1980s frame purchases. You tell me:

[false_Aest]

Hey,

I'm trying to figure this out in my head and compare prices from the mid 80s to now.

What did a top of the line bike in ~1985 cost?

[Fixed]

i always bought used i got a used colnago around 1979 for about $700
cheers
i had used px10 a few years before the nago for like $500 it was in great shape almost new i thought i got a good deal on it

[wtex]

Hey,

I'm trying to figure this out in my head and compare prices from the mid 80s to now.

What did a top of the line bike in ~1985 cost?

Well, wasn't top o the line, but my Schwinn Circuit, 1987, with Sante was ~750 on winter sale, I believe the shop had it marked at 980. And to think I almost sold it a couple of years ago to make room. Ugh, I'd be so unhappy right now.

[54ny77]

i vaguely recall paying around 600 or so for each of a colnago super frame and a campy super record group. was a lotta coin in those days for a punk like me, but i worked for every penny of it.

oh yeah there were wheels & so forth to be added to the mix, bars/stem, yadda yadda.

benotto tape was cheap though!

[Ralph]

I recall buying a Schwinn Paramount frame around then for about $800. One with the Columbus ribbed tubes.

[nahtnoj]

Around 92 a Fat Chance Yo Eddy cost ~$1100 for the frame.

Current price for an IF Deluxe is $1,865.

I think it means more to compare something with lineage. Probably easiest with Shimano component groups.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I got the following for right at $1500:

--Vitus 979 frame (Glued, black tubes, beautiful--noodly BB!)
--Campy Nuovo Record drivetrain (cranks, front and rear derailleurs) and seatpost
--Shimano DA short reach brakes and levers
--Campy pedals
--Mavic CD4 rims laced to Campy NR hubs
--Cinelli bars and stem
--Cinelli Unicanitor saddle
--Clemet sew-ups

Still got it all down in the basement. a restoration project moves closer to the front of my mind all the time.

BBD

[maxdog]

The oldest Bicycling mag I can access without going into the attic storage is '89 (sorry not that motivated). Colorado Cyclist's most expensive listing is a Basso Loto (SLX/SPX), C-Record eqquiped, for $1,999.99. Cycle Goods has a Lemond SLX, C-Record, for $2575.

[saab2000]

Back when I was getting into this I remember seeing Gios Torinos and Guerciottis with Super Record running about $1500-$2000. This was early '80s. Like 1982-1983. That timeframe.

[maxdog]

. . . I got the following for right at $1500:

--Vitus 979 frame (Glued, black tubes, beautiful--noodly BB!)
--Campy Nuovo Record drivetrain (cranks, front and rear derailleurs) and seatpost
--Shimano DA short reach brakes and levers
--Campy pedals
--Mavic CD4 rims laced to Campy NR hubs
--Cinelli bars and stem
--Cinelli Unicanitor saddle
--Clemet sew-ups

Still got it all down in the basement. a restoration project moves closer to the front of my mind all the time.

BBD


I also purchased a Vitus 979, Full DA, for about the same in '86.

[dekindy]

I purchased a Schwinn Paramount complete bike with Shimano 600, Time pedals and shoes, and a computer for around $1,400 in 1989-90 time frame.

[sashae]

1984 3Rensho catalogue stated:

3Rensho Super Record (with full Campagnolo Super Record, pantographed parts) $1750

3Rensho Super Record AERO (with full Campagnolo Super Record and pantographed parts) $1825

3Rensho Super Record AERO "Black and Gold" (super-finished SRA with Shimano Dura Ace AX parts, all pantographed.) $2750

[fiamme red]

Here are some Serotta prices from 1985:

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/serotta-85/ser7.jpg

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/serotta-85/ser8.jpg

[false_Aest]

My little internets calculator tells me that a bike in 1984 would've had to cost $4.5k to equal the $10k price in 2009.

Curious.

[maxdog]

My little internets calculator tells me that a bike in 1984 would've had to cost $4.5k to equal the $10k price in 2009.

Curious.

You might want to take into account the newer more expensive materials like carbon fiber and titanium, not to mention the weak dollar. Internet calculator??
The house I bought in '84 for $123K would now sell for about $400K. The car I bought for about $12K would cost about $30K to replace. Inflation is not a uniform process.

[texbike]

A few years back I bought a 1983 Olmo with full Super Record from the original owner. He still had the original receipt and it was just over $1600 out the door.

Personally I think you get more bike for your money these days (at least in the mid-range, Ultegra-ish bikes)...

Texbike

[maxdog]

A few years back I bought a 1983 Olmo with full Super Record from the original owner. He still had the original receipt and it was just over $1600 out the door.

Personally I think you get more bike for your money these days (at least in the mid-range, Ultegra-ish bikes)...

Texbike

+1 I agree

[false_Aest]

Word MaxDog.

[Wilkinson4]

Ciocc in 85 with Nuovo Record for about $995.00. Put it on lay-away for 3 months interest free and paid every month;) Poor working kid.

mIKE

[SoCalSteve]

Hey,

I'm trying to figure this out in my head and compare prices from the mid 80s to now.

What did a top of the line bike in ~1985 cost?

Tommy,

In 1985 you were 2 years old...

Just thought I'd remind you.

Steve

PS: I, on the other hand, had already been in the movie business for 5 years in 1985...

[TMB]

I actually still have the invoice for a bike I bought in 1985.

It was a custom build, 753 steel.
Full C-Record group
Wolber rims 32 x3 tied to C-Record hubs.
Regina America 7 speed freewheel.


$2650.00



BTW - I still have, and still ride the bike.

[Frankwurst]

I can't date back that far. The bikes are gone, my memory rode them away. :beer:

[SPOKE]

About 1981-1982 my Trek 970 was $1200.
Lugged Columbus SL frame/fork
Full Dura Ace (miss the Dyna Drive pedals)
Fiame Red label tubular rims with Clement tires.
Wish I still had that bike in my collection...:(

[Fixed]

About 1981-1982 my Trek 970 was $1200.
Lugged Columbus SL frame/fork
Full Dura Ace (miss the Dyna Drive pedals)
Fiame Red label tubular rims with Clement tires.
Wish I still had that bike in my collection...:(
that was a cool bike
cheers

[learlove]

in the mid/late 80's SLX frame w/ DA, Superbe or Campy came in around 1500 to 2000. Entry level to mid level 400 to 1000.


My first real racing bike was an 87 Cannondale criterium with Suntour/Sugino/ components and Sun/Minstral wheels. 400 bucks. After a year I upgraded the components to 7spd Suntour Sprint and campy omega box tubular rims and sprint hubs for around 300.

[maxdog]

About 1981-1982 my Trek 970 was $1200.
Lugged Columbus SL frame/fork
Full Dura Ace (miss the Dyna Drive pedals)
Fiame Red label tubular rims with Clement tires.
Wish I still had that bike in my collection...:(

Interesting, I have an '82 Trek I bought NOS in '84, Campy Record build, and it had no model designation, just a head badge. I thought that predated the numbered models. Beautiful bike, and made in America.

[Fixed]

in the mid/late 80's SLX frame w/ DA, Superbe or Campy came in around 1500 to 2000. Entry level to mid level 400 to 1000.


My first real racing bike was an 87 Cannondale criterium with Suntour/Sugino/ components and Sun/Minstral wheels. 400 bucks. After a year I upgraded the components to 7spd Suntour Sprint and campy omega box tubular rims and sprint hubs for around 300.
i had one i bought used from a stock broker i knew
$300 i made payments
get this full c record it was his wife's she was a super triathlete
back then
i was and i still am a davis phinney fan
cheers
over the years i have had 4 different cannondales

[93LegendTG]

I still have the receipt.
1985 Holdsworth Pro with Campy SR Reduced: $795.00
The Gruppo, without going for the Ti bits, was the best Campy had and was was listed as $450.00. Compare that with today's Super Record.

[ti_boi]

Dang! You fellas had some awesome taste. I used to oggle the Motobecanes.

[pbjbike]

Now yer back too! :beer:
Traded a house painting job for a '73 Cinelli SC in '88. Paint work was worth $1k. Bike has appreciated, but relative to real FRN's it's worth about the same. Still my favorite.

[R2D2]

I still have the receipt.
1985 Holdsworth Pro with Campy SR Reduced: $795.00
The Gruppo, without going for the Ti bits, was the best Campy had and was was listed as $450.00. Compare that with today's Super Record.

That's about what I paid for my CIOCC SL with SR. Still rides well. Been resprayed with a Imron metalic blue. May need to ride it this weekend.

[zmudshark]

In 1984, dealer cost on my SLX Cinelli SC was ~$500 for frame/fork. No idea what retail was.

[SPOKE]

that was a cool bike
cheers

yes it was......

I'd also like to have my 85' Ciocc back too. Full Campy SR build. every bit was pantagraphed.

[SPOKE]

Interesting, I have an '82 Trek I bought NOS in '84, Campy Record build, and it had no model designation, just a head badge. I thought that predated the numbered models. Beautiful bike, and made in America.

I think the Campy equiped bike was like a 950 or 960 model designation but not positive about that.

[don compton]

In 1987, I purchased a Basso Loto frameset. $750 and built it up with a combo of Campy Chorus and Dura Ace rear derailleur and shifters. I still have the bike. Compared to today's steel framesets, it is a tank. Today's custom steel framesets are a steel(sorry).

[soulspinner]

Cracknfail in the 80s. Put Suntour superbe and handbuilts on it and raced and rode it 4 a long time. Paid 400 for it and took a lot of sh88 because of the color(violet). I really wanted a Ciocc with SR on it, even though my bike was lighter. :crap:

[godfrey1112000]

1985 Raliegh Whatever $325, trashed it
1988 Trek 400 $400, steel shimano 105, wore it out
1994 Specialized Epic, carbon $1100, because it came with the pedals and the Klien did not, Ultegra, sold it for $400 in 2009
2003 Hors Categorie #265 $3100, then upgraded to DA
2011 Hors Categorie #295 TBD, at shop being built up, Sram Red

#265 to be used in Kansas and everywhere else
#295 to be used in Phoenix, AZ

[oldpotatoe]

Hey,

I'm trying to figure this out in my head and compare prices from the mid 80s to now.

What did a top of the line bike in ~1985 cost?

I bought a Ciocc SL with Victory, GP-4, for $875 in 1985.

Still have it, it now has NuovoRecord on it now. Hanging from the ceiling in the shop.

[Aaron O]

+1 I agree

Very much agree...

I can give you 1990 pricing for road bikes...a top level Italian frame, SLX, cost between about $900-$1,200. MAX was around 1600ish. Full bikes were around 2400ish to 3000ish for C-Record and knock off about $500 for Dura Ace. Delta brakes were $300! A Merlin ti frame was around $3,000!

I bought a Specialized Sirrus, which was considered the best buy/value bike at the time, with 105 for $550.

[clunk]

1989 Trek 2000
Shimano 600 components
Mavic Open 4 CD rims with Shimano 600 hubs
Cinelli bars and stem

$1,100

[dd74]

My Colnago Super (frame and fork) cost me $400 in 1985. The closest Colnago frame today seems to be the Master X Light, which I haven't seen for anything less than $2,000.

[GuyGadois]

Here is the price list I got when I purchased my Pinarello Montello in 1985. Yeah, it's in Lira ...

Gadois

https://img.skitch.com/20110210-xp8mifw3rfhfteqpd84qfd1i33.jpg

[legacysti888]

Bought my custom red Tesch 101 but painted by Brian Baylis new with full DA 7400 group with Mavic SSC clinchers, cinelli cockpit, white concor profil saddle, vittoria tires - $2675 or thereabouts.

Sold it when I was stationed in Singapore in 1990. Regretted it ever since BUT was then reunited with it last year when it found me via the internet.

Weird and crazy.

[maxdog]

Bought my custom red Tesch 101 but painted by Brian Baylis new with full DA 7400 group with Mavic SSC clinchers, cinelli cockpit, white concor profil saddle, vittoria tires - $2675 or thereabouts.

Sold it when I was stationed in Singapore in 1990. Regretted it ever since BUT was then reunited with it last year when it found me via the internet.

Weird and crazy.

Wow, lot of coin for a 3 yr old.

[torquer]

I started racing in 1980; that year I had a couple-year old Raleigh Super Course 2, with second-hand sew-up wheels (gold anodized!).
Next season I bought a new Columbus SL-tubed Guerciotti (sp?) with a mostly Nuovo Record components (Modolo brakes), no wheels, for right around $1,000.
$1,200 bought a complete Campy bike, add a few hundred more for Super record components and/or one of the premium Italian frames (Cinelli, DeRosa, Pinarello).
A few years later ('84?) Conrad's bike shop had a couple nice-looking lugged frames from a young, unknown American builder named Chris Chance. A sale coincided with a criterium crash on the Guerc' and I got one of those frames for around $500, probably including headset and BB.

[bfd]

Ha, back in 1989, my buddy James and I walked into a now defunct bike stop - the old Marina Cyclery, on a cold rainy night at about 5pm. There was no one in the shop but the owner. He had on display a brand new black and white Bottecchia with wonderful chrome lugs. It was built up with Campy C-Record or Chorus and looked like this one, but with scripted, not block lettering:

http://velospace.org/node/12270

It was the exact size James was looking for and he made the owner an offer he couldn't refuse - $500 cash for the frameset. James also bought the headset for another $35. He still rides it today and loves it. Now that is a bargain!

Similarly, in 1990, I bought a red Cinelli SuperCorsa SLX frameset for $500. Not a bad buy, but in four or five year of use, the chrome started peeling. I ended up selling it five or six year later.

One regret, during that same time, I could have bought a custom Eisentraut for a little bit more - $650 or $675. Now that would have been a bargain! Good Luck!

[legacysti888]

Wow, lot of coin for a 3 yr old.

Heh? 3 years old?

Actually, I sold it for $3200 back in 1988 (actual year, sorry I am old) in Singapore and bought it back for the deal of the decade complete as you see here last year. Still in superb condition. It's amazing.

[fiamme red]

Heh? 3 years old?

Actually, I sold it for $3200 back in 1988 (actual year, sorry I am old) in Singapore and bought it back for the deal of the decade complete as you see here last year. Still in superb condition. It's amazing.Wow, stunning bike!

By the way, your birthday in your profile is 1981, which is what maxdog meant.

[legacysti888]

Wow, stunning bike!

By the way, your birthday in your profile is 1981, which is what maxdog meant.


LOL! An old man never tells his true age in the internet... that's actually my wife's age. :rolleyes:

[flickwet]

1988 Colorado hangin' in the rafters for three years at the now defunct Merriman Cyclery, paid $1050 for the frame new in 1991as a gift for myself for one year in business, Dennis and Derrick at Big Wheels built her up with Croce D'aune (SP) and Chorus that was laying around after the fire. Lotsa memories in that bike. 75k miles still looks great from 5 feet, better than her owner, rusted the cable ties off of the top tube replaced them with Campy clamps...still sexy after all these years...the bike not me.

[Steve in SLO]

I bought a new SLX Rauler Special (Colnago equivalent) in 1985 for $349 frame/fork at Bikecology in Santa Monica. I believe regular price was $500.

[ceya]

Hey,

I'm trying to figure this out in my head and compare prices from the mid 80s to now.

What did a top of the line bike in ~1985 cost?

Would have been a Cinelli Super Corsa with C Record .
Price around 1500.

[buddybikes]

Custom frame from Tanguy Cycles (the same physical shop Chris Chance took over later) was 275.00 in 1976.

I remember buying DeRosa in 1982 from shop that I did lot of referrals for, paid 450 which I think was 10% over cost. Also bought first Record C group (including headset, hubs) during winter sale at Nashbar for 450.00 same think in 1983?

[tuscanyswe]

A few years back I bought a 1983 Olmo with full Super Record from the original owner. He still had the original receipt and it was just over $1600 out the door.

Personally I think you get more bike for your money these days (at least in the mid-range, Ultegra-ish bikes)...

Texbike

This.

But the rich got richer and more of them so companies are now also catering to a group with a lot more cash in comparison to the average joe than way back then. Hence theres a much bigger market for expensive items these days may it be bikes or something else.

[Gianni Bianchi]

IIRC I got a team discount on a Pinarello Super Record back in 1984 for $400 when retail was about $700 (frame only). Kept that bike (all SR components) till 2015 and sold it for $1100.

[mhespenheide]

Would have been a Cinelli Super Corsa with C Record .
Price around 1500.

@ceya, this is a ten-year old zombie thread. What prompted you to revive it?

For me, an '87 Bianchi Campione d'Italia was ~$550 with a 40% discount for being on the junior race team. (I think). So just under $1000 for a Cromor frame with parts that were supposedly equivalent to Shimano 105 (even though they weren't).

[peanutgallery]

Liking all the supercorsa love on this thread

Bought my frameset (china blue) off the rack at Peachtree Bikes for $400 in 1989. Incredible riding bike. Still have it, but it hasn't been pedaled in anger since about 1992. Crusty rust bucket that was bent and crusted with quick release paint by then, can't bear to get rid of it and not really worth the proper fix. Good piece of wall art and lots of memories. First win on that thing, it stays as is

[Nomadmax]

A new Guerciotti SLX from Ten Speed Drive was 500 bucks.

[Keith A]

Not the very top of the line, but near the top of Trek's road bikes was the 560. This came with 6-speed Shimano Ultegra with index shifting, and I paid nearly $600 at the time. This was my first real road bike.

[Steve in SLO]

1985: Rauler SLX Olympic edition frame, DA 7400 + Cinelli cockpit bits.
Ca $800 total.
Frame was on sale from $600-->$349, though.

[JasonF]

Zombie thread indeed! But still fun...

My first "real" bike was a Nashbar-sold Vitus 979. IIRC, it cost around $450 in 1988 dollars which translates to $1,063 in current dollars. I worked as a bike messenger in D.C. using that rig and it never let me down. Tough bike considering it was bonded aluminum tubes.

At that time a Merckx Corsa was my grail bike and I never thought it would be attainable. That cost was around $900 which is $2,100 in today's dollars.

[Spaghetti Legs]

I couldn’t afford a nice bike in the 80’s but I was a youngster. I have some catalogs acquired with some of my bikes over time. Here is a Moser (1983 by my guess) and Bianchi (1989) catalog scan I have handy. The top end Mosers are Columbus SL with Super Record. I have the whole catalog somewhere …

Giro btw was 3rd on the Bianchi heirarchy.

[Spaghetti Legs]

Here’s another price list with some parts I found.

[zmudshark]

A Cinelli SC was $600 for a f/f in 1984, dealer cost.

[sokyroadie]

Racing team bought custom Mercians for $450.00 F/F in 1984. Most were 531P. Nice Zombie thread.

[54ny77]

great thread on this topic: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=2280211&postcount=7

and back in the day when a "group" really meant just that: everything but saddle, rims/spokes (but the group included hubs!), bar, stem and toe clips/straps. none of this half-assed compilation of a few things that qualify for a "group" today.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697951339&stc=1&d=1513460394

[steelbikerider]

The Italia Velo sport ads were one of the best things in Velonews in the early 80's. I ordered a bunch of parts and kit from them.

[ripvanrando]

In the late 70's and early 80's as a poor college student, I remember lusting after $1000-1200 Italian bikes with Super Record but too poor to buy

I bought a Carbonne 9 with C Record in late 1985 for $2100 complete, IIRC.

A Klein frame in 1984 ish for $450, a Cannonwhale for less than that in 1982 ish.

[Tandem Rider]

great thread on this topic: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=2280211&postcount=7

and back in the day when a "group" really meant just that: everything but saddle, rims/spokes (but the group included hubs!), bar, stem and toe clips/straps. none of this half-assed compilation of a few things that qualify for a "group" today.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697951339&stc=1&d=1513460394

This looks like what I ordered my Super frame from in 1980ish. Oschner may have been the distributor at the time. I was a poor bike racer lusting after all the nice bikes, scraped enough cash together to get a Super frame with the "shoppie" discount, hung parts I owned on it. I raced it until I got team frames, I still have it. It's been crashed, broken, fixed, rattlecanned, and still ride it occasionally.

[Spaghetti Legs]

I just sold my ‘82 Colnago Super frame/fork for $350 so I guess, disregarding inflation, it was a free bike!

[tv_vt]

What did a top of the line bike in ~1985 cost?

My frame of reference is a weekly club time trial I started doing in Dorset, Vermont that year. One of the well-to-do guys had a brand new Ciocc, full Campy, that cost just over $1000. That was the first 4-figure bike I had ever seen.

[alexihnen]

Here’s the itemized price list for a 1981 Assenmacher custom.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220113/5a04331a06edc8abe3ccb36dac182912.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Waldo62]

I paid $600 for a Pela-built Cinelli Supercorsa frame in 1988. Had I known what I had, I wouldn't have sold it in 1991.

[jet sanchez]

I paid $600 for a Pela-built Cinelli Supercorsa frame in 1988. Had I known what I had, I wouldn't have sold it in 1991.

I've never heard of Pela, is that a person or a company?

How did you determine that Pela built it?

Just curious, I have a 1971 and a 1985 Supercorsa

[C40_guy]

My little internets calculator tells me that a bike in 1984 would've had to cost $4.5k to equal the $10k price in 2009.

Curious.

You're not factoring in gear inflation.

In 1984, that bike might have 12 speed gearing.

Now, in 2022, it's, um, a 12 speed.

Never mind. :)

[rwsaunders]

https://i.imgur.com/r9VWg5jh.jpg

J.P. Weigle flyer from the late ‘80’s.