Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - A-D Vent Noir II: Value, Please?

With trembling fingers I submit for your appraisal an Austro-Daimler Vent Noir II, with full Campy, in San Francisco. Please don't swoop on this bike: it's a holy grail for me. Thing is, my budget is modest. What do you think of the price? Here is the CL listing. Thanks!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bik/1819127102.html

Many will disagree with me, but honestly, if the 'chrome' is good, the components in reasonable shape and the bike fits, well, that's an all right price. Especially since it sounds like you seriously have been looking for a VN.

He's got the OBO in there. Make sure you use it! Grounds for negotiating: FD is not period correct!

his OBO very likely means if someone calls and offers more than the 850 after you've already called and told him you'll take it... you've lost your bike. Try to talk the guy down a bit though. Vent Noir II prices have been climbing a lot; I didn't think they were that high yet though.

It's a ballpark price. While you might be able to talk him down a bit, maybe 100$, I doubt you could get much further. If it's a grail bike for you, it fits, and it's in good condition, go look at it-- cash in hand.

Knowing you are in an insane market, he will probably get very close to his asking price. +1 If its your grail bike, and you can afford it, jump on it (assuming it is your size). I spent two years looking for my grail bike, and I look for bikes every day, all over the USA. I finally found mine in Logan, UT. Of course, I live in North Carolina. Not exactly convenient, but I bought it.

When you have targeted a specific bike, in a specific size, in your area, your negotiating power is cut to zero. The difference between a really good deal and an average deal might be all of $100. Do you want to miss it for that small of an amount? I wouldn't.

Thanks, Jan and Grit and Pogue and Bill! Seller says I may see the bike tomorrow evening. If I buy it, I'll file a report.

By the way: Bill, what is the grail bike you found in Utah? Hope you're enjoying it to the maximum.

A Vent Noir has always been one of my Grail bikes and that asking price is in the same neighborhood for the '76 with 1st-Gen black Dura Ace components I purchased earlier this year; it's not the smoked chrome version, but I ogle it several times a day and ride it once or twice a month when the weather is flawless.

Hi Everybody. I bought the bike yesterday, for less than the asking price. Will pick it up in a few days. (Seller is a bike shop mechanic who is kindly putting 700x28 tires on it, at his employee-discount cost for the tires. The 700x23s on the bike were too narrow for my middle-aged non-racer self.) Bike is in good shape but missing some of its decals. I will order those from the Cyclomondo shop on eBay. Anyway, I’m psyched. Thanks again for your help. I'll try to post pictures in a week or three. By the way: On July 3, on the San Francisco CL, someone listed a bike that sounded like 23skiddoo's bike: a flat-black VN with black Dura-Ace. 52cm. It looked in near-mint condition. Price was $395. Is it any wonder the listing disappeared by the afternoon of July 4?