Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Vintage ALPINA roadie- info?

Hi all,

I recently picked up an old Alpina road bike.
The bike is gorgeous and im fairly in love with it!

Ive spent hours googling to try to uncover info about this 'Alpina' brand but so far have found nothing. (well, actually i did find 2 pics of bikes with Alpina branding and similar graphics to mine but no info).

The bike has mostly Japanese parts, suginos, shimano rear derailleur, cassette and brakes, suntour front derrailleur. Then Weinmann wheels.

Surely someone out there must know something about this brand?
Even just to know where it was made and in what decade would be fantastic...

Here it is (click for bigger):


180147

180148

180149


Thanks!

Circa 1987/1988. The frame level is right on the border of entry evel and mid-range. However, I can't tell you anything about the brand.

nice looking bike, looks Bennottoish. I agree with T-Mar on the year '87ish. is this in the states or the great white north? I think it may have been a 'catalog' brand like REI or something.

the TreTubi CroMor sticker is interesting. what is that stand and where can you get them?

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=180148&d=1290918630

is this the same company? I can't read the text though http://www.alpinabike.com/alpina_bike.html

Bike brand that does not show up on google = private label or store brand. Note some stores had pretty nice private label bikes, some of the vintage Nashbar bikes are nice for example.

What decade, that's easy. Just look up some of the component codes on parts you think are original (Shimano RD is a good place to start). Stem, seat post, brake calipers, and more all have date codes. Google: dating vintage bike

Second hit will direct you to the vintage Trek site.

In case you never found an answer to your question, Alpina bikes were made in South Africa in the mid to late 80's. I had a beautiful yellow one that I stupidly let go, and now wish I could somehow track down...

-David

I think another forum member from NJ was selling one of these and also mentioned it was from South Africa. I forget the members handle.

Someone always has one of these parked in front of a bar I frequent. It looks like a nice bike.

Hi, i own an Alpina, newer than yours, not sure what year but mine has a sloping top tube, about 2 cm and came with Shimano R S X 500, awesome bike, Reynolds 501 tubing. It was originaly Merril frames imported from italy and built under the Alpina name in Kew Johannesburg, later on they cut and silver soldered them themselves, it was raced very successfully by Erkies Bezuidenhout and Robbie Mc Intosh (hope i speled the names right) and won a few Raport Tours back in the day. I live in Mosselbay which is a very hilly town at the coast and i tell you this little bike is the love of my life, climbs like a dream and sprints as well, a true blue racing bike. The factory opened in about 1970. They were sold by Allen van Heerden although he did not race them as he had another sponsor at the time.