Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Help, quick!

Hello all,

I want to get into commuter-type cycling. I have an old soul and love classic road bikes. I recently found a 1988 Bianchi SX 50 close to me through craig's list. I know nothing about bikes and want some help on the components and pricing and what have you. I'm about 5'3". She said she made some adjustments to the bike to make it an easier transition into the road bike which I think would be good for me and my biking experience. I'll list the components (I know nothing about bikes so if I list something wrong, forgive me):

Bianchi SX 50 1988
49/50 cm frame (I suppose she wasn't quite sure)
Tang tubing
original selle Italian saddle
Tekro RL 726 brake lever
Technomis headtube
Suntour downtube shifters (6 front, 6 back)
Sugino GP crankset
Araya 700c wheelset
Bontragers tires

Again, I know nothing about road bikes, especially old ones, so all of this is foreign to me. All comments are more than welcome and quite frankly needed. I can use all the help I can get. Oh, and she's asking $325 for it. Good or bad price?

THANK YOU!

A picture would go a long way to help out here.

As for the price, personally I think its quite high unless the bike is flawless and needs NO work whatsoever.

actually...
Is this is listing?
http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/1094896213.html

Her pictures kinda suck, but from what I can see, the bike is set up pretty different from your average road bike. I'd go as far as to call it a bit weird. First thing I notice is the brake levers. They are only on the tops of the bars, this means that right off the bat you lose the ability to have your hands on the brake hoods because there are no hoods. To me that would not inspire me with confidence to learn to ride a road bike in a normal road bike position. Imagine you are using the bars in the drops and you need to hit the brakes....you'd have to sit upright and change hand position to grab the levers rather than just reach your fingers out. Its not uncommon to see brake levers in the position these are in, but really only as a secondary lever.

The 'Technomic Headtube' is properly called the Stem or Quill, and Technomic is the brand. Its an extra long stem which would really make no sense for a rider of your size. It appears from the height of the stem and the height of the seat that the person who owns this bike is too big for the frame and has decided to jack the seat and stem way up to attempt to make it fit better.

I don't understand why an extra long stem makes it easier to learn to ride a road bike. Perhaps someone else does, but personally I think thats not an idea you should get attached to.

A picture would go a long way to help out here.

As for the price, personally I think its quite high unless the bike is flawless and needs NO work whatsoever.

actually...
Is this is listing?
http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/1094896213.html

Her pictures kinda suck, but from what I can see, the bike is set up pretty different from your average road bike. I'd go as far as to call it a bit weird. First thing I notice is the brake levers. They are only on the tops of the bars, this means that right off the bat you lose the ability to have your hands on the brake hoods because there are no hoods. To me that would not inspire me with confidence to learn to ride a road bike in a normal road bike position. Imagine you are using the bars in the drops and you need to hit the brakes....you'd have to sit upright and change hand position to grab the levers rather than just reach your fingers out. Its not uncommon to see brake levers in the position these are in, but really only as a secondary lever.

The 'Technomic Headtube' is properly called the Stem or Quill, and Technomic is the brand. Its an extra long stem which would really make no sense for a rider of your size. It appears from the height of the stem and the height of the seat that the person who owns this bike is too big for the frame and has decided to jack the seat and stem way up to attempt to make it fit better.+1

What she calls the "head tube" is actually the stem, and it's set really, really high-- as if this bike was too small for her. It's possible that she just wanted a more upright riding position, but the seat post is also set really, really high. So I'd say that the bike is just to small for her (oops, and I see she says that in her ad :p ). Anyway, that shouldn't affect you, if the bike is your size. But make sure it is your size, because there's a possibility that the stem and seat post are both set higher than is safe.

The most important factor here is fit-- make sure that the bike fits you.

Finally, I think that price is whack. Should be about half what she's asking, even in a good economy, but a lot of people have been asking whack prices for bikes lately, and the bad economy doesn't seem to have changed that.

The 'Technomic Headtube' is properly called the Stem or Quill, and Technomic is the brand. Its an extra long stem which would really make no sense for a rider of your size. It appears from the height of the stem and the height of the seat that the person who owns this bike is too big for the frame and has decided to jack the seat and stem way up to attempt to make it fit better.

I don't understand why an extra long stem makes it easier to learn to ride a road bike. Perhaps someone else does, but personally I think thats not an idea you should get attached to.Unless that stem can be set at a normal height, I'd pass on this bike-- the stem is just too high for a road bike. Maybe a good height for a hybrid, but not for a road bike. If you want a hybrid, buy a hybrid. If you want a road bike, buy a road bike. This one is a little weird. The brake levers are fine, but really only as auxiliary levers-- there should be a main set of levers which you can reach from the drops. And the stem should be much lower. If you have to change the stem and add brake levers to make this a proper road bike, that will add significantly to your cost, and the price of the bike should reflect that. On the other hand, if you want a hybrid, you can find them for much less money than this bike.



I'm about 5'3".This bike will probably fit you.



She said she made some adjustments to the bike to make it an easier transition into the road bike... Nonsense. She made adjustments because the bike is too small for her. You won't need those "adjustments" to "transition" into road biking (although if you have the interrupter levers as auxiliary levers to some proper levers that you can reach from the drops, that would maybe make the "transition" easier.)

So...

If the bike doesn't fit you, pass (I think it will fit you, though).
If you want a road bike, pass, unless they drop the price enough to make it feasible to make some changes to the brake levers (and maybe stem).
If you want a hybrid, pass, unless they drop the price down to hybrid price ranges.
If you don't want to pay a wildly inflated price, regardless of whether it's a road bike or a hybrid, pass, or get them down to about half what they're asking. $200 max, and that would be without any additional money into the bike (i.e., ready to ride, no tune-up and/or grease needed, no need to make changes to the brake levers and/or stem).

yeah still with that stem you'll either need to put different bars on or switch the stem to use drop bars comfortably. so either way the bike will need something.

$350 is steep for bike with those specs. There's nothing special there. She may have a considerable amount invested in it and is trying to recoup her costs but that isnt your problem.

$200-250

Way over priced for around here anyway.

+1 That stem means bike did not fit former owner. If the bike with that stem fits you, you need to move up a size (or two) to get a frame that fits.

Moving to the valuation sub-forum

I just took a look at Austin Craigslist-- the pickings are pretty slim, so I see the problem you're facing. There aren't many smaller bikes available, and bikes in general are pretty high there. Must be the UT market driving up the prices.

So, you'll either need to pay whatever price she'll come down to, and then pay some more to get the bike set up right, or you'll need to keep looking.

I would suggest broadening your search a bit. Look at eBay, for example. Here's a Bianchi around the same size that's in excellent condition: 1990 Bianchi Forza (http://cgi.ebay.com/Bianchi-Forza-Japan-14-speed-Super-Set-II-700c-Araya_W0QQitemZ120398386332QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item120398386332&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50)

http://i17.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/3d/89/93cc_12.JPG

That bike has a 31" standover height though, so it may be too big for you. Regardless, it's currently at $200 + shipping. May go to around $250 - $300 plus shipping by auction end, but it needs nothing (except assembly and tuning when it's received). Once you expand your search range, you'll find all kinds of great buys out there.

One question-- what are you looking for in a bike? Just a commuter?

And here's a Vintage Nishiki (http://cgi.ebay.com/Nishiki-bicycle-Prestige-Road-bike-Small_W0QQitemZ290307264474QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item290307264474&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50) in the Georgina Terry women's specific design style, perfect for smaller women (although admittedly a deviation from the "classic road bike.") If you're a smaller woman, the woman-specific design of this bike means it will fit you like no other. Seriously.

http://i.ebayimg.com/01/!BPt-IpgCGk~$(KGrHgoH-EEEjlLl)LvtBJ1BSOz)jQ~~_12.JPG

A Bridgestone RB-2 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-BRIDGESTONE-RB-2-Bike-49-cm-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ260384043677QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item260384043677&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50) (with really crappy photos) that will end in 20 minutes...

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/4/8/9/5/1/3/webimg/244224872_tp.jpg

A Club Fuji (http://cgi.ebay.com/NEON-GREEN-CLUB-FUJI-ROAD-BIKE_W0QQitemZ190297444101QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item190297444101&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50), if you can stand the color combination...

http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp89/bikemike1965/fileimages020.jpg

That Nishiki looks like a sweet bike! I picked up a larger framed Nishiki Prestige myself earlier this year.

Sometimes in the vintage world, you have to wait a while for a nice bike at a reasonable price to show up. And sometimes you have to trade distance for price (widen the search, include C/L in areas where you have friends/family and so on).

And it really is OK to pay over market for a bike considering convenience, hassle, need, etc. Realize that a bottom end name brand bike at a shop will cost $800.

A Fuji Allegro (http://cgi.ebay.com/Fuji-Road-Bicycle-w-Valite-Chromoly-Tubing-New-Tires_W0QQitemZ300305147548QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item300305147548&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A2%7C294%3A50)...

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/joseph814/fujiA/f1.jpg

Yes! That's the listing! Oh my goodness I'm so happy I posted here. I was ready to buy the bike (I tend to act before I think). Thank you for your reply. If this bike is going to start my cycling with bad habits, it's definitely not worth it. Again, thank you for your help. You saved me $325!!!

375, but who's counting ;)

1988 Bianchi Sport SX 50 cm for small rider - $375 (Hyde Park)

And thank you blueorder for all the links. That fuji allegro is beautiful! I do need to take the time to find a good bike for me that's affordable and didn't think of ebay merely cause of the shipping. I'm making it a point to stay away from the bike shops because I've been to them and everytime the math just doesn't sit right in my head. I want a bike that can take me places. I have an older piece of junk (that I love) that's more of a cruiser with the old, petal backwards brakes (don't know the proper term). I want something more for commuting. I love the look of the road bike. It's kind of shallow, I know. I live in San Antonio and want to start with just taking the two mile trips by bike instead of my big suv and eventually want to feel that my bike is a part of me. I don't want to, but would it be a smarter idea to go for a hybrid? I also just like the thought of an older bike for some reason. And yes I meant, $375, tehe. But who's counting right?

A hybrid may be less expensive, because it's less desirable-- maybe. It also has a more upright riding position, which may be more comfortable for the casual rider, and it has the ability to attach a rack for carrying things, and fenders for rainy weather and/or wet roads. It's a really practical choice.

On the other hand, you really like the look of a vintage road bike, and you want the bike to be a part of you. That would be a reason to get the bike you really want, instead of one you'd be lukewarm about. Now, back to that Fuji Allegro, it has the ability to attach a rack and fenders, you like the way it looks, and it fits you. And it's a decent bike. So I would suggest that the Fuji is a really good choice for you. It's currently at about $100, and not likely to go above $200 - $250, plus $50 shipping. Most likely, it will, sell in the $150 range, plus $50 shipping. Whatever its price, figure in another $100 to have it assembled and tuned. Whatever the selling price, you're still likely to pay more for that Bianchi that needs work than you would for the Fuji.

Bottom line-- if you like the Fuji Allegro, you should go for it.

So did you get that Fuji? Or are you still looking?

If you're still looking, here's a 48cm Fuji S10 (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/bik/1116666423.html) that's been converted to an 18 speed, looks very clean, only $220.