Character_Zer0

My wife received this Swiss bike from a family friend, and I am having trouble tracking information on it. I've taken it for quite a few spins, and it is a lot of fun.

I was wondering if anyone knew what year(s) it was produced, and an approximate value. I don't know if the parts are original, so I was hoping someone may be knowledgeable on Ochsner bikes.

I mainly want to make sure I'm not riding and beating up on it if it is a valuable bike. Thanks in advance for your help!

Chombi

That's a really nice Oschner! You don't see too many of these on the road and you just don't see too many Swiss bikes on the road in general, so right off, there quite a bit of exclusivity with these bikes.
The component gruppo, which seems to be Campagnolo 980, seem to indicate that this might be a mid level model, but the details I can see on the frame seems to indicate better, especially the details on the chisel tapered seat and chain stay ends at the rear dropout, plus the bit of chrome on the dropout faces. things not seen on most mid level bikes. Mid level bikes were usually built with 501, Tretubi or Aelle tubing, but sometime you'll find one with SL or 531 tubing too.
So final assesment for this bike's market value really depends on what tubing was used on the frame. You might be lucky if the 980 gruppo is not original and the frame might have higher spec tubing too (SLX, 753..)
Ae there any tubing decals on the frame??

joe englert

Ride and enjoy. The bike is not worth too much, maybe 3-400 at most and it will give you hours of fun, and, turn a few heads for sure.

Character_Zer0

Can you elaborate on how to tell what tubing is used? I am not familiar with the phrase "tubing," as I am new to biking and trying to educate myself. Thanks!

The only decal I see is one that is embedded into the frame. See attached pic.

thinktubes 

See a lot of the red ones around chicago. The always look cool.

zukahn1 

Really nice mid level bike by lesser known US builder. With the really nicely done frame of unlabeled tubing and mid level campy stuff you have really great vintage rider but not worth a tone of money say $500 on the high side so I would say ride and enjoy.

Harbear

I have one just like it, but I've never seen it. A neophyte was selling it on ebay with the description as a 25" rim, 26" with the tire. Coincidentally I was searching for a 26" rim. Weird! Local pick up in Pennsylvania only. I was the only bidder and I was in Arizona. Seller questioned the transaction but I had my son who lives 10 miles away pick it up. Only $80 - I couldn't not buy it. Otto Ochsner (pronounced Oxner - hence the ox figure) imported Swiss made bikes in the early 1980's with his name emblazoned on the tubes. He used Columbus tubing but labeled it special tubing for Ochsner (someone removed your decal or it was rubbed off by the Park Tool repair stand when it went in for repairs). I think he only used one frameset and then outfitted the bikes with different levels of components to reach a price point. I'll just live under the belief that the tubing is Columbus SL. Someone with better knowledge than I will have to verify (T-Mar, you out there?).

I read somewhere on the internets that the current Ochsner outfit provides no help in identifying these beauties - they just don't know anymore. I see you have replies that the value is between 300 and 500 (about right). That's a decent value for a good (double butted) vintage steel bike despite the bloated asking prices one sees on ebay. Most of the Ochsners were red or blue, though I did see a lovely yellow gold in Pasadena once. Mine has Campagnolo brakes, hubs and crankset. The hubs are laced to the common ordinary Araya 700C rims. The front derailleur is Campy but somewhere along the line the rear der was replaced with a cheap Shimano, probably because the owner complained about the awful shifting of the original Nuovo Record. You look like you have the venerable Mavic MA40 rims. My son still has the bike and one day he pumped up the tires and rode into town. He said he felt like Chris Froome.

As far as I'm concerned you have a (mild) collectable and is in the top tier of what consumers could buy at the time. Top end steel bikes are a gas to ride and prompt comments from many and open up conversations with others who highly regard rare steel bikes. Congratulations on your find/gift and welcome to the unofficial club.

Harbear

UPDATE: As a Christmas gift my son in Pennsylvania shipped the Ochsner to me. Today, I rode the Swiss beauty. I was able to date it to 1985 using the stamp number on the Campagnolo Triomphe crankset. Tubing turned out to be Columbus' entry level Zeta but rides like a dream. I will spare everyone the details of getting this Frankenbeik roadworthy....except to pay homage to the genius, GENIUS, mechanic who discovered that you could get the flawed, first generation Campagnolo Synchro index shifters to work with a Shimano Alivio derailleur and a Shimano MT-Z06 cassette with a SRAM chain (all gone except for the Synchro shifters - found the thingy inside that make it index and removed it). Sorry photos limited due to problem downloading to web-site.

T-Mar

According to my 1985 specs, the Triomphe equipped model, which was simply called an Ochsner Triomphe, was full Aelle. So, maybe it's a 1985 model manufactured in late 1985 with 1985 components? Or maybe they changed the specs? The 1985 lineup was heavily Aelle orientated, with four different models (Shimano New 600EX, Campagnolo Triomphe, Campagnolo Victory and Camapagnolo Gran Sport). The 3 Campagnolo models were all within $100 of each other, so it sounds like the line could have used more price range spread and Zeta would have provided that. Just thinking out loud. Sorry, I have nothing for 1986.

Drillium Dude 

I wish I could assign a year to the one I used to own. Columbus SL, Campy 1010B dropouts, under-BB shell gear cable guides and braze-on front derailleur tab. To this day, I don't think the fork is original.

A few pics:











DD

T-Mar

The Campagnolo front derailleur tab first appeared in the Olympic catalogue released in the fall of 1982, so presuaibly, it is no older than that. The 1985 specs say that the SL model had a pump peg, which I don't see on yours, so presumably it is earlier that that. The 1984 specs for the SL model have a curious statement "full braze-ons except front derailleur". So it should not be 1984 either. That leaves 1983 and I'm wondering they were one of the brands that had some failures with tab, resulting in the specific note in the 1984 specs? Sorry, I don't have 1983 specs for this model. Agreed, the fork, or at least the Columbus decal, would appear to be a replacement.

big chainring 

If you own an Ochsner it's required that you have a supply of Toblerone chocolates and a cookbook whenever you are out on your bike.

Othon Oschner was a big supporter of cycling in the Chicago area. He was often seen at the Northbrook velodrome and was a reknowned chef. Anyone that ordered bikes and parts from the Ochsner catalog was aware of all the cookbooks available as well as Toblerone chocolates and of course Simichrome polish.

Harbear

Thank you all for weighing in, and BIGCHAINRING, for clarifying that Mr. Ochsner's first name was Orthon not Otto as I previously wrote. I'll try to post additional photos but the forum gave me an exclamation point and wouldn't allow some of them. Anyway, here are the components of my 1985 (best guess) rescued Ochsner. Columbus Zeta tubing with the longpoint cut-out Cinelli lugs. The dropouts are unbranded chrome. The builder did not crimp the seat stay tubes which gives it a livelier ride than other entry level bicycles. Triomphe crankset mated to a Dura Ace bottom bracket! The intraweb says it works. Campagnolo head set, Campagnolo Synchro levers which I connected to the already installed Shimano 600 front der and the added 1973 Nuovo Record rear der. A previous owner installed a Shimano14-28 MT Z06 cassette which I kept. Gran Compe aero brake levers (not originals) operating Campy Nuovo Record calipers. Cinelli 1R stem with a Cinelli Giro 64-38 handlebar stem. Campagnolo hubs laced to Araya CT rims. Sakae seat post. Sorry,everyone. Can't download photos!?

uncle uncle

I have a blue Oschner, from 1985-86. Full Victory groupo, Aelle tubing, with Mavic rims, Cinelli bars. I built it up myself, with the help of the head mechanic at the bicycle shop I worked at at the time. I purchased it through a supplier that supplied our shop with all things bicycle and bicycle related. Until recently, I had the invoice... I think it cost me +$300, sent as a box of parts. Even built the wheels up.