Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,645
Likes: 1,109
From: Mans of NC & SW UT Desert
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Yep, U08 is a basic bike (I had one back in the day), they were basic then, and basic bikes were really basic. Cottered crankset, no one wants those, plastic derailleurs with plastic shifters, no one wants those either. The all metal Simplex RD is a plus, but I'd just take the $40 and move on.
The secret to getting alloy rims is not relacing the hubs with new rims and spokes. Instead, it's about finding a donor bike with a set of decent wheels and doing a swap.