What Will Be Our Future Classics?

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I would like to know what do you think our future classics will be? We are running out of 50's tankers and cruisers.. Remember when lightweight Schwinns were a dime a dozen? Now they go for big dollars..
What do you think will be the next phase?
 
FaceOFFbikes said:
I would like to know what do you think our future classics will be? We are running out of 50's tankers and cruisers.. Remember when lightweight Schwinns were a dime a dozen? Now they go for big dollars..
What do you think will be the next phase?

I think some of the Re-pop items will be big, not to mention the chopper bikes even though they have just recently been pulled from the store shelves they are already becoming a huge hit, I think anything oddball will be big in the future.
 
FaceOFFbikes said:
What chopper bikes got recalled?
The Schwinn stingray OCC choppers, the Jesse James choppers, The Giant Stiletto choppers, I don't know if they were re-called or not but I know they don't sell them around here anymore.
 
I'd guess some of the lower production Felts, Electras, and Dynos will get pricey-well, they were pricey new! :lol: -I don't think made in China Schwinns an Huffys will ever have much collector value, but ya never know! -Adam
 
Any bike still American made... or European would be my guess.

I sold my '98 Gary Fisher Joshua XO (pre-Trek produced Fisher) last summer, I'd fallen on hard times and needed to get my wife a 10 year anniversary gift. I saved enought money to get me another bike, the only think I wanted was to make sure I replaced it with another American made bike. Luckily my friend sold me his old Gary Fisher Marlin for $150.

My vote is for American bikes. haha
 
But I would imagine things with name brands on them would collect money in the future. Like The Jessee James bikes, and the orange County Choppers bikes...The electras, in my opinion wont have value for a while...a long while.


This reminds me of my car being a classic in the future

HAH!
 
My vote goes for the choppers..have a soft spot for the Jesse James version, bought my first, then a guy at work was looking for one to put a gas engine on, so nice guy that I am, sold him mine..then he tells me it was too nice to hack up, so he bought a second ?? Then I found me another, pretty ratty, for $35, sat on that and then found another for $40 at a fleamarket..so now I have 2 again !! Really looking for a deal on a Switchblade though...
 
as far as cruisers go ...

id guess Felt Chiefs
Electra Rat Finks and Straight 8's
the Dyno and KK limo bikes
Schwinn BFK's too :lol:

as far as bikes in general Im gonna guess the fixed gear bikes will be the "thing" that gets remembered
 
It takes 30 yrs. for your present day toy to become a classic. Unfortunately, it only takes 20 yrs. for your mom to get tired of looking at it and sell it at a rummage sale for cheap. :cry: Gary
 
B607 said:
It takes 30 yrs. for your present day toy to become a classic. Unfortunately, it only takes 20 yrs. for your mom to get tired of looking at it and sell it at a rummage sale for cheap. :cry: Gary

Truer words were never spoken.
 
I should keep that OOC chopper I found in the trash and store it for a long time and see what it's worth lol. it's out in the rain behind my she dright now.
 
If you just want to look at numbers, the Black Friday Stingrays have already appreciated. They've sold for $200 or more, all for a bike that was $88 the first day and $50 or less by the time it hit clearance in February...

I've still got the box for mine, and the $88 price tag.... you know, just in case anyone's interested in paying me $200 for it...

I do think the interesting bikes of all types will retain good value, but it's hard to predict a "classic" or collector model. Anything that was made in small quantities is a good bet. Anything original and American is a good bet. Today's bikes? If it's sold in a regular department store, it'll be a while before it achieves any appreciation.

Current bikes that spring to mind as collectibles include the 1995 repro Schwinn Phantoms, the entire "Select Series" Stingray line from the repop 1998 Krates through the 2005-2006 Grey Ghost, the BFK Stingrays, the repro Columbias and Roadmasters that were done in the 1990s, the Felt cruiser models, the Schwinn Cruiser 7 or aluminum Cruiser models.

Will anything else be a "collectible" ? Only time will tell. Will it appeal beyond this current audience? Not likely. Will examples start changing hands at higher-than-original-list price? Not for a really long time.

My opinions...
--Rob
 
Only thing is in 30 years from now try to find those stingray rear tires..... :mrgreen:
After seeing some of the sweet fat tire choppers here I wish I hadn't sold mine.
 
Just some food for thought here...

I had a young girl come in the shop last week. She was probably about 14 and had a gothy/punk look like the kids that work at Hot Topic. She wanted a bike like "all her friends were riding" and was drawn to the 1971 ladies white Suburban we had in the used bike lineup. After talking with her and her mother, it sounded like some of her friends had cheap beach cruisers like they sell at Wal-Mart. She wanted something a little cooler than what they have and the clean Subbie with the fenders, generator lights, and rear carrier was perfect.

Another thing I have noticed lately are the Dutch style roadsters that are appearing in TV commercials and magazine ads lately. The loop frame bike in one of the Amazon Kindle commercials comes to mind. I know these things are gaining in popularity with college kids and city dwellers. Practical utilitarian bikes are becoming trendy. Has anybody noticed what clean Raleigh Sports are bringing on that auction site?

This discussion has been going on for as long as I can remember. It was always a hot topic on the old AOL forums and newsgroups in the mid-90's. Back then we all figured lightweights and old school BMX would be the next big thing. Now pretty much everything old has it's dedicated following. High end lightweights, middleweights, BMX/Freestyle, English three speeds & roadsters, early mountain bikes, etc...

Pretty much what it takes to make a bike a mainstream "classic" is when people start saying "Wow! I had (or wanted) one of those when I was a kid".
 
I am very curious to see how long Electra cruisers are going to last. They are a big selling brand worldwide, with most frames done in aluminum, which eliminates rust. But still, I am anxious to find out how many of them are still riding in say 20 years. Aluminum has its own disadvantages over time, like cracking welds due to metal fatigue. Also the parts they use are of decent enough quality, yet I wouldn't store an Electra outside in all weather. We'll have to wait to find out I guess.
 

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