bici_mania

Not to be a nit-picker, but most of the people I have met/know who label themselves as a "working man" that ride bikes only do so out of necessity. They ride Huffy's and Next or what ever was the cheapest at the closest Wal-Mart.

I personally have a higher standard of living than they do but I am definitely a 'working man'. For me, my first thought is almost always Raleigh. I have been looking for the last two years for a mid 55/56cm 80's Raleigh Grand Prix, I have yet to find one that doesn't have some sort of issue at the same time that I have the money to spend but one day, one day...

fixed1313

I am a working man............ Collect Raleigh. Or anything else English, number of speeds is not important although I prefer 3.

cpeyron

I have a HUFFY, it just happens to say Serrota on it and for some reason it is painted white, red and green.

Robofunc

I think I'm a "working man," but I don't consider myself a collector; I want to ride.

Between CL and this forum I have a nice 84 letour, 87 ironman with indexed 105, an SL bottecchia project and an 85 pro miyata project.

I work a lot. Sometimes to the extent that I have a hard time making time to ride. I don't want garage queens, but I appreciate a nice bike and vintage is probably the best way to get there. Plus, every project is a fun puzzle. Who could ask for more?

ThermionicScott 

That's very possible. It's been a good thread -- I just think we've gotten wrapped around the axle a bit since it's hard to nail down where "working man" begins and ends, and geography/culture plays a role. And Aaron had a good point a little farther up that if a person of modest means saved up and went without other luxuries, they could get something pretty nice -- which is probably what you had in mind in the first place.

squatchy

Yes. I do believe interpretation has some with how a thread goes. I did in fact mean guys like you and I who are middle income "working man" who, because of our love for bikes have a couple or more in the garage. And yes Aaron's point was good. I have 2 S-works, both very nice that I bough used and have less than 5 k invested in them. I stoled a mint Tommasini fron a guy for $700, and I gave him $100 more than his asking price for it. I have a very rare Gary Fisher mountain bike that I paid $1200 for tweenty years ago. All of these bikes are in exceptional condition and didn't cost me an arm and a leg. I am after all just a regular "working man" type guy who has to budget and save and sacrafice some here and there to add bikes to my collection.

I must say I was expecting tp hear a huge shout out for Mercxk, De Rosa, Cinelli, Colnago, Tommasini Waterford ect. Apparently less of those get kicked around here in this forum than I had anticipated.

What I meant when I started at the top with "working man" was meant to exclude what I suppose you could call "museum collectors type". Guys who spend 10-25 k for NOS collector pieces that never would consider riding them. That to me is not a working mans budget for a bike collection.

tsappenfield

An old guy (like me) once said, "In my neighborhood, the rich kids rode Schwinns. The really rich kids rode Raleighs." In the 1950's where I grew up, J.C. Higgins (my first bike), Roadmasters, Western Auto bikes were common. I NEVER knew an adult who rode a bike.

TSAPP

Italuminium

true, a multi grand build is out of range for most of us

I think a 500$ build, about 200$ for the frame, 200$ in parts and 100$ in consumables like tires, chain and cables is a quite a good budget to do a build on, spread out over half a year, about 50$ a month out of the regular income, and some extra out of birthday gifts, sale of extraneous bike stuff or a small share of the tax return.

Depending on your luck on CL, in dumpster diving or hitting the garage sales a build like this can turn out to be a flamin' Italian steed or a solid middle of the road big box brand bike with sturdy Shimano components.

The real killers are paint and NOS parts.

do 2 or 3 builds like this a year and you'll soon run out of space and spousal patience!

himespau 

I suppose it all depends on where you work.

Zinger

Stuff we all saw around and wished we had but couldn't quite get our grubby hands on at the time without winding up in the street with it.

I always wanted that red Pinarello back then but happened on a Trek 970 road frameset instead. Kudos to those who got a hot Italian or Mercxk late in life though.

Even my second 970 gets the working man's piecemeal build with Cyclone derailleur, 7200 Dura Ace shifters, Dia Compe and Nitto....Just to stay in touch with my roots not to mention my mortgage payments.

Phil_gretz

When I was 16, it was the 1975/76 Bianchi Specialissima. To die for.