Is There A Market For "Vintage" Bikes?

[CT Rider]

Is there a market for "Vintage" bikes? I need to clear out some space and have a couple of bikes that I'd like to sell off. They both have Reynolds 531 frames, one has an original early 80's DuraAce group. Is there any place you folks would recommend to place these up for sale (other than eBAY)? Would I be better off parting out the bikes and selling the individual components? I'm not as concerned about making the maximum dollar on the sales as I am freeing up the space in my house.

Thanks in advance for your input/advice!

[saab2000]

Put them on the "Classifieds" here. But you have to price them realistically and sometimes this hurts. Stuff that may have cost a lot 15 years ago is sometimes worth literally only pennies on the dollar. If you try to get too much you will sit on the stuff for a long time.

Parting out is sometimes worthwhile, but try to sell the complete bikes first. There is also a good Classified Ad section at www.roadbikereviews.com and I have moved stuff through them too.

If you just want your stuff gone price it to sell. I have sold stuff for less than it was worth but the satisfaction of a happy customer and a cleaner basement is sometimes worth it. I have even given stuff away and found it nice that someone liked what I gave them.

Try the Serotta Classifieds.

[CT Rider]

Try the Serotta Classifieds.

Being a newbie around here I wanted to find out if it was politically correct to list older items in the Serotta Classified section of the Forum.

....on the other hand anything I make on the sale will most likely go towards add-ons for my new Serotta which hopefully will be in around Christmas!

[gck]

I agree that you could sell them quickly here in the Classifieds, especially if they're reasonably priced.

To answer one of your questions, you could undoubtedly get more money by (for example) parting out the vintage Dura-Ace pieces on eBay. But that would come at a significant cost in time and hassle.

If you decide to go beyond the Serotta forum, but want to avoid eBay, you might also try the iBOB list -- full of people who love vintage bikes. The list home is <http://www.bikelist.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-bob>.

There's a separate list for "BOBish Bikes for sale," which is for just such occasions, but has much less traffic:
<http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/BOBishBikesFS/>.

And if you want to keep it local and avoid shipping, there's always your local craigslist.

[Fixed]

bro in the house down stairs cheers :beer: merry christmas :beer:

[MMcG]

Put those old bikes up in the classifieds.

Heck if any of them are of winter bike quality, and have a 52 or 53cm center to center measurement - hit me with a PM with details! :)

[CT Rider]

Heck if any of them are of winter bike quality, and have a 52 or 53cm center to center measurement

Sorry, but I'm a bit bigger, I believe the frames are 59-61cm.

[dbrk]

Very, very few vintage bikes gain value or are actually worth much. If there are particularly desireable parts in perfect condition that makes nearly any example worth more.

I've "collected" bikes for lordknowshowlong and I'd venture I'd lose tons of money on anything I own, including the French bikes (Herse, Singer), the best bikes (Sachs, Nagasawa, Mariposa, Rivendell, Goodrich, Kirk), and even the wonderful bikes that aren't made anymore (CSi, Cooper, Mondia). These bikes include things like NOS Maxicar hubs and Simplex 5500 derailleurs, things so perfect and rare that you'd need Marie Antoinette's lost Breguet to find comparisons. Oh well.

Collect such bikes for love, expect no returns. Sell such bikes expecting great losses and followed by either real regret or simple release.

dbrk

[Ken Robb]

oooh, Dave Thompson--just our size!

If you get near the iBob list you will also find Classic Rendezvous where the fans buy/sell and advise each other much as we do here.

I have one 1981 lugged steel bike with Campy Nuovo Record gruppo that is a dandy ride as long as my 42-28 "low" gear let's me climb the worst hill on a given route. That bike is usually ridden around our bays where it's pretty flat.

Maybe you should ride these one more time to see if you don't want to keep one of them. There are classic rides here and other parts of the country where pre-1983 bikes are the norm and they are usually a lot of fun. That's where I met Joe Bll, Brian Bayliss and other neat folks.

[CT Rider]

Maybe you should ride these one more time to see if you don't want to keep one of them.

I haven't ridden either in the last 7 years. At this point the money I get from a sale is not my primary motivator, freeing up the space is. From a storage standpoint I would like to finally end up with: 1) my Specialized Mountain bike, 2) my LItespeed Classic (to use for indoor training and bad weather cycling ) and 3) my new Serotta Fierte IT.

Very, very few vintage bikes gain value or are actually worth much.

I clearly understand this, I would expect to get no more than $200/bike (if that). Due to limited storage space my only choices would be sell or throw away. IMO these bikes are a bit too nice (to the right person) to end up in the local landfill.

[MMcG]

I haven't ridden either in the last 7 years. At this point the money I get from a sale is not my primary motivator, freeing up the space is. From a storage standpoint I would like to finally end up with: 1) my Specialized Mountain bike, 2) my LItespeed Classic (to use for indoor training and bad weather cycling ) and 3) my new Serotta Fierte IT.



I clearly understand this, I would expect to get no more than $200/bike (if that). Due to limited storage space my only choices would be sell or throw away. IMO these bikes are a bit too nice (to the right person) to end up in the local landfill.

If only you were shorter. Funny thing - your username - I used to go by the name of CTRider on many message boards like mtbr.com etc. etc. but since switched over to MMcG on most sites.

[jdoiv]

What are the bikes in question? I'm looking for a decent steel bike to turn into a fixie. $200 sounds pretty good to me (maybe not to the wife, I'll have to clear that one). Put them up in the classifieds and let's take a look :banana:

[CT Rider]

If only you were shorter. Funny thing - your username - I used to go by the name of CTRider on many message boards like mtbr.com etc. etc. but since switched over to MMcG on most sites.

Actually I use my real name, Stan Malinowski, on all other boards. When I attempted to register here at the Serotta Forum with the Stan Malinowski, I never received an email to complete the registration process. I re-registered again as Stan M (since Stan Malinowski was taken) and the same thing happened again. Finally I used my work email address with CT Rider and I was able to complete the registration. BTW CT stands for Connecticut.

[cinelli]

CT,

I may be the exception, but I have made a few dollars on vintage bikes. They have to be very desirable bikes, not just old bikes. 1960s and early 1970s Cinellis and Masis are always good investments. Also, older Dura-Ace parts are worth very little in comparison to the same era Campagnolo parts. I am always looking for a nice 59 - 60cm frame......subtle hint!

[Serotta PETE]

Spokes 55-56 CM
Pete 57-58 CM
Phil 57 57CM

[MMcG]

Actually I use my real name, Stan Malinowski, on all other boards. When I attempted to register here at the Serotta Forum with the Stan Malinowski, I never received an email to complete the registration process. I re-registered again as Stan M (since Stan Malinowski was taken) and the same thing happened again. Finally I used my work email address with CT Rider and I was able to complete the registration. BTW CT stands for Connecticut.


Yep I know - I live in Avon, CT, where are you located in CT?

[alancw3]

if they have campy components try listing them on campyonly.com in their classified section.

[dave thompson]

Sorry, but I'm a bit bigger, I believe the frames are 59-61cm.
Hmmm. Just my size.

[CT Rider]

Yep I know - I live in Avon, CT, where are you located in CT

Southington, my uncle lives in Avon really nice riding out that way!

[YO!!!]

Like senor Cinelli; I had been very fortunate and was able to
make some coin from selling vintage bicycles. This is getting
more difficult in today's market. Back in the early 90s most
of the high end rigs could be had for $200-500. A decade
later the market prices rose to $500-1000. These were primarily
bikes from the 60's-mid 80s and equipped with Campagnolo gear.
The resale market for the right Campagnolo equipment was
what controlled prices and still does. Brands that command the
most appeal{$2000+prices} are Masi, Cinelli, Confente, DeRosa, Sachs,
to name a few. As in other markets, high end items in excellent
ORIGINAL condition command the greatest prices. All others are worth
much less.

[Tailwinds]

Serotta Classifieds is where I'd put them...

How much do you think this one is worth?

It's from about 1990, Columbus SLX tubing, and has been in storage in dry Colorado for about the last 12 yrs. after being ridden only a few seasons. It has full Dura-Ace 8-spd. (except Record seatpost) w/Mavic Gel tubies... excellent condition. The chrome is perfect. The components are nearly perfect. Only caveat (to me) is it was repainted at one time.

[Ginger]

If your specialized is one of the old rigid rockhoppers, perhaps with an original non-suspension fork, it may be one of those with a strange cult following of big guys because the frame will take so much abuse (that's what I found when I sold mine a year or so ago...who knew there was a market for those, I thought I'd get $50 for the thing!). But you have to hit the market right for the right buyer.

[shaq-d]

Serotta Classifieds is where I'd put them...

How much do you think this one is worth?

It's from about 1990, Columbus SLX tubing, and has been in storage in dry Colorado for about the last 12 yrs. after being ridden only a few seasons. It has full Dura-Ace 8-spd. (except Record seatpost) w/Mavic Gel tubies... excellent condition. The chrome is perfect. The components are nearly perfect. Only caveat (to me) is it was repainted at one time.

$300, maybe 600. can't tell what brand ti is, but it makes a big difference... wheelset too. if it's a no-name, $300. fi it's decent brand, $450.

sd

[csm]

it's a pinnarello.