Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - 1967 Raleigh 3 speed bicycle question

Hi everyone,

My brother moved and left me with a 1967 Raleigh 3 speed bicycle. It is in alright condition (the gears work but the back tire is flat and the paint is faded) and I believe it has all of the original parts. The tires say Raleigh on them, although on the website I used to find out about the bicycle it said Dunlop supplied Raleigh with tires during the 60's, so the tires may not be original.

I don't have a use for the bicycle, and was wondering if I could get some advice on whether I should try and restore the bicycle and sell it or just sell it as is? Also, I saw the same bike but in better condition sold for around $200, and was wondering if anyone could give me a price estimate on what I could get for this bike.

*I read the thread about not posting a sales listing in this category; this is not a sales listing, I am just trying to acquire some information about the bike.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/augustkoster/photo-2.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/augustkoster/photo3-1.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/augustkoster/photo2-1.jpg

It's a pretty cool bike. I think the biggest thing going against it is that it's a stepthrough frame. The ladies bikes just don't seem to get as much as mens bikes. The finish isn't that much of a concern; that's "patina" and is appropriate for a classic like that. You should be able to find replacement tires; just make sure you get new tires marked exactly the same (i.e., there is a difference between 26 x 1.75 and 26 x 1 3/4, believe it or not). I've seen asks as high as $200 around here, but I don't think anyone's getting that much for a bike like that. You may try asking that, but be ready to accept an offer of less than $150.

Also, where are you? Market makes a big difference in what you can ask for a bike.

Thanks for the reply. I will try and find tires for the bike; hopefully they don't cost too much.

I live in Central California, but I think I am going to try and sell the bike on eBay because the market in Central California is not very big.

The tires are 26 x 1 3/8 and any bike shop will have them.

In my region (East Coast) women's 3-speeds go for good money. They are great city commuter cycles and they have a classic look.
Once you've cleaned and tuned it you should easily get $200 for it. Here in Boston it'd be $225+

OK, let me be the first, but that fork looks bent to me. Packing an old 3 speed for shipment can be a fair amount of work.

I don't like the looks of the front fork , either. It looks bent & twisted . BUT, sometimes the camera & photo angle are at fault. Hope not !