What's it worth (1970 Raleigh Grand Sports edition)?
 

This has had the same owner since ~1970, and here it is in the 1970 catalog courtesy of Retro Raleighs: The Gran Sport

This is what I (might) know: 10 speed Huret, Zeus crank, Weinmann brakes, Reynolds 531 tubing, Team Cycle saddle, quick release wheels. Bike rides and shifts great. Needs cleaning, has some rust spots. Debating a re-chrome and new paint, but I don't really want to mess with it too much.

All cables are new, wheels taped and trued (rear wheel has some small hops), cassette replaced, DT Swiss Competition spokes and Continental Gatorskins installed.


I'd appreciate anyone who knows more correcting me, I'm not an expert on these older bikes. More importantly: what's it worth?

No higher than $135, due to rough cosmetics.

That's one you don't see often. I would think $4-500 on that one. I think it looks great with the chrome, and patina. Beautiful.

If you get it, clean the chrome and polish it up. I don't know if anyone could recreate that finish. That's a very rare bike and keeping it original would be the goal. It's a great crankset. The Huret long cage derailleur is superb. Put a Brooks saddle on it and you're good to go.

Forget rechrome. Wheels have been exchanged out, at least the rear rim has.
I woul pay more than $135, but less than $300, too many things may surprise you with a tear down.

I already own this (forgot to mention that). I just wanted to see what other people think it's worth. These don't come up for sale often (if ever), and I've only ever seen one other one that was freshly chromed and painted.

Are all the Brooks saddles embossed? Mine only says "Team Cycle."

One of the wheels was switched out after an accident in California, but the brands match on them and I can't even see a difference (at least when I was rebuilding them).

I did a full teardown, but removing rust spots from chrome isn't easy and I didn't want to ruin anything while I had it apart.

Took it for a ride today, and everything is solid. I'm not sure if it's worth keeping, thus the value question being asked here.

Well if refurbished, I'd amend FMV to $250, +/- 10%.

This - $250 to $300 ish

What would everyone be surprised with when doing a teardown? Just for my edification.

That the bearing grease is fresh!

Hahaha! Touche. It runs smoothly (surprisingly). Mechanically, I can't find much wrong with it and neither did three mechanics. Cosmetically -- well, that's another story.

I valued it higher because of its rarity. I've seen one in person and that was in a bike shop in 1970. I have never seen another in person and only a couple on ebay. Very rare bike.

So you think about $400-$500?

I have found running smoothly is NOT a good guide of internal condition. Sure, if it does not run smoothly, its a problem. But I have found MANY problems with parts that "ran smoothly".

Valid point. But so far, it doesn't have problems riding. So I have no reason to think anything other than it's fine for now.

If you could post some pic's "out of the sunlight" it would help. I would really like to see the condition of the chrome and extent of rust.

I react to this bike because its one you just don't see often. And its perhaps the best finish Raleigh ever did on a frame. The only other bike I can think of that did a nicer finish in this vain is a Rabeneick. And good luck tracking one of those down.

If this were a typical Grand Sport from the 70's it would be valued in the $2-250 range. Being a 1970 Grand Sport with full chrome and the chromavelta? paint job, its a different story. The gold paint is a transluscent lacguer which allows the chrome to shine thru.

But yeah, depending on condition of the chrome it could be worth a good buck.

I'll get some pictures on today. Do you want to see the worst of the rust or everything? Any particular parts of the frame that matter most?

If I were to sell it, would eBay be the best way to do that?

The worst and everything. Hows that.

Ebay for sure. Or I might be interested, if you want a quick sell. Additional pictures a must though.

If it hasn't been rebuilt there is a good chance it has a Raliegh threaded type BB that may need some parts or replacement, finding one to match go with a Zeus crank may not be easy.

I'll try to get some pics on soon. What I can say right now is that the lower half of the frame has some pitting from rust, but the rust is removable. It would be a good candidate for a full rechrome and restore, but it would take someone willing to do it. I don't want to mess with it, and I don't have the time. I like it the way it is, especially because it's about 45 years old and been in my family's garages since about 1973.

The tires alone are ~80 bucks alone if they are in good condition. Not that I would sell them for $80, but If i was going to refinish this bike and sell it, I would swap those out.

Well, they have about 8 miles on them, so they are fairly new. I was considering swapping them out if I did a full restore, but I just don't want to anymore. I'm in grad school and just don't have the time to work on it anymore (or pay someone to do it). It's time to move on, that's why I wanted estimates on the value. I think I have a number in mind, but I wanted some community input.

Here are the photos (only 12 per post, so there will be a few posts).

More.

More (again).

Last two.