"Bomber" Bike...

ebmvegan · #31 (**permalink**) 08-14-2008, 09:54 PM

With the amount of work put into what really at times are works of art, they got away cheap. Antique + Function + Fun = $$$$$$.

VENICE BOY · #32 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonh

Wow $700!

That's crazy expensive, but hey, if they'll pay for it

I guess some of the price had to do with the vintage frame?

$700 was actually a fair price for it, considering that the front wheel alone cost me $150 to build!
Keep your eyes peeled for the next few bikes that I build!
They will be in the $800 - $900 range!! (all vintage Schwinns!)

jasonh · #33 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 10:45 AM

Wow. It's amazing what vintage bikes are worth these days.

I guess I'm still reeling from seeing someone trying to sell a Moondog with a HT kit on it on Craigslist for $750 the other day. yeah you've gotta pay yourself, but a $100 bike with a $200 kit? Asking a bit much I think.

**nogoodnic** · #34 (**permalink**) 08-16-2008, 08:39 PM

Jason, I have not yet built a bike that cost less than $500 in parts and usually quite a bit more, my personal bike has nearly $1000 worth of parts on it. I will not build on a wally world bike because they are crap (but thats just the oppinion of a 40 year old who has been building his own bikes for 30 years). I also shy away from $200 e-pay kits because I have heard many horror stories reguarding quality and waranty issues. I pay for quality and my customers get quality. And you have to calculate in your time, blood, sweat and tears, I'm lucky to get 15-20% of the cost for my time. IMO $700 was a very good price for that bike...Kelly

jasonh · #35 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008, 10:49 AM

Ok vintage bikes cost a lot. Went to the thrift stores/flea markets/antique shops this weekend...only vintage bike I found cost $635. Sheesh.

So now I'm not so surprised at the price of this bike.

Frantic Fabricator · #36 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonh

Wow. It's amazing what vintage bikes are worth these days.

I guess I'm still reeling from seeing someone trying to sell a Moondog with a HT kit on it on Craigslist for $750 the other day. yeah you've gotta pay yourself, but a $100 bike with a $200 kit? Asking a bit much I think.

Not trying to be argumentative or anything, the only reason I'm chiming in is because I've thought about making some bikes for money. You basically have your tangible costs: bicycle, engine kit, extra parts/materials, etc. Those are a fixed price. Then there's the intangibles: gas to drive and get the bicycle/parts, your time while driving around and picking up stuff, rent, health insurance, your drill press breaks, etc. Things you aren't getting paid for. The profit you make from your labor has to cover all this.

So, if you look at it that way, a $450ish profit on a bicycle isn't all that outrageous. The reason the bigger shops can charge less is that they get wholesale prices on their parts and have several people assembling bikes all day. I agree $750 for a straightforward walmart build is a bit steep, but not necessarily a ripoff for someone who doesn't have the skills to get it done themselves.

BillyB · #37 (**permalink**) 08-23-2008, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VENICE BOY

$700 was actually a fair price for it,

Los Angeles has great weather almost all year round has a lot of bike paths and is very bike trendy.

For the last few years, the trendy bike to have has been a vintage bikes with a track wheel on the back (aka "Fixies"). A few years before that it was beach cruisers, and no one wanted to be caught dead riding the streets on a MTN bike.

I don't know if this is going to be the next big trend in SoCal, but I'm definitely seeing a lot of motorized bikes around here - both gas and electric.

It's all a matter of supply and demand, and right now between gas prices being high and these things being trendy - $700 seems pretty reasonable.

UncleKudzu · #38 (**permalink**) 08-23-2008, 11:55 PM

i agree with BillyB that we're probably on the cusp of a new trend, so $700 for a one-of-a-kind build like that was probably a good deal for the person who bought it. vintage, rat and custom all converging with motorized in one package... it's instant kool and cheap transportation all at once!

keep us posted on the next builds, Venice Boy!