DK5

Dear forum members,

I have recently inherited two (high-end) vintage road bikes from my grandfather and have yet to receive an accurate appraisal on the bikes, which is why I hope to be receiving some pointers from the experienced veterans in this particular forum.

The first of the road bikes has been gone over mechanically and is ready for sale, while the other is being looked over mechanically and will be put up for sale shortly.

Here's the data for the first:

1983 Eddy Merckx Professional Aero with complete 50th Anniversary Group (#2063)

Frame size: 51 cm (c-c)
Top tube: 52,5 cm (c-c)
Head tube: 10 cm
Stem size: 11 cm (c-c)

Frame color: red (with a mix of purple)
Tubing: Columbus SL steel

This is a custom order Eddy Merckx Professional Aero with a complete 50th Anniversary Group, save the down-tube shifters which were originally replaced because the ICS type are more ergonomic. The bike has been family-owned (one owner) since new and seen little use.

Following parts are guaranteed NOS:
- NOS Mavic S.S.C. Rims (front and rear, with original decals) with NOS 50th Anniversary Hubs (front and rear) and NOS 50th Anniversary quick release skewers (front and rear). The tubular tires have NOT been glued to allow the new owner to mount another pair of his liking if he so chooses.
- NOS 50th Anniversary toe clips
- NOS Regina Oro Freewheel, 6 Speed
- NOS Sachs Oro Chain

The bike was ridden using a pair of Mavic GP4 Rims with Campagnolo Hubs and Christophe toe clips, which is why the parts listed above are all new / NOS and have just been mounted recently for the sale.

As mentioned above, the bicycle features a custom order aero frame, featuring all-internal cable routing for the brakes and gears and custom metallic paint that fades into the chrome of the rear stays. Underneath the paintwork the frame is fully chromed. The paintwork ist 100% original with not one single touch-up or restoration having been undertaken on the whole frame. There are absolutely no dents, rust, pickles in the chrome, etc. of any kind on the frame. All the tiny little nicks of time have been protocolled extensively in the over 100 HD pictures.

All parts are guaranteed original and have not been replaced / modified. These include:
- original pair of hoods
- original bar tape and bar ends
- original Alfredo Binda toe straps
- original Selle San Marco Rolls saddle (date code: 1983)
- original 3TTT stem and Competizione handlebars
- original T.A. bottle cage
- original ergonomic, chrome-plated ICS modified Campagnolo Super Record Shifters with leather inlays
- original decals

The bicycle is currently located in Switzerland where it has been mechanically inspected and serviced by the kind and incredibly knowledgeable guys over at Cicli Scampi Zürich. They house an indescribable collection of vintage bikes and parts. Check out their webpage and online-store for some absolute masterpieces at:

Scampi-Cicli

The NOS parts were recently mounted for the first time. The drivetrain received fresh lube and the gears and brakes were adjusted accordingly. The bicycle is fully serviced and ready to use as-is.

The frame and group set show very very little blemishes and wear, which have been protocolled in-depth in over 100 full-size HD pictures that I have taken and can be viewed here:

Eddy Merckx Professional Aero - Album on Imgur

I hope the pictures suffice. I have tried to show-case all blemishes and to take a picture from every possible angle. Further pictures can be requested.

What would be an adequate price for this road bike? I am looking to get a more accurate quote than I have received thus far.
Thank you for your time, interest and efforts!

Bikerider007

I would like to know on this too. I know the Campy has a lot of value but Merckx seems to have quite a few bikes floating around, I assume since it was, 80s they are not quite as rare but I am not pretending to know whether the Aero is unique. Having original bill of sale also helps if you have it. Serious money comes from serious collectors.

There was a clean red 84-85 Pro with full record (not super or 50th or Aero that I recall) listed here in town, had higher price (1k) but was willing to take $650 so there is my interest as I passed.

Selling is always contingent on local market size, how long you are willing to wait and if it is outside of normal sizes, say 56-60 ctt. Too big or too small can drag it out but you never know. You could also sell as two for one deal if wanting to move. Ebay is a bigger crowd but you have to sign up and ship. And hope no issues arrive, but those seem overstated. BIN price seems 30-40% above local but that doesn't mean someone won't pay if they want. Auction can go both ways.
Lots of factors.

They both are really nice bikes though. I'll give you $2500 for both and save you some trouble. Haha. Good luck!

jet sanchEz

Do you know who did the paint?

Do you have any documentation or receipts?

Do you have any close up photos of where the shifter cables enter and exit the frame?

DK5

I'd have to inquire with the family as to who did the paint and if there are any receipts or documentation available. Given the fact that both bikes have received use (even if very little) and one perhaps couldn't foresee that road bikes would ever be collectible, I wouldn't get my hopes up just yet. I'll consult my grandmother shortly and get back to you on that.

jet Sanchez, pertaining to the close-up of where the cables enter and leave the frame, do the following pictures suffice??





The images can also be viewed in HD in the link stated above, which is: Eddy Merckx Professional Aero - Album on Imgur

I can obviously also make more close-ups if you give me a bit more of a detailed description of which angle you'd like me to capture or what it is that you are looking for. I'm happy to oblige if it helps

DK5

After a consultation I am no smarter than I was, I'm sorry to say ... no documentation or receipts or any idea who did the paint job. The paint is original. That much has been confirmed. Is this detailing something that wasn't available from the Merckx factory?

I've read that special orders were available when it came to purchasing Merckx frames, at least in the early years

DK5

Could you elaborate what kind of additional pictures you would like me to capture if the above don't suffice

jet sanchEz

I'd like to see where the cable for the front derailleur comes out of the frame.

DK5

There are two pictures that illustrate that very well in my eyes. These are





You can see that the cable protrudes from the seat tube a bit above the BB lug.

An HD picture in 6K Quality is available in the photo album, where you can zoom in further to see the details.
I hope that helps you along

rccardr 

Your best price will come from an eBay auction, but you must be willing to pack and ship properly, worldwide. Honestly, the market for vintage bikes is VERY soft right now, better for buyers than sellers. Still, even for a serious Merckx collector (and I'm one of those folks) this would be an unusual bike. Looks to be in outstanding condition, and the NOS parts make it attractive for someone looking to invest.

My best guess is a selling price somewhere around $2500. If I were you, I'd put it up on eBay with a minimum bid of $1K and bite my nails until the auction ends; most of the action will occcur in the final 2 minutes. I'd not be surprised if it surpassed that number, nor if it was less.

spudly

I wouldn't take the chance of listing it on ebay without a reserve as there's a good possibility that you won't get a fair price for that rare and beautiful bike.

DK5

I feel as though 2,5K is not an adequate quote as most of the bikes I've seen with a complete 50th Anniversary Group recently have fetched over that sum. The frames were your average run-of-the-mill frame that you could get with any other group set as well, the frames usually in a worse state, the group set too (and not with NOS parts), and the group number very high (that supposedly makes a difference with serious collectors). I've also been quoted a higher sum overall for this bike when I got it appraised. It is just one person's opinion, though.
I really feel that this is an outstanding one-off example of a Merckx Professional that should command a fair price regardless of the current market. The market is surely flooded with offers, but most of them are just bicycles you'll be able to purchase over and over again in due time with some patience. Without wanting to praise this Merckx too much, I sincerely doubt that that'll be the case with this particular bike.

Is there any other platform besides ebay where I could advertise on an international scale?

CliffordK

Those don't appear to be the 50[SUP]th[/SUP] anniversary shift levers. Do you have the original 50[SUP]th[/SUP] shift levers?

The used 50[SUP]th[/SUP] anniversary groupset, complete, and in pristine condition is probably worth $2500.- $3000
What the build is worth... it is hard to say, but maybe $3000 - $4000.

Who knows, you might get lucky and get $5000 for it.

It makes a great collector's item. But, go out and ride it hard for a few years, and the value will plummet. But, then again, buy a new $5000 bike, ride it for a few years, and you won't get anywhere near $5K out of it either.

DK5

The shift levers are ICS modified levers as stated in the text. I don't have the 50th Anniversary levers as those were never mounted to begin with. I can't tell you what happened to them. With the research I've done, the ICS shifters are more rare and valuable (besides being more appealing) than the 50th Anniversary levers as it is


If the bike were my frame size, a sale wouldn't even be an option, but I ride a 57 c-c
At least that way the bike won't be ridden anytime soon...


Thank you for your input!

KonAaron Snake 

If you have an opinion on a quote's accuracy, why are you asking about value? Are you just looking for confirmation of your belief?

It's hard to evaluate this bike...and most bikes with 50th...because while they can sell for a lot of cash, it's a small market and bikes with 50th tend to sit for a while. I've seen a lot of bikes sit for long periods of time at anything over 3k...because there is a very limited number of buyers spending that much on an old bike (any old bike), and the ones who are tend to be very paticular. In this case the size is also working against you...and further limiting the pool of interest. Patience in a case like this plays a large role.

I would say that on a 7 day auction you'd likely end up between 3-4k.

rccardr 

Used 50th sets are going for $1600 right now, often including the wheelset.
Yes, the frame is unusual and the entire bike is very attractive. I'm sure that in the future it will command a higher price than it would today.
Aside from eBay, you might touch base with shops that specialize in high end vintage, like Cicli Corsa Classico in Bergamo, Italy, Steel Vintage Bikes in Berlin, or Velo Classique in Virginia. Those folks tend to have contacts with serious collectors and have the ability to arrange a private sale, for which they receive a hefty commission.

Barrettscv 

It's certainly one of the more valuable bikes to be discussed on this forum.

If you have an expert network of very wealthy collectors who have deep pockets, $3,000 to $5,000 is possible. However, the number of people willing to spend that amount of money on any collectable bicycle is very small. Maybe 100 people in the world will spend that much on a steel bike from that time period this year. If you're not reaching this small group, you won't sell at that price level.

If you casually put the bike on eBay, here and in Europe, the UK, Japan and a few other markets you could sell at well below the above price range: from $2000 to $3000.

KonAaron Snake 

Not sure where you're getting that number, how many data points, or condition...but in that shape 2000 is pretty attainable for a 50th group.

CliffordK

The 50[SUP]th[/SUP] Anniversary bikes up on E-Bay don't sell quickly. And an auction is risky... I suppose in a sense. Keep in mind that fees will be significant. And buyers won't be forgiving of shipping damage.

I'd probably wait until May or June, when the sun is out and more people are thinking of biking.

The ICS levers look nice on the bike, may be equal in value to the 50[SUP]th[/SUP] levers, but they also break up the set which may or may not make a difference in the ultimate value.

If you like the bike, an option would be to hunt down a new frame you like, and transfer all the components over to the new frame. "Period Correct" may be best, but isn't necessary. You could even get a new custom build frame to your specs. Keep the old frame if you wish.

rccardr 

Aaron, I used that place where willing online buyers meet wiling online sellers- you know, 'sold' eBay listings. I generally lop off the top and bottom (especially if they are NOS on the top and either junk or a partial group on the bottom) and look in the middle for actual repeatable pricing.

Two sets sold recently in the $1600 range, one with a wheelset. The pictures showed that they were in very nice condition. Also chatted with a couple of the guys at the L'Eroica swap meet this past weekend, one of whom had a number of excellent 50th pieces at hand. Somewhere in the $1400-$1750 range is what they both quoted me, depending on actual condition, whether they were repolished, etc. Note that a supposedly 'fake' set was fraudulently sold for $6000 and there's also a NOS set somewhere in there for around $2500, both of which I would consider just outliers. And, as JetSanchez pointed out in another thread, there sems to be more 50th out and about for sale these days, which does tend to drive the price down somewhat.

Have neither purchased nor sold a 50th group myself -perhaps you have, recently- but those are a couple of data points to consider.

I'd also reiterate to the OP that right now the market is VERY soft for vintage bikes selling in the $2K and above range. Is this Merckx worth that or more? Sure. Agreed too that it's not just any old bike you can buy any time, although it's not the only one who can make that claim. But it requires finding that one person with the desire & the funds who is also the right size to ride it. Pretty exclusive club, that.

Final thought: any time someone gives you an appraisal, ask if they would personally pay that for the bike. Ask what data points they are using to calculate the appraisal, which is what your insurance company would ask if you were putting this on a policy rider. Were it my size, I'd be willing to pay the estimate I gave previously, without thinking I'd either gotten the deal of the century or that you got robbed. I'm a collector. I'm your market. I buy bikes like this several times a year. I'm just too tall for you.

CliffordK

E-Bay only gives a brief snapshot of auction history.

I don't think I saw a single 50[sup]th[/sup] Anniversary set for under $2000 last year, but that is from occasional browsing. Perhaps there was a pyramid effect of people buying NOS sets, marking them up by $1000 and attempting to sell them again.

There do seem to be quite a few sets floating around at the moment.

Looking at the individual component sale history on E-Bay, I think they come up to a little over $2000.

KonAaron Snake 

I would not pay much for this bike...it's just a Merckx with a group I don't care about. If I owned it, I am quite certain I would get no less that 3000. I would expect 3500-4000 (gross). I have paid that much for bikes...so I am not talking out of my rear.

A lot depends on patience and marketing. I don't track 50th daily, and maybe they have gone down. I also agree that they can take a while to sell (and made that point above). I have seen a fair number of 50th sales over time and 2k for decent condition is pretty attainable.

Drillium Dude 

Perhaps for you - but y'know, someone looking for 50th Anniversary (and paying through the nose for it!) is going to want ALL 50th Anniversary 9.5 times out of 10. That's the whole point of it being rare/worth the extra coin. All-50th or all-ICS, but a mix of the two? Sorry, but for most people that's not going to fly.

What does Cicli Scampi say about value? I'm sure they've tossed out a number, and if not, you should ask them what they think. Seems to me from your OP that you hold them in pretty high regard, so they may be your best bet as they've got the opportunity to actually have their hands on it.

I'm guessing around $2500-$3000 but again, that can be affected by a lot of things. It's tiny, for one thing. Some people will pay lots for built-up 50th Anniversary, others would rather pay through the nose for an unused, in-the-case set. Special stuff like this has its own rules and is hard to pin down with a price.

In the end, and I'm sure you've heard it before, but here goes: it's ultimately worth what someone will pay. Best way to figure that out is put a high reserve on it, list on Ebay and see if it gets to - or above - your reserve.

DD

D1andonlyDman

In the Craigslist and ebay thread the other day (p.1356), there was a lengthy discussion about a very nice Richard Sachs frame with Campy 50th Anniversary group that the seller on CL was asking $7K for. I initially thought it was worth something on the order of $2500 or so, maybe as high as $3K. To me, I believe this frame to be nearly the equal of that one, so for me personally, I'd put the value at a minimum of $3K.

My other data point is that I've recently seen a mid 1980s De Rosa SL frame with the same group, that the seller initially asked $3700 and took just over $3000 for it. I'd say this frame is a comparable to that De Rosa.

That being said, Drillium Dude makes a very valid point about the mixing of shift levers from another group - even if highly desireable in their own right, the mutt-ification of the group is bound to hurt the value.

hackum

IMHO this bike would be much more saleable if you replaced the 50th Anniversary with SR and sold the 50th Anniversary seperately. I think the frame is really nice though (I have a soft spot for early 80s SL frames.)

DK5

To all the members that have responded thus far, thank you for your input. I am usually quicker to respond, but I grew a bit older yesterday (perhaps none wiser) so I beg your pardon for the late response.

To response to some of the questions / input ...

- I hold the owners over at Cicli Scampi in high regard because their passion (coupled with their knowledge) for vintage bikes is unsurmountable.
The guys are honest, hard-working and absolutely love what they do. They both have full-time jobs and opened up this bike shop on the side to go after a common passion. They are incredible human beings first ... the business itself comes in last place. The price they quoted me is on the higher end of much of the feedback I've received here.

- The bike is ultimately worth what somebody is willing to pay for it and I am fully aware of that. Patience is not really an issue for me. I am an absolute lover of vintage road bikes and this is, to me, one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever laid my eyes on (alongside a Cinelli SC Pista I found online). Of course, some bias must be involved as it's a family piece. I can't deny that.

- I am a huge Campagnolo fan. I understand that people want a group set to be complete. That is what gives a group set or bike its value. I feel as though that stating that this bike is build up with a "mix" is a grand overstatement, though. Anniversary levers can be had for somewhere around $100-150 if I've seen that right and should be (almost) negligible when it comes to appraising the build as a whole. The bike is built up with 99% 50th Anniversary parts, some of the more vital and rare components even being guaranteed NOS and not even ridden an inch after having been mounted, and only the more expensive and exclusive ICS shift levers having been mounted for comfort and aesthetics. Call me crazy and obnoxious, but the 50th Anniversary shifter levers, in my eyes, (coupled with the Victory / Triomphe shifters that practically look 95% like the Anniversary levers) totally ruined the look of a beautiful and prestigious Anniversary group set and are (by a long shot) the ugliest down tube shifters Campagnolo ever produced. I'd be happy to have the ICS levers mounted on my bike (as they also fit the Aero concept a lot better) and feel as though a passionate collector would see it much the same way, but I will look into sourcing a spare set of Anniversary levers.
@hackum: this bike would surely be more sale-able if I parted it out, but I refuse to break it apart or make any modifications to it (as it goes against my principles) even though the bar tape, saddle, tubular tires and stem might also perhaps not be to everyone's liking