Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Ross road bike with full Campy?

I found this ross in the dump today! Needless to say I was pretty excited when I saw all the campy. I was a little confused by the ross on the seat stays though. Did ross make high end bikes for a while? I looked through the forum and some people say that there was a signature series for a while but I cant find much else on that subject. Any help would be appreciated.

I cant believe someone left this outside to rot!

Don't know anything about it being a Ross, but that bike is worth cleaning up. Rear drops with adjusters and nice lugs confirm that. Most of the components look Athena-ish to me, but the FD? I'll have to consult VeloBase. In any case, worth cleaning and using.

Nice save.

I found out this bike is a 1985 Ross signature series 294s. I have attached a pic of the original brochure it came with. It should be a nice ride once I get it cleaned up. I still can't believe someone left this thing outside to rust away!

Interesting... Ross had been bikes in the states for years both under their own name & for others too. In the mid-'80s they made a push to get themselves out there as a more respectable, contemporary company. They'd begun out sourcing some manufacturing too.

We leased part of a small building to an LBS that sold Ross and other brands. I've seen some fairly good Ross bikes. My first impression when seeing your post yesterday was that someone changed components based on my having been familar with the LBS, guys there put Campy on some pretty unlikely bikes. The bike depicted in the brochure lists Triumph. The crank on your bike looks like Athena or Chorus. There ought to be a name.

Because the bike is a repaint, the value of it on resale is higher if you part it out. While the Ross Signature is a nice bike, most buyers do not appreciate that Ross made something higher than department store grade.

ARGGGG! A Ross 294! Nirvana! :thumb: While not a truely high end bike, they are solid mid-level bikes with triple or quad butted Ishiwata chromoly frames. The 290, 292 and 294 all had nice components for the time. I had a 290 with a bent fork. Still it rode like a champ. If I found one with the original paint in good condition and my size, I'd gladly pay over $150 for the basic 290. For a 292 probably over $200. For a 294, I don't know depends on how my bike funds are. After a high end Nishiki and a Celeste Bianchi, a 290 series Ross is third on my list of bikes I'd like to find and that's only because I now have a Fuji Team.
But as was said before, not a repaint. Too bad.

Don't know anything about it being a Ross, but that bike is worth cleaning up. Rear drops with adjusters and nice lugs confirm that. Most of the components look Athena-ish to me, but the FD? I'll have to consult VeloBase. In any case, worth cleaning and using.

Nice save.

Bob, It says "ROSS" on the head of the seat stays.

Bob, It says "ROSS" on the head of the seat stays.

I got that part :thumb:, it was that I didn't know anything about Ross above a dept store bike.
This thread has learnt me something.

I was tempted to part it out but I think the idea of having a Ross with campy is interesting, a good conversation starter anyway. Luckily it is my size and I have all the equipment to repaint it, but for now it is going in the attic until I have time to work on it. Hopefully it will be done sometime this winter. I will post pics when it gets finished.