I too attended the Madison Swap. I missed the swap last year, and perhaps two years ago also.
At least based on the number in line at the opening and the continual bumping against other shoppers, the customer count must be up and I would guess the vendor number as well. I saw some interesting vintage stuff: 1948 Frejus, a Raleigh track bike, a couple of unidentified repainted Nervex lugged frames, lots of Campy wheels. I do agree, however, from what I saw, there wasn't a lot of vintage stuff.
The caveat of "from what I saw" forms my criticism of the swap. When I last attended the swap, the tables were arranged back to back vertically the length of a very big section of the hall. This year the tables were divided into three smaller rooms (one was for retail sellers). The arrangement of the tables where the private vendors were made it difficult, sometimes impossible, to see what a specific table offered. The tables back-to-back, with minimal space between each row of back-to-back tables, made it extremely difficult to view things without being jostled, bumped into, or wedged out of the way. I thought that perhaps the swap was a victim of its own success: too many vendors and customers, probably from their perspective a good thing. In making that criticism of the swap, I do recognize that running someone else's show or business is, like raising other people's children, a very easy thing to do, and so I make my criticism only in the most constructive way. As others have said, meeting up with folks, even the jostling with other bike goofs, is a good time, and in spite of that, I came home with a few goodies.
On to Westminster,
Tom Hayes Chagrin Falls, Ohio USA
On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 8:13 PM, Peter Naiman <hetchinspete1@yahoo.com>wrote:
> Jeff,
>
> Wish I could have joined everyone from the CR in Madison today, but I had
> other things going on. I've been out here in the Midwest since 2004 and
> first attended Crnometro in 05. I remember when I first attended CR members
> were commenting that there was very little if any vintage componants for
> sale, then for a few years we've seen a bit more available and now I guess
> were headed downward again. Cronomtero will probably never be big for us
> vintage collectors, but always fun to attend and meet up with friends from
> the CR.
>
> Regards,
> Peter
>
> P.S. Still have those bits from the 50th Anniversary case for you.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Peter W. Naiman
> Owner: Cream City Online.
> Registered Ebay Sales Broker/ Trading Assistant
> Glendale, WI USA 53217-5034
> Phone: 414-429-4362
>
>
> --- On Sat, 1/8/11, Jeff Pyzyk <jpyzyk@live.com> wrote:
>
>
> From: Jeff Pyzyk <jpyzyk@live.com>
> Subject: [CR] Chrono Metro Madison
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Saturday, January 8, 2011, 6:07 PM
>
>
>
> Just got back from Chrono Metro in Madison, Wisconsin. While the vintage
> bike stuff gets thinner and thinner every year, it was a very enjoyable
> time. I most enjoyed talking with CR Listers from our region including John
> Barron, Peter Jordain, Peter Gilbert, Earle Young, and Richard Cielic to
> name a few. A few of us had great big greasy cheeseburgers at Tony Franks
> after the swap. Two Pabst Blue Ribbons, a double cheeseburger with bacon
> and fried onions, and I was good to go. I will need to add a few miles to
> my weekly regiment to counteract the ill effects on my cholesterol.
> It is very cool to make these acquaintances as a result of the list!
> Jeff PyzykMilwaukee, WI
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> _______________________________________________
>
--
Tom Hayes
Chagrin Falls, Ohio