Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - old blue bianchi 50s? 60s?

I snapped a chain the other day on the way home and had to stop at a LBS, this was bike hanging from the rafters with a 1200$ price tag. Now the only thing I know about old bikes is how beautiful they are and this one seemed to call out to me. I took a quick pic while waiting for my chain to be repaired, not the best lighting for my iphone, and hard to get a good angle. The badge was pretty nice, had campy (record?) cranks, derailleurs. The brand lettering is similar to those found on pre-1970s biachis I've found pictures of online.

Can anyone in this forum, via this lousy picture, tell me what this bike /may/ be?

It appears to not be from the '50s. If posting more photos isn't handy, list all that you see on the frame and components. A serial may be telling as well to some individuals.

guess I'll have to wait till I get a hold of the owner.

I don't really care per se what era the bike is from, except from the perspective of bargaining. I do appreciate history and do find that I'm more attracted to older bikes (ugh, just sounds wrong). Anyway, I want it because I think it's nice looking and the thought of spending a long chicago winter learning about it and restoring it sounds like a pretty good time.

Can you give me an ideal what I should look for? Questions I should ask? Anyone know of other resources? Not necessarily online, I'm no stranger to the local library.

Actually I only blurbed to flag your post, figuring a fellow member would weigh in and they will. these forums are are better place than any for information. Frankly, I find other sources valueable to cooberate what men AND women tell me here. I understand about the pictures. You stated Campy, that's a start. Crank pictures desc., if the wheels seem good, is it operational.. As far as est. value ? That to may become apparent soon. To me it seems steep but then again I've seen certain Campy rear derailers fetch over two hundred bucks so .... Bear in mind that NOT needing major parts makes it a better value. Especially if your intent is to keep it OE.

Well, a bike for $1200 shouldn't have foam on the bars, no matter what it is. That's my opinion. There are exceptions, but few high end bikes had that stuff on them. My guess is the price tag reflects the sum of the parts.

It's nice, it's old, and I doubt they really intend to sell it. And if it was truly collectable, I doubt they'd hang it there. Pretty hard to appreciate it like that. There are plenty of folks who would gladly put $1200 on it, and take $800, for a $400 bike. I haven't a clue as to the value of that, but my bike shops don't display valuable C&V bikes like that, and when they do have one for sale, it's featured.

Then again, it's a quirky market, bike stuff is.

I believe that it's late 60s. And, as Robbie surmised, the owner doesn't really want to sell it. I've seen it hanging there for nearly two years.

The Bianchi was $1000 18 months ago. The owner's MO is to raise prices when they don't sell. It was too steep at $1000, IMHO. The owner is nice, but does NOT price things to sell.

The Ochsner hanging next to it is a better deal at, I believe, $500 (20 months ago, probably $800 now).

I'd keep looking for my winter project.

I believe that it's late 60s. And, as Robbie surmised, the owner doesn't really want to sell it. I've seen it hanging there for nearly two years.

The Bianchi was $1000 18 months ago. The owner's MO is to raise prices when they don't sell. It was too steep at $1000, IMHO. The owner is nice, but does NOT price things to sell.

The Ochsner hanging next to it is a better deal at, I believe, $500 (20 months ago, probably $800 now).

I'd keep looking for my winter project.
yeah.... I was afraid that would be the case. mechanic there mentioned that about the owner. can't hurt to try though.

so having seen the bike, are you saying that the pricing is arbitary or based on market value?

Arbitrary. There's a guy in Northern VA or MD, has tons of bikes, none with anything resembling a reasonable price. But, it's his choice to price them, and I'm sure he sells one once in a while. He doesn't seem to mind if they ever sell, and that's cool, too.

People hoard/collect/herd different things, and price them for different reasons. Sometimes, the market makes no difference, and the seller feels no need to compromise. We probably all have a bike or two which we'd only sell for an unreasonable price. I know I sure do. The buyer would have to have way more money than sense, or be as nuts about that certain bike as I must be.

Well, his pricing is definitely a bit arbitrary, but I'd say that $1200 is actually a fair price. It's just not a bargain. If this is exactly the bike that you're looking for and it's exactly your size, have at it. Most of us around here are prone to holding out for bargains, unless it's our personal holy grail.

While Bianchis are HIGHLY desirable by many, this one just doesn't seem holy grail material. If it were celeste, it'd be gone by now. But, most of us around here would probably buy something else with our $1200.

Best of luck to you in any event. Hope to see you on the streets around here at some point, on the Bianchi, or something else equally as cool. You live in the neighborhood?

What makes 1200 a fair price for that bike though? I still don't have any details on it, except a guess that it may be a late 60s early 70s speciallissima or maybe a late 50s del mondo, based on the pics I've seen here:
http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/my_bianchi/my%20bianchi%20bicycles.htm

I live in Skokie. I've only been riding to the el in evanston lately because my Achilles tendon (bad .5 degree adjustment of my cleat and bam!)

I'm personally not a fan of the celeste color. But your right, it's probably not my holy grail either. 1200 is probably too much for a learnin' project (though I was considering trying to sell my circa 2000 gunnar road dog to help finance the purchase) plus there's a good chance I'd "ruin" the cv quality. Most of my mechanic skills are based on seat-of-the-pants, find parts that fit, trash bikes and poor comprehension of Sheldon Brown articles. I do have a rattle-can gold centurion (not the collectible brand) fixed gear that I'll probably strip and have sand-blasted to work on over the winter (need to insulate my garage first!)

Also, there's a bike swap in Dundee this Sunday at Old Santas Villiage:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bik/1388271086.html
(http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/bik/1388271086.html)
maybe I'll find something there.

Well, it's definitely a Specialissima, and I'm fairly certain 67-71? Sheldon said that top of the line late 60s bikes were worth around $2000. This is near that?, so $1200 isn't outrageous; it's just at the top end of what it's worth, I'd guess. I'd be real tempted if it were $800.

I'd hold tight for the bargain CV find. They're around, but just take patience.

Good luck to you!