Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - 1983 nishiki olympic 12

I have two Nishiki bicycles. One Olympic 12 mens and Sport 12 ladies. Both purchased new in 1983. Have been in storage for all 26 years. Can you please advise me on the true market value on each.

Thank you and hear from you soon, have a great day !
Steve

Hello Steve. the Nishiki expert is out this week *giggle*. can you give us a bit more info? what brand/model derailluers, color, frame sizes. is the 'ladies' Mixtie (two tubes running from the front all the way to the back) or a ladies (the 'toptube' just slanted down) OH steel or allot wheels?is rust or being very shinny with little wiping is a sign of steel wheels (a bit less desirable) finally everyone will want pics. take them from the chain side, a few close ups of the 'gears' is helpful for IDing them.

Oh where do you live?

Need pics.

Value is highly dependent on local market conditions which vary substantially. I wouldn't even hazard a guess without knowing where you live. Pics are also req'd to assess the cosmetic condition. Bicycles that have been stored for 26 years are also not necessarily in the best mechanical condition. 26 year old grease would probably warrant a complete overhaul.

I sold my 83 Olympic 12 for $300 to a happy buyer; it was in near-mint condition with virtually unmarked wheels. I added an NOS set of Grand Compe levers and hoods, new cable housing and stainless cables, new cork bar wrap, new Panaracer Pasela TourGuard tires and tubes and new SKG fenders.

There is quite a bit of difference between these two bikes. Without pics, it's hard to give a value. For the other folks here providing estimates, here's how these two bikes are set up:
83 Nishiki Olympic 12
Frame, Tange Champion #5 Chromoly Steel (non-butted)
Derailers: Suntour ARX front and ARX-GT rear, downtube shifters
Alloy bars and stem
Brazed on Water Bottle bosses
27" Alloy Araya rims, dual QRs
DiaCompe 500 brakes, side pull
Crankset: Sugino GT alloy

83 Nishiki Sport (OP must have a mixte) (Note: there is no "ladies" model Sport in 83)
Frame: Hi-Ten with Chromoly seat tube
Steel seat post, bars and 27" rims. Front wheel, QR
Suntour AR derailers with stem shifters
Non-hooded brake levers, DiaCompe sidepull brakes
Sugino alloy cranks
(No water bottle braze-ons)

I sold a really nice black Sport (men's model) last year for $80.
IMHO, The Olympic 12 is worth quite a bit more than the Sport but there is no way a pristine Olympic 12 would bring $300 around here, even if it was NOS. As has been said, we need to see pics and need to know the general location of the bikes to see how hot a bike market it is.

+1 No way an Olympic 12 would bring $300 around here.

In pristine, ready to ride condition, $200 max. And a bike that has been sitting for 26 years is not ready to ride. Grease and bearings will need to be replaced, along with cables and tires.

As is, really clean but needing full service: $100. Realize if you take it to a shop to do the items above, it would probably cost around $150 for the service work. Doing it yourself, it would cost about $30.

A Sport if it has alloy rims and is ready to ride: $150. As is really clean but needing full service:$75.

Buyers want bikes ready to ride. People buying projects (like me) look for and expect healthy discounts. The choice is yours.

An Olympic 12 in mint condition? Yeah, $300 is a good asking price. You might have to settle for less but it's a good starting price. I owned one and absolutely loved it. If you were close by and I had the extra money, we'd be talking.