USA made frames

Probably not. I wouldn’t buy an old bike just because USA made. Especially not to ride with so many advances in tech and geo. I’m sure there’s some small market out there, but old cars are cooler than old bikes. @qclabrat would probably buy it.
 
Magic said:
Probably not. I wouldn’t buy an old bike just because USA made. Especially not to ride with so many advances in tech and geo. I’m sure there’s some small market out there, but old cars are cooler than old bikes. @qclabrat would probably buy it.
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I was thinking maybe 50 years from now. The Schwinns from the 50s are worth money I’m sure.
 
Stash said:
I was thinking maybe 50 years from now. The Schwinns from the 50s are worth money I’m sure.
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I would sell it for 20 bucks and throw it into the market, you'd make more. Bikes are like cars, they aren't investments in the financial sense, their an investment into yourself. If it brings you smiles it's a good investment, if your only interaction with the bike is to move it out of the way it's time to move it out.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk
 
Magic said:
Probably not. I wouldn’t buy an old bike just because USA made. Especially not to ride with so many advances in tech and geo. I’m sure there’s some small market out there, but old cars are cooler than old bikes. @qclabrat would probably buy it.
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The only US made bike worth considering are the California made Masi bikes. These are the fabled Confente frames. If you look who built these bikes it's practically a who's who of some of the best builders. The only US made bike I own which I won't sell is a Bruce Gordon RnR. Bikes aren't really collectable like other things. If you like it, keep it but ride it so it's not a garage queen.
 
The “collectible” bike market sort of peaked in the mid-1990’s, and there are a lot of USA-made frames worth holding on to (and I don’t even know/care who Masi is), but these are typically eye-of-the-beholder values, not investments. I certainly have my BMX and MTB faves, ‘cause I lived their respective infancies. Same for components.

I’m still perplexed at the cost of complete bikes today, with mass produced frames from typical factory locations. When compared to the cost of a complete bike 25-30 years ago (top tier components & USA handmade frame), it seems very disproportional.

Curmudgeon Mode off...
 
Thank you. I probably will have to let it go to fund a new bike then. It will be sad to let it go until I ride a new bike. I won’t bother you guys about how I’m torn between a Hardtail and a full suspension.
 
Most of the old bike craze seems to be on the road bike side. By old I'm talking 25-50 y/o type stuff, not the stuff from 1940. Those bikes are still very functional if you want to use them on a nice day and some of the lug work is a form of art. Old MTBs ride like crap and generally don't look that good. Not sure that the country of origin matters for MTB.
 
I broke 4 frames during my adult cycling career, 3 of them were American made Cannondale.

I only owned 3 Cannondale bikes, so that is 100% failure rate. I would not hold on any Cannondale full suspension bikes for investment purpose.

Good luck.
 
I broke my made in the USA cannondale frame. Seat tube cracked. Still it was cool to have it say made in the USA on the seat stays. And they gave me a newer model frame to replace it. I think the replacement was made in Taiwan
 
olegbabich said:
I broke 4 frames during my adult cycling career, 3 of them were American made Cannondale.

I only owned 3 Cannondale bikes, so that is 100% failure rate. I would not hold on any Cannondale full suspension bikes for investment purpose.

Good luck.
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Those American made caad 9 and 9cx though...
 
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