our story

Bicycle Bones Classic Bicycles started in late 1994 as a mobile vintage bicycle dismantler and recycler.  I traveled to many parts of the country and parted out bicycles and sold them at bicycle swap meets and bike shops where crowds gathered around anxiously to find that ever so hard to find part for their vintage bike. I would sometimes be pulled off the road by people who saw my bikes piled high in my trailer. Schwinn, Shelby, Monark, Dayton, Elgin are names of only a few bikes I had parts for in my trailer.

Soon I had an enormous amount of inventory so I decided to head to CA as my final destination and get a building where I could store my parts. When I arrived in the Santa Cruz area I parked my van and trailer in an abandoned shopping center parking lot. I grabbed a cup of coffee and then headed back to my rig.  When I got there it was surrounded by a large group of onlookers and I was beset with a myriad of requests to buy this bike or that bike and on and on. There were 40 bikes tied to the top of my van and over a 100 packed like sardines in my trailer so it was quite a scene.  I needed the cash so I jumped up to the top of my van and untied the bikes and started one at a time. No one even questioned my prices and quickly handed me the cash. 

Then I noticed a man with a large camera moving around with the ever growing crowd of anxious buyers. So I got down, approached him and asked what was going on. Turns out he was sent from the local News Channel 35. The news had traveled like wildfire about the incredible pile of cool vintage bikes traveling through town going to who knows where. Well somehow he found me and a couple hours later I was being featured on local TV. Well the rest is history because 4 days later my van and trailer had been picked clean. The next day I was on a new journey to find more vintage bikes.

The following 3 years found me roaming the cities and towns and back country places and wherever my curiosity would take me. Finally, I decided to settle down in the Santa Cruz area so I searched around here and there and finally landed my first shop, an empty 2 car garage with a toilet, but no hot water but located in the city of Soquel CA.

Collectors from all around were attracted to my shop and the word spread. I continually sourced more and more parts and soon I need more space.

So, I went to Northern CA, purchased a great building in a perch location not far from the beach. I operated my online business for over 9 years but realized I needed to do some picking or I would soon run out of inventory. I cut a deal with the owner of a large mail order reproduction classic bicycle parts business to help him move his inventory and after a few years getting to know them and helping them I was able to buy the entire business lock stock and barrel including a 53 foot semi trailer loaded with Schwinn inventory.  In addition to stock they also had the license to manufacture Schwinn classic Bicycle parts.  I was able to negotiate the transfer of the license to my company so with their already established manufacturing contacts I was able continue to restock. I saw their need to improve their product line as I was devoted to making  the remanufactured parts to basically the same specifications as the original parts were made back in the time. This allowed me to offer the hard to find parts and on an as needed basis with no more long waiting to find the I have had the license now for many years and have built up a large inventory of Classic Schwinn parts saving the year 1946 thru 1976 with a few parts outside that time frame. I also managed to make some parts for some of the other manufactures I mentioned earlier.

You can come to my site for the most extensive collection of Schwinn Approve parts and I even still have an ice stash of the original New Old Stock Parts to choose from. Or, you can visit my showroom and parts counter and take the part home with you.