Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Value of '69 Crescent

Hi - I'm new to the forum and new to road bikes. I'm just discovering the whole culture of biking a bit late in life (i'm 36) and while i think it's great, i'm getting pretty put off by this exclusive bike club atmosphere where if you don't know the language and you're just learning, you get ignored. How do avid bikers expect people to want to bike more (and hence, save the planet. Duh.), if they're mean to people who are just genuinely wanting to learn because they just genuinely like to ride? Riding my bike is one of the greatest moments of my day every day. It sucks that everything has to be a contest to be cooler or faster than the next guy.
I'm hoping maybe i'll find some thoughtful, open people here...
Anyway, i moved to the Dallas area from St Pete Beach in Florida and i'm trying to sell my vintage beach cruiser so i can get a road bike instead because I ride too much now for my cruiser to keep up. My cruiser is worth $350 minimum. I don't have any extra money to spend outside of that. I put an ad up on craigslist and got a bite from a guy with a '69 Crescent, looking to trade. It's the standard orange one w/ decals.
I've found out quite a bit about these bikes researching on the web (Swedish, racers...some say they're great...some say they're crap) but the one thing i can't seem to find is any kind of estimated value.
I don't want to get the shaft trading this guy for my cruiser so i need to figure this out...

I'm attaching the pix he sent. I don't know any other info about it tho except that it's, like i said, a '69 Crescent. Any help would be Greatly appreciated!!

A $350 vintage road bike would be something pretty special, and that picture does not look special to me.

If you read through the various value estimates on this forum, you will see most are less than $300, many less than $200.

On the Crescent, you start with the frame and components. Ask the guy offering the trade: what is the frame made of (and any decals supporting it). Then onto components: What are the rims made of? They look like steel, which is really low end.

Then onto the crank, is it steel or alloy? Cottered or not? Derailleurs?

From that mediocre picture, I am guessing that Crescent is about a $100 bike, maybe less.

A road bike is just a frame, onto which crappy to great components are attached. So once you know what the frame is made out of (unmarked = bottom end, high ten steel = bottom end), you focus on the components.

As far as what the guy is telling you, it is almost worthless. Its all in the details. Without details, you really can't make an informed decision. Imagine we were going to trade cars. I just tell you I have a Ford, its a 1969, and I send you one fuzzy picture. (Of course, it is a rusted out, doesn't run, the interior is trash, but I neglect to mention those details...)

Unless I'm missing something, just based on the crankset, I'm saying NO!


And to fit in, just read, you'll pick up the lingo. Vist http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html, and stay away from the road forum.

And to fit in on the road, if you want to get faster, find a recreational club to ride with and work your way up through their rides. It won't take long to find a level.

Awesome - thanks for the info! I wrote back to him and asked for those specs.
Incidently, i was not thinking to do a straight up trade. I figured i would take the Crescent and some cash. I'm just not sure how much cash to ask for. I will repost when he sends me the specs...
:)

For 350, that better be one of the Reynolds 531 framed Crescents. From those pics, it isn't. Even the ones of those I've seem had a big ugly seam on the bottom bracket, so unless it is draped with Campy Nuovo Record or something, I'd say no.

So Mr Crescent finally responded to my questions. Here's what he said:

Steel frame,Simplex steel crank and sprockets, Simplex front guide , shifters and seat clamp. AVA neck, Dia compe brake levers, shimano brakes, Normandy hubs with Super-Akront alloy rims, front and rear quick releases, Super hp CST 27x1 1/4 tires & m-19 rat trap pedals. Fork decals are missing, all others are intact.

He also attached a Bunch more pix which i can resize and put up here if necessary.
Like i said, i'm new to the bike world so I don't know what any of the above means, really.

I'm essentially just looking for a rough estimate in value so i know how much cash i need to ask him for in addition to the trade.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!! :)