What are they and what are they worth?? Please look.
 

I appreciate any opinions and information GREATLY!

These are some old bikes i had laying around, didn't get to clean them yet, but i am planning on cleaning them up REALLY good and selling them, they are from the mid 50's i believe, rust is minimal, anyone know what i can get for them?? Thank you all very much in advanced.

Ones a Huffy "camaro" and ones a Colombia something

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9/IMG_0787.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9/IMG_0786.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9/IMG_0785.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9/IMG_0784.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9/IMG_0783.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9/IMG_0782.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9/IMG_0781.jpg

Thanks again!

eBay is your friend. Search finished auctions for similar bikes and you will get an idea of what how much the bikes are worth.

Thats what i did, dident find anything similar to what i had, well i dident/don't know exactally what i had, figured some people here might know.

You can figure out the date your columbia was made pretty easily. There should be a two digit year stamped on the rear hub (along with a number indicating the month of manufacture) It was probably made some time in the late sixties. What it's worth depends on who's buying it. I just bought a Columbia 3-speed off of ebay for $4.99 - but I know you could get considerably more than that for it.

the black one is a 3 speed as well.

Figure about $150 each on the high end... they're not terribly rare but look to be in nice shape.

thank you.

On what planet? They wouldn't have even cost that much when new.

How about some drive side pics? :rolleyes:

:roflmao: :roflmao:
I was just thinking the same thing:D

Aaron:)

Ill get some tomorrow.. they look hte same on the driver side though so i dident bother..

heh welll.. a 67 camaro was 3-4k new, now what do they go for when in good condition 20+k?? I may be off but you know what i mean? vintage things that ppl collect ususally cost more than what they were bought for ;)

I sold a lime green tourist in excellent condition for $125 plus shipping last year. It might have been more, but I don't remember. It wasn't less. It was a BIN auction, and lasted about 3 days before being snapped up. The S/N should be on the left rear IIRC, but they are on the dropout. It looks to be very close in age to mine, which was a 71. Nice riding bikes, but the head tube angle and fork rake made them a bit hard to steer. Mine was also a Shimano 333 hub, which aren't dated as far as I know. The S//N should solve that.,,,,BD

That's exactly what I was thinking. Price new and price today don't always jive because of collectibility and inflation.

Comparing a columbia to a camaro is like comparing a renault to a camaro (or comparing a columbia to a Raleigh or Atala). Some things are worth more because they are rare, well made, or possess some other highly desirable feature.

The only person I can think of that'd pay $150 for a non mint Columbia 3-speed would be a fool getting suckered by a profiteer.

I've never asked for more than $65 for a 3 speed, and that was an absolutely mint never used Western Flyer. No rust, no dents, perfect tires, and only the slightest scratches on the front forks. The last 3-speed I sold was an All-Pro, in about the same condition as the Columbia in question here. I sold it for $30.
I believe profiteering ruins a hobby, but I admit - I'm an enthusiast, not a business man. I don't sell bikes because I want to make money off of others, I do it because I love bikes.

However, if you're so inclined craiglist is full of suckers and fools, and you probably could unload it there - there was a guy here that sold a Columbia for $95 - it took him a quarter of a year to get rid of it (and I'm willing to the bet the buyer haggled him down from that ridiculous price) but sooner or later you could probably find somebody who knows too little, but has enough cash. You probably won't find that kind of person on ebay without divine intervention though.[/tongue in cheek]

Go exploring over at http://www.ratrodbikes.com and you'll find some bike artists who might love to to get their hands on your bikes. Best of luck.

""On what planet? They wouldn't have even cost that much when new.""

Hmmm...well considering that most interesting vintage bikes are worth substantially more now than the original cost, I won't qualify that. My LBS in San Francisco would sell that Huffy for $200...and he would get it. There is a market for ultra-funky vintage bikes like that in the city...even low-end ones. The Columbia maybe a bit less...but still would find a home quickly.

The right (drive side) contains all the good stuff, like chain wheels, chains, sprockets and shift mechanism. If that had been visible on the Columbia we would have known right off it was a 3 speed.;)

Aaron:)

Well, Columbia made some very durable bikes. They might not be your cup of tea, making them
out to be crap is ridiculous. They had one piece cranks, big deal. They didn't use Campy hubs
and Derailleurs, big whoop. They did what they were made to do, and looked pretty classy while doing it.
The one I had was right up there with (or over) Schwinn quality in my humble opinion. Comparing a Columbia to a Camaro is actually pretty dead on. Both made in the USA, both are good quality vehicles.
Neither is an exotic wheeled vehicle with all the bells and whistles. Neither are they crap.,,,,BD

Well it's no schwinn corvette!
Ha ha ha I'm funny.

Nope, Camaro is more like a Schwinn Super Sport! :)

There are a number of variables involved. If you list on eBay, you likely will get more than if you sell locally (unless you are in a highly populated city). But, since your bikes are not all that rare, your listing will have to be detailed with LARGE, clear photos in good light (drive side preferred ;) ). eBay is a crap shoot, so people want to SEE what they are getting, and want to be fairly confident they are dealing with an honest seller. Your description will go a long way in convincing a person if you are knowledgeable and honest (for instance, have you openly discussed problems with the bike?) Secondly, if you recondition the bike (new tires, tubes, cables, housing, brake pads, polish, wax etc.) you are likely, though not guaranteed, to fetch a higher price.

If you were to list those bikes with those photos, a scant description, and without reconditioning them (I'm assuming they are original) I really don't think you would get $150. Unfortunately, for less rare bikes, shipping kills the bid price on eBay.

Honestly, I would try to sell them locally, as you would probably get more money and have less hassle.

And as to the issue of profiteering, I won't comment on the relative morality or immorality of free market capitalism. But I will offer an example which might explain why seemingly low end bikes sell for "exorbitant" prices. I recently purchased a step-through Schwinn Breeze for $4 at a Thrift sale. I sold it for $120. You may think that's a ridiculous price from where you stand, but I sold it at cost. It cost me over $100 and umpteen hours of labor to completely overhaul the bike. Complete frame off reconditioning including new bearing balls, new hub cones, new cables, new housing, new indicator spindle, new high quality brake pads, new tires, new tubes, wax, polish and complete disassembly and cleaning of the AW hub.

I think I was lucky to sell it at that price (though the impoverished NYC college student who purchased it was delighted at the "bargain"), but I would be insulted if someone labeled me a profiteer.

It was a bargain, lol. Have you been to your LBS lately? Hehehe.,,,,BD

Yes, and that SA hub will outlast most modern drivetrains. You make a good point in a lot less words than I do! A durable bike like a Schwinn, reconditioned, is a bargain at that price. Damn, I should have held out for more.

Depends on what day it was at the factory, that black Columbia could have a Shimano or an SA hub. I've seen them with both. This one looks to be a Shimano, given the cone shaped left dust cap, and twist shifter with cable pointing straight down.,,,,BD

EDIT: It "is" soaked in oily dirt, it could be a SA, lol!