How to Find a Vintage Bicycle

More and more people are looking for vintage bicycles at the moment. If buying a vintage bike, it would be mainly for recreational use rather than to race or go mountain biking. Vintage bicycles are also usually very comfortable to ride and can be adapted according to your personal tastes. Here are some ways on how to find a vintage bicycle.

If you are going to bike shops, there are pros and cons. For one you will be able to ride and test the bicycle out first before making the purchase. The only problem is that buying bikes in this manner is usually quite expensive. You could maybe try and find something that you like by looking around at bike stores and then go online and see if you can find the equivalent bicycle for a lot cheaper. The chances are that you will be able to cut costs a lot in this way.

A good place to look online is Craigslist, and you should be able to find a large selection that will be a lot cheaper than buying from a store. If you live in the area, you will be able to give the bicycle a test drive first. Before buying any vintage bike, try to make sure to do this. The other great thing about Craigslist is that you won't have to pay any shipping (conditions apply). If you do a good search, you may be lucky enough to pick up a good vintage bicycle for under $100.

You may also be lucky enough to find a good vintage bicycle on eBay, although this tends to be a little more expensive. There is usually a good selection though.

Another great option to look around would be at nostalgic.net. Here you will find a lot of older bikes. People also sign up here and list their vintage bicycles and what types of parts they are looking for. It is definitely a site worthwhile visiting if you are a vintage bike enthusiast.

Remember when buying your vintage bike, make sure to find out from the seller exactly what he has done in terms of modifying and restoring the bike. Don't be afraid to ask him to go into detail on this one.

Remember, if you are planning on riding the bicycle straight away, check that the following things are in order:

1. New gear and brake cables;

2. Tyres that are in good condition or new;

3. Chain and cogs should be clean and well oiled;

4. Forks must not be bent;

5. Check for cracks in the tubing, as this could indicate that the bicycle has been in an accident.

If you are not sure, rather take a bicycle mechanic to check things out for you, as once you have purchased the bicycle, you probably won't get any sort of guarantees.

If you find the right vintage bicycle, you will get a lot of joy out of riding it and will still enjoy years cycling if you are sure to look after it properly.

Michel Maling enjoys writing, hiking, riding, blogging and scrapbooking.

For more on vintage bikes you can visit: http://bestvintagebikestore.com.

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