The Biggest Bike Swap on Earth
I went to the huge, famous Saline Bike Swap yesterday near Ann Arbor Michigan. It’s mainly a Schwinn/Whizzer confab, but actually there’s also a good 30% antique and roadbike presence.
It’s really like going to the biggest and most diverse bike museum for the day. Recommended. Lots of crusty characters around, too.
Lots of minted out wonderbikes, lots of cheap bargains found in barns. Visiting it the first time a few years ago was a big moment in opening my eyes to how big the world of bikes was.
Anyway! I observed some fun things this time. I was pleasantly surprised to see Clare and Dorothy Young there, of the world famous bike/skate-racing family, old Clare looking like Burgess Meredith in “Rocky”. –As an appreciative ‘victim’ of his coaching and race officiating I can testify that ain’t off the mark. They were selling off some of the kids’ old stuff. So, amidst some booths selling fancy minted out vintage stuff, custom road and track ‘remnant’ frames for $700 apiece, and the Lowriders exhibits, there were the Youngs with their rack of clothes and their ‘make an offer’ sign on stuff that probably was used to win actual Olympic events. No fuss, no fanfare. I myself think they were about the most famous people at the show. But I doubt many others picked up on this. They also had two bike frames for sale sitting on 2×4’s behind their table, with little markered signs next to them: ‘owned by Roger Young, xx times champion and coach’, ‘owned by Sheila Young, xx time world champion, etc.’ I asked Clare how much. He said “Arrrgh, aye, what about $150 apiece.” They looked to be mint condition.
I asked what kind. “Sinelli maybe”. They had great ornate 70’s style lugwork. I’m sure they were custom, probably made in Italy to order. By Colnago or Cinelli or whoever himself.
Had been repainted brand new. But I don’t think the restoration folks thereabouts would’ve appreciated that. “What are the angles on Roger’s frame?” “Arrr, good ones!” I’m sure they were.
—A breath of fresh air.
So I wandered around the 5 or so pavilions for a couple hours.
It was getting near closing time. I’d bought a Stingray tshirt and an old road racing book. I decided to call it quits and headed thru the cold rain to the car. I noticed two funny looking guys loading a nice old bike into their van. —That’s a great thing about this show. Most folks are funny looking. These guys had on mountainous military surplus winter gear, fur hats…not for fashion.
I said ‘nice bike’ to their old black folding grocery bike. They said in strong Minnesota accents “You want one? There’s another like it for $50 back in the back booth?” I was willing to take a look.
The guy nicely went the whole way back and showed me this nice rip off of his bike: a nice 60’s Sears ugly brown folder.
It had great front and rear racks, integral like Moultons (who they ripped off I’m sure), plus folding baskets, fenders, mint. It was ugly but had been sitting the whole show unsold. $50. So I bought it off this Canadian guy and his little kid. Why not, nice bike.
Kinda cheapy but it can’t hurt, easy way to try a folder.
The last bike of their little pile they brought down to sell.
Suddenly a lady runs up and says
How much? Guy says Sold and she starts yelling and swearing at the guy in the next booth. He says ‘Hey I just said it was here. It’s not my bike!’ She storms off. He says ‘That’s not how we talk in Nashville!’ Then there’s a hubbub and everyone marvels at the crazy lady. I start to leave with the bike. Cruising past booths folks are laughing and saying ‘It’s not my bike!’ Everyone is giddy due to fatigue from the day and thinks the episode very funny.
They have a new slogan. Another couple stops me ‘Want to sell?’
I say ‘No I don’t buy bikes really. I actually really just wanted a folder, so I’m going to keep it. A lot of other folks will still sell you stuff though.’ ‘Oh, it folds?’ I keep moving. 100 yrds later they catch up with me again, ‘Are you sure?’, politelike but actually I can sense desparation.
Crazy. I get away. At the last pavilion the fancy Moulton collector spies me and shouts ‘Wanna make some money!’ Geez! That ugly bike had been neglected all day, now I’m being mobbed. I coulda tripled my money easy I bet.
I stop by a vintage road bike booth as I leave and whisper to the guy ‘You know Clare Young? He’s selling Roger and Sheila’s custom 70’s frames back there for $150.’ The guy jumps and pulls out a Motorola walkie talkie ‘Bob do you read me…’ Jeepers. I get out of there. I wished someone was appreciating the Youngs’ stuff, but vultures? And why hadn’t anyone seen this stuff before? …I guess
it takes a newbie to point out the obvious…
