Classic & Vintage - my fathers old carbon bike any ideas who makes it?

I don't know when the bike was bought or built. I just know it has been around as long as i can remember. i have a pictures dating back to nov 1979 of me sitting on the bike when i was a kid and couldn't reach the peddles.

I never remember seeing any logos or markings on the bike. There isn't a stamped serial number just a hand engraved number on the rear brake bracket. That number is 1005 52. All components are campy, dura-ace, and cinelli. The rear derailleur is a shimino Crane. I vaguely over heard my LBS mechanic talking about the rear derailleur to the shop owner stating that it had been drilled out and only team riders where given these derailleurs. Any one know about this?

The shop owner offered me 400 for a trade in on a new bike. Should I take it or could I get more selling it on my own? or do I keep it because it is one of a kind.

is the bike hand built or manufactured? who is the manufacture? any idea what year it could be. It's value?

Thank you for you time. LJP

The Crane rear derailleur was the original Dura-Ace. The derailleur is high end and looks pretty stock to me. The chainrings have been drilled, which was popular back in the day. The chainrings look good with the drilling. Overall it's a really nice bike... I was going to guess ALAN or Vitus or something, but the lugs look a bit different. That fork crown is really interesting looking. I like it.

Here is what they looked like before the drilling:
http://www.bike-vintage.com/109-144-thickbox/shimano-fc-dura-ace-crankset-in-excellent-condition-first-gen.jpg

I love the black and silver early Dura Ace stuff. Sharp!

The lugs look a little like Alan lugs

Exxon Graftek - at least the seat lug looks like it. Did anyone else use ones that look like those?
Right year, too, with the Crane RD matched w/other DA parts.

Ones without a separated seat lug and/or tubes are rare. I would not sell it for $400.

Here's a Link (http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA/Graftek.htm) to info on the CR site.

My fellow hokie looks to be spot on with that seat tube cluster. I rescind what I said about the other lugs looking similar to Alan.

Yowza! Tres cool bike. You'll never see another one on the road. It looks like it'll clean up like new. Clean it up with know how from here, and ride it. It's the kind of bike that knowledgeable people will walk up and strike a conversation about. Besides, it was your dad's..............

I think it's a Graftex, too, and the decals are still available.
I'd restore it and sell it to a collector, of which there are a few.

John Howard rode one of those.

My opinion is that the value far exceeds $400.
Restored, which doesn't look like much of a problem, you can get 3x that.
It is a collectible bike.

I reckon the shop owner was low-balling you big-time. If that were my dad's bike I'd hang on to it even if it didn't fit well, it's still a really neat and unusual piece of history.

I think it is a Graftek as well, with the decals removed.

Here is a pic of mine

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx224/wtgrantham/Mid%2070s%20Exxon%20Graftek/IMG_0294.jpg

I concur; it's a Graftek.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/images/USA/Graftek/GraftekF.jpg

I reckon the shop owner was low-balling you big-time. If that were my dad's bike I'd hang on to it even if it didn't fit well, it's still a really neat and unusual piece of history.

+1

I think it is a Graftek as well, with the decals removed.

Here is a pic of mine

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx224/wtgrantham/Mid%2070s%20Exxon%20Graftek/IMG_0294.jpg

So what's it like ride and own?

I reckon the shop owner was low-balling you big-time. If that were my dad's bike I'd hang on to it even if it didn't fit well, it's still a really neat and unusual piece of history.

x3... Or at least put it up for sale here where someone will treat it right.

I reckon the shop owner was low-balling you big-time.

Possibly, but it's also possible the owner just doesn't know a ton about vintage bikes and figures that's what he can get for it as a used bike. My LBS guy knows a bit about old bikes, but never pays big money for anything with downtube shifters because nearly all of his customers in the market for a used bike want integrated shift levers.

I vaguely over heard my LBS mechanic talking about the rear derailleur to the shop owner stating that it had been drilled out and only team riders where given these derailleurs. Any one know about this?


If LBS mechanics knew half of what they think they know about vintage bikes, they would own their own shops. Anyone could drill out a rear derailleur, and many amateur racers did.

the fork crown has the name haden stamp on it.

Thank you for all your information. I don't think i am going to sell it. It sounds like one of few.

One thing you want to check is if there are any signs of stress cracks around the headlugs/top and down tubes. I have it on good authority that the only bikes that were immune to the built-in stress were frames that were around 58-60cm. The built-in stress was caused by the fact that the lugs were all made to the same specs/angles. They did not produce the lugs with differing angles for smaller frames/different frame geometry, thereby inducing a certain amount of additional stress at the lug junctions.

One other note: yours looks to be around 77-78 judging by the carbon overlays on the fork blades. Earlier versions came with a simple chrome fork with the Haden crown; race bikes (Howard, the Stetina brothers, Doughty) rode the same version, but the blades were painted flat black to give the appearance of the carbon-over-aluminum of the main tubes and stays.

That guy is definately low-balling you. The frame is a piece of history; keep it. The first generation Dura-Ace is, too. Ride it, but watch the lug junctions closely. These did and can fail!

DD

the fork crown has the name haden stamp on it.

Thank you for all your information. I don't think i am going to sell it. It sounds like one of few.

The forks were steel, not carbon fiber. Haden was a British manufacturer of bicycle frame fittings.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/images/British/frame_bits/Haden_crown_1.JPG

In defense of LBS, on one point:
With today's litigation environment, there are vermin out there that want something to go wrong, and know the shop has liability coverage. Other consumers have the attitude that they can bring it back anytime, for any reason, and do.

Shops are getting more and more away from selling used bikes that aren't in great shape, simply because any problem will come back to them. I flip very few bikes, but once in a while a guy will call after 600 miles put on the bike and say "my shifter's stuck, etc." There's usually a short period of silence, followed by "bummer, bring it in, but I'll only look at fixing it, and it really depends on what's wrong." Shops, increasingly, can't really say that, even if it's right.

The same guy who tells the shop "yeah, I know it's old, needs work, and there's no guarantee" will come back with his mouthpiece if he falls over and scrapes a knee, claiming Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, 3rd degree ovarian cancer, and asbestos poisoning.

The shop may not be low-balling; they simply don't want the bike because they can't resell it without tremendous risk. Or, they know better than to resell it and are making a $400 offer for a wall or shelf decoration. Or, at $400, they can afford to go through it end to end, re-decal it, and still make a profit. Labor spent on their bikes costs them twice; in payroll and work not done for customers.

My LBS will give me a bike, with a request to try and get "something" out of it.
He knows I can sell it on CL whether I fix it up or not; he doesn't dare.

Just something to think about. If I had an LBS, I'd not touch a Graftex for resale, though I'd certainly want to.

" will come back with his mouthpiece if he falls over and scrapes a knee, claiming Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, 3rd degree ovarian cancer, and asbestos poisoning."


Owwwwwwww hahaha. thats for the funny and sad but true filing cabinet.

Those are all very good points, Robbie.

Wow, C&V cf bike love! Just finished my work horse 92 Cadex. Will post in the next couple of days.

Hi there, look for numbers stamped on the inside surfaces of the rear wheel dropouts (often hard to read due to the marks made by the rear wheel locknuts). Yours is a version 1 Graftek (of 3 versions made) so is definitely a collectible (far less than 300 of these survive). The prototype version 1 was the least likely to fail since the inventor, an aerospace engineer, was deeply involved in the daily production of these frames. After Exxon got more involved in manufacturing them the quality went downhill. These frames retailed for $1250 in 1976 dollars. The beautiful black v1 Dura-Ace group alone is worth over $400 to a serious collector.