whatever I have when I'm too old to ride he can have, or share with his brothers if they become interested.

I've always seen my bikes as investment, but for me, the return is not financial, rather it is enjoyment, learning new skills, and the joy that bringing a rusty old frame back to life brings me, and the pleasure of riding a bike you have rebuilt and tuned to be exactly as you want it....that's priceless :-D

 

[Tootyred]

I've always seen my bikes as investment, but for me, the return is not financial, rather it is enjoyment, learning new skills, and the joy that bringing a rusty old frame back to life brings me, and the pleasure of riding a bike

Absolutely.....

As hobbies go this is quite cheap. Plus...its essentially free (apart from enroute beer stops) once your rolling.

I have the "going on holiday" argument all the time...we don't....but we get told by friends that our bikes must be expensive (they aren't), whilst they are happy spending 5k between them on 2 weeks away!

5k is probably double the outlay on all our bikes put together! And you get to keep bikes after the 2 weeks....once the tan goes and the photos are buried under 3 million others on your phone....what's the hoilday still giving

 

[Tootyred]

So, to get a bit of traction back, can i suggest we forget the "value 2 years ago" and move on.

Why not take a good look at what you have and possibly sell that bike? Ok, you might not get oodles for it, but then the one your buying won't be expensive either!

Change up or down, do a build, try something different..plus a bit of decent material on sale will help keep the interest levels up.

Im looking for a big hybrid frame to build a 29er light...just for giggles.

 

[d8mok]

Don't forget teeth

Don’t talk to me about teeth.

A dental mistake a few months combined with receiving a recent headbutt to the jaw has smashed one of mine to bit.

(My 2 year old daughter throws a great one)

 

[legrandefromage]

Ar least the strip and flip lot will be having a tougher time (yes, I am looking at you, the one who tried to get me banned because I called you out)

Aside from the absurd pettiness (of which I am also guilty) , I do miss the rides. Yes there was one recently but as with others, after a full week of work, getting up at 5am is a tough ask. That same job that cuts riding time due to a full day and long commute, a malaise that is tough to shake off once it sets in - I'll ride tomorrow, then 7 months later autumn is about to land

I've sold one bicycle to cover some moving costs and if that comes off along with a change of job, life work balance will be restored and I save about £400 a month for...

...retrobike tokens!

 

[d8mok]

Ar least the strip and flip lot will be having a tougher time (yes, I am looking at you, the one who tried to get me banned because I called you out)

Aside from the absurd pettiness (of which I am also guilty) , I do miss the rides. Yes there was one recently but as with others, after a full week of work, getting up at 5am is a tough ask. That same job that cuts riding time due to a full day and long commute, a malaise that is tough to shake off once it sets in - I'll ride tomorrow, then 7 months later autumn is about to land

I've sold one bicycle to cover some moving costs and if that comes off along with a change of job, life work balance will be restored and I save about £400 a month for...

...retrobike tokens!

Why is it your business if people buy a bike to strip?

Are you a moderator ? Or is against any rules of the forum?

If nobody strips bikes they hobby will stop as there won’t be any used parts available.

Perhaps you can use your spare time, cash and fuel to gamble on buying some gems now everything is cheap.

 

[Tootyred]

Look at it like a donor card.....

"In the event of the death of this bicycle, please harvest its organs so others may live on"

Plus it does indeed keep the supply chain full....

 

[d8mok]

Look at it like a donor card.....

"In the event of the death of this bicycle, please harvest its organs so others may live on"

Plus it does indeed keep the supply chain full....

Not even death. Every part is sold on usually and they live another life.

The amount of people who message me asking for simple parts currently is obscene. As there’s so little in the market currently as many sellers can’t be bothered it seems.

 

[PanoIgano]

Just like @PhillB I wasn’t aware of the retro bike community here or in any other forums and FB groups either.

I was always riding 26” wheel MTBs and since I was racing in the 90s natural online selection brought me in this forum and also some FB groups.

It goes without saying that the atmosphere here is much more close and I really feel part of a community as opposed to FB groups where is just plain a sell and buy affair.
Also, I can’t stress enough what ROI one gets by being in this forum.

To give you an example, I build a 70s randonneur during the pandemic not knowing this forum existed at that point. I spent 5 months, got very frustrated in the process learning essentially by buying the wrong standards of hubs and other parts. In the end, the whole project costed me twice as much if I had known this forum, bought from members here and got advice from them on the parts and fitting them through a build thread.

Sorry for digressing here a bit but this I think shows that investing in the correct forum and being part of it pays loads!
As already said the community keeps this hobby alive and that’s all of us motivating each other to continue. If you only get in this hobby with the aim to get all your money back and even make some more you will probably get disappointed.

 

[benjabbi]

Been a member here for quite a while now, love the place, generally full of decent people who share my interest so aside from the occasional person who seems to think their opinion is more valid than others (it's not!) that you get in all walks of life and are easily ignored it's a good place to be.
As for selling stuff, I'm not really bothered about the cash, I look at it in the same way as I spent years in the pub, thoroughly enjoyed it but won't see that cash again. It's more that some of these bikes took years to find and finish, I'm emotionally invested now and don't want to let them go! This may change in the future or maybe I'll be buried in a shipping container full of bikes, who knows? At the moment I'm still loving it so will carry on.