Vintage Bike Parts
Exceptional Bike Needs Exceptional Parts

Bike parts that were modern yesterday
are now considered to be vintage bike parts

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Since the word “vintage” is mistakenly used too often to describe “something not older than 5 years” you do need to know how to find your real-deal.

First.
Find the Right “Hard to find” stuff

In the farthest corner of the bike shop or even antique market your desired vintage part may be hidden. Looking, seeking and finding are the part of the “vintage” game.

There are two main options when talking about your vintage bike. You may want to keep it as it is.

It means preserve everything you can. You change nothing. In most cases it will be a nice looking showpiece.

Not a usable bike.

If your goal is to have a bike in working condition and you want to keep (or even increase) its value, you will need to restore your bike using appropriate details. Keep looking for NOS (new old stock) vintage bike parts.

NOS parts means they were manufactured long time ago and...

...have never been used. A real treasure for vintage fan!

Have you found NOS parts with their original boxes and documentation? Perfect. Packaging materials and instructions may be collectable itself.

Don’t expect to go cheap. Vintage parts are rare, unique and no longer in production. Such combination asks to add one more description – “expensive”.

Second.
Prepare that stuff to use

Bring it back to life if it’s not in working condition.

Depending on vintage bike part you have purchased you might want to do several renewal works. If the parts are used they may require some reparations.

Here you need to be very careful. The less original part will be changed, the more value it will retain in the test of time. You need to be very conservative here.

Don’t rush to change something, if it can be cleaned.

Few minutes of cleaning may make vintage bike part to look like brand new. If it not happens, it means you need something stronger than cleaning.

Chrome, aluminium, steel. All these materials require special treatment. Choose them carefully.

Golden rule – don’t touch paint job if it’s not necessary.

And necessary it will be only when the bike part is covered with rust completely. Original painting and colours add that valuable feeling of having a bike “as it was made”.

Finally.
Consider it as an Investment

Vintage bikes are here to stay. Their value varies as the demand and supply changes on the market over the years, however once you own such a bike, it is worth to keep it.

And to keep it in good shape.

That’s why appropriate vintage parts are important to overall value of your bike. The mere fact that your vintage bike is equipped with original parts or repaired using NOS, makes your cycling machine lot more valuable.

When should you use reproductions and replicas of vintage parts?

If you cannot find real vintage part or bring it back to its usable condition. If you found, purchase it despite the higher price.

Vintage needs investments.

Unless you are looking only for “looks” but not for real vintage value, be careful with vintage parts online auctions. Many NOS parts can be fake.

It means you buy used vintage bike part or, even worse, newly manufactured replica.

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Finished with Vintage bike parts. Proceed to Mountain bike parts

Go home. Visit Mountain bike menu