Originally Posted by
nuke_diver
Complete overhaul would be replace brakes/cables repack BB and headset bearings. Clean and lube everything. There might have been a couple of other things but I don't recall. He said about 8 hrs in labour
Unfortunately I'm one country over and about 3000 miles away now
The bike was a good bike in 82 probably $3-400 which as a student was a ton of money. How top shelf it is I cannot say since I do not recall any of the components save that the shifters/derailleur is Shimano but I don't know what model and given its 30+ years old it probably doesnt mean much and the frame was Chrome-Moly which was pretty good then (there werent too many carbon fiber models back in the day). I would spend what I need to get a decent bike. I know that they are ~1K or so these days. I am unlike to spend 2-3K since I am not that serious (ride every day ride 100's of miles a week type thing) so I don't see that it is worth it. I like things that last (my bike (30+years) my car (16+ ys) and my marriage (19 years
). So I don't mind play for quality that will last but I hate spending money(I'm cheap) and wasting money even more so. But spending 1-1.5K wouldn't break a sweat if it is worthwhile
I don't even think about bikes that way lol. I think about them the same as cars, a good method of transportation with some fun factor but while I would love a Ferrari I would never buy one (unless maybe I hit one of those Powerballs) because while they are fun you can get almost as much fun for less.
So as I said above if 1500 got me a great bike that would last 20 years I could see doing that. If 1500 would get me a bike that lasted 5 I think I'd rather fix mine since I am pretty sure it will last 5 as well and it wouldn't cost as much
If you spend wisely, then I think $1,500 would get you a bike that would last for 20 years.
While $300 for an overhaul seems like a lot to me (($100 to $200 including parts seems more like it), you can't get all that much for $300 these days, unless you go used. So while high, is, maybe, not ridiculous if you really love your old bike and they are replacing the old components, and tires with new ones. While it won't ride as fast or as smooth as a brand new road bike, it might still be better, and more reliable than an entry level POC from a big box store, or even an entry level hybrid from a bike shop.
If you want a decent new road bike, $1,000 is the entry level for a new bike, retail. (on sale, maybe you can find a deal for $700 to $900) A new $1,000 bike should be better in every way than all but the very best 30 year old road bikes. $1,500 seems like a reasonable budget for something that, though not TOTL, should last for a decade or longer, maybe much longer. It will be lighter, have better components, and will likely more reliable than the $1,000 bike.