Classic & Vintage - Does it seem like many Vintage bikes are selling for lower prices now?

I was bidding on a Masi Gran Criterium on ebay and missed out on the end of auction bidding frenzy.. I was surprised when I looked and saw that the Masi I was bidding on only sold for 635.00..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230367266946&ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT

It sure seems like Vintage bikes that were selling for 1k to 1.5k are now selling for these prices.. Are all the vintage bikes following this pattern now? I thought the one area that may hold up during the recession would be the vintage bikes..

A falling tide grounds all boats.
'Bout time!

A falling tide grounds all boats.
'Bout time!

And good wishes to you, too!

I hate this recent BF trend of generalization.

Road Fan
Masi owner

Under what the market expected I am sure. But the final bidder might have actually bid quite a bit higher, it is the runner up who set the price.

Things that damped the price, larger size, later 80's well built but the market wants the earlier ones prior to the Henry James lugs and crown.

Dura-Ace, at the time, probably the smart move for a racer, first generation SIS, but Masi's should have Campagnolo. Now the Shimano stuff is rising

Under what the market expected I am sure. But the final bidder might have actually bid quite a bit higher, it is the runner up who set the price.

Things that damped the price, larger size, later 80's well built but the market wants the earlier ones prior to the Henry James lugs and crown.

Dura-Ace, at the time, probably the smart move for a racer, first generation SIS, but Masi's should have Campagnolo. Now the Shimano stuff is rising

That is NEW Dura Ace.

vjp

Under what the market expected I am sure. But the final bidder might have actually bid quite a bit higher, it is the runner up who set the price.

Things that damped the price, larger size, later 80's well built but the market wants the earlier ones prior to the Henry James lugs and crown.

Dura-Ace, at the time, probably the smart move for a racer, first generation SIS, but Masi's should have Campagnolo. Now the Shimano stuff is rising

I seriously thought that this would sell for at least 1k, I spoke to the seller and he was local so I could pickup, so I am a little disappointed not to place another bid.. It had DA 10 speed, he was just using DT shifters and not brifters.. It also had a CycleArt re-paint which could cost close to what the bike sold for..

Yes, I noticed the falling prices.
Many classic bikes that used to sell for over $1K are going for like $800-$900 bucks. and sometimes even lower. I think the economic situation also affected the market for classic compnents too. I've lately seen Mavic SSC items go for what would be bargain prices just a year ago. some of them don't even get bid on.
Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

I think it's been true for a whlie now. Some of the really high-end stuff seems to be holding its value well, though even there there are some exceptions (I'm thinking of some auctions for rare collectible parts.)

Could be the season. Here on the east coast it's been really rainy. Not a lot of good riding weather and fall will be here soon. I got $125 for a 531 Trek 400 last month. Not a showpiece by any means but still...

I haven't seen much of a change in our CL listings. Examples include a 91 Cannondale SR400 with brifters, $450, a Trek 560 (501 tubing) $300 and a Centurion Sport DLX, $600. There are a few reasonably priced bikes at keeper prices, but buying a flipper is a rare event.

Complete bikes = lower prices
High End Parts to build those same bikes = still headed higher

And this unfortunate disparity seems to keep growing

This are just my general observation, but it's convinced me to part out one of mine rather than to buy the few period parts I need to complete it.

Not that I've noticed - I only track Bottecchias but in the last couple of months I recorded the two highest prices I've ever seen. Here are the recent eBay Bottecchia sales - the only one that seems a bit low would be that 1989 Equipe SPX that went for $699 but it is a large size and had some minor condition issues:

1990 SLX/SPX, red/white/chrome, 59cm, C-Record gruppo w/Delta brakes, excellent condition, $2,970.00
1987 Aelle Tretubi, white, 55cm, excellent condition, $470.00
late 80's TSX/Record, red/white/chrome, 56cm, Record mix, excellent condition, Team Bottecchia w/old style block letter decals, $1300.00
1979 Professional, SL, 57cm, solid black w'chrome rear stays, Super Record gruppo, excellent condition, $2,010.00
1978 Professional?, SL?, 53cm, solid red, Nuovo Record gruppo, excellent condition, $787.22
late 60's - early 70's Professional, 25", white, good condition, mediocre flat bar fixie conversion, geared parts in box, $211.50
1989 Equipe SPX, 62cm, red/white/chrome, good condition, $699.00
late 80's - early 90's, Cromor, 54cm, solid white, very good condition, $640.00

Seems the ones I want to buy are more expensive, but the ones I want to sell have depreciated in value.

These days I only sell my items with Buy-It-Now, the market is too unpredictable. I don't have too much difficulty getting top dollars.Sometimes , I have to relist 2 or 3 times, but most of the time I don't have to.

At least on Craigs List, pricing on mid range bikes ($200 to $400) around here is firm to strong. And I rarely see anything good vintage on our C/L except bikes I post. C/L is full of Xmart junk and MTBs. Pricing is significantly higher than a year ago.

Now if I was looking in the $1,000 market, I probably could not say that. $200 to $300 road bikes compete well against entry level LBS bikes that are $800 to $1000. So I am seeing people buy "value". They like the "look" of vintage, but also like the price. Don't think many of them would be able to drop $1K on a vintage bike.

On a related note, I just found out a classic Austro Daimler jersey identical to one I have, just sold for a whopping $141.00 at eBay! So I guess not all classic bike related items went down in demand and price. Although I wonder how much it would have sold for if we had a better economy. I might not be wearing the AD jersey too much afterall, because of it's value. I can always find a cheaper alternative for it.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

When are the falling prices going to hit the NYC area? Prices are still crazy on Craigslist and the like.

I mean, sellers are crazy. Since when is a 2006 Bianchi Pista "vintage" and should sell for more than twice a 2009 model costs?!? :twitchy:

When are the falling prices going to hit the NYC area? Prices are still crazy on Craigslist and the like.

I mean, sellers are crazy. Since when is a 2006 Bianchi Pista "vintage" and should sell for more than twice a 2009 model costs?!? :twitchy:

Dang, must chrome 2004 Pista must be antique! Hmmm...maybe I could sell it in New York...:rolleyes:

Based on my experience over the past few years, I would have to say that prices have been and still are rising. In fact, I am stunned at the prices that some of the bicycles I offer on Ebay fetch. Not only that, but bicycles that I did not bother to bid on a year or two ago are now selling for $150.00 and up. Nope, from where I am sitting, the prices are still on the rise. And I predict that they will continue to rise for a while yet.

Dang, must chrome 2004 Pista must be antique! Hmmm...maybe I could sell it in New York...:rolleyes:

Standard 1 bedroom in Manhattan rents for like $1700/month. If you can market that, you can sell anything.

I dunno, but in regards to that auction, that bike probably would have gone for twice as much had it been sold with all the original components. Besides, the early/mid 80's GC isn't as desirable as say, an early 70's American made, especially one that was made by the man himself (which I had the pleasure of riding the other day).

Seems the ones I want to buy are more expensive, but the ones I want to sell have depreciated in value.

Patrick, I think you have "buy low, sell high" kind of mixed up.

I don't know what it means, but that this thread can exist at the same time as several threads remarking how high certain bikes have gone for on CL or eBay is interesting.

Neal

Standard 1 bedroom in Manhattan rents for like $1700/month. If you can market that, you can sell anything.

So remind me again...why does anybody live there? 'Cause the mortgage for my whole house is a lot less than that. And I live in a nicer part of town!

Patrick, I think you have "buy low, sell high" kind of mixed up.

Just doing my part to subsidize the vintage cycling marketplace. I got it right on a Fuji Opus recently, however.

I seriously thought that this would sell for at least 1k, I spoke to the seller and he was local so I could pickup, so I am a little disappointed not to place another bid.. It had DA 10 speed, he was just using DT shifters and not brifters.. It also had a CycleArt re-paint which could cost close to what the bike sold for..


+1 Size matters!

The repaint and non-period-correct components also drag down the final value. Original paint and period components always draw the big bucks. This would've been a $1000+ bike with C/NR/SR and original paint.

From personal experience, CA paintjobs are too thick and hide the details of those older frames. That would be a turnoff for me, honestly. I'm sure others have had different experiences with CA (I might have stirred a hornet's nest here), so I am only speaking for myself, but too thick paint just drags the value right down, too.

This wasn't a GC, anyway :)

In N/W Indiana prices are down.I believe it is do to the economy.I have bought 3 Paramounts from 1973 in the last 4 months in the $400-$500 price range.Two of them are in great condition and all are original. I also sell firearms and people are bringing in firearms that are very collectable and taking extremely low prices for them to pay the bills.The plus side is that collectable firearms are much easier to sell at premium prices and thus more money to buy upper end bikes.

Seems the ones I want to buy are more expensive, but the ones I want to sell have depreciated in value.

I see what happened to my luck. Sorry it found it's way to you. :o

I've seen low end bikes bringing a bit more, and high-end bikes bringing a bit less. People that have NOS parts seem to be setting higher reserves these days.

it may be there is a glut of bikes from people downsizing

it may be there is a glut of bikes from people downsizing

Supply is up a little, and demand is down a bit as well? That well could be.