Antique bikes swapped, bought and sold at local event
SUMMIT TWP — Everything was there, except the baseball cards in the spokes, for a group of antique bicycle enthusiasts visiting a Butler County-hosted event.
More than 100 people braved snowy Sunday conditions to travel to Shindigs, 705 Herman Road, Summit Township, for an annual swap meet.
According to organizers Jeff Rapp of Butler and Howard Gordon of Lower Burrell, there were about 27 vendors at Sunday’s meet, selling full bikes, parts and accessories to some of the most iconic bicycles in history.
“Most of what this hobby consists of is what people remember having as kids,” Rapp said.
Dennis Metz of Gibsonia bought a front fork, a part of the bicycle that holds the front wheel, from Gordon.
“I had a parts lists, (I’m) looking for a couple things,” Metz said.
Metz said he plans to try the fork on a 1969 Iverson Drag Stripper. Metz said he has owned the bike for about 10 years.
“It’s a rare bicycle,” he said.
Gordon said the part he sold Metz was one of multiple sales on the day. He said he sold at least four bikes, along with other smaller parts and items.
He said many people seemed to enjoy themselves with some traveling from all over the Tri-state area. He said some came from Washington, D.C., and others from Ohio.
Gordon said a lot of the vendors in particular tend to sell at the same venues throughout the northeast, and they keep in touch between events.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie here,” Gordon said. “Everybody seemed happy. Everybody sold well.”
Gordon said aside from the sales, he’s always on the lookout for interesting bikes that grab his attention, and Sunday was no exception. He couldn’t help but watch as bike owner Brady Clark of New Wilmington walked past his stall, pushing a bicycle with a back wheel one-third of the size of the large front wheel.
Clark said it’s a Vector High Wheeler from the late-1800s. Clark said, like some other vendors, he makes his living by selling bicycles. He said he caught the collector bug after a shop owner he worked for encouraged him to start collecting.
He said now he’s part of a unique niche.
“I collect everything - balloon tire, muscle bike, stuff from the 1950s,” Clark said. “Anything old, I’m into.”
