Basso Gap Road Bike, Value???
 

Hi,

I found this Basso Gap in Excellent condition on a website. I was wondering how much I should pay for it and if it's a good bike for commuting to school everyday. If not please suggest a good vintage bike under $500. Thanks!

The frame is pretty good (Colombus SL?), but the mix of parts on it does not help its value.
As-is, maybe $350 max, but maybe only if you find someone desperately looking for a Basso frameset to buy it. Frankly, the bike, as-is, would yield more money if sold parted out....
Cleaned up, overhauled with new tires and other expendables and upgraded to a more matched up, higher end component gruppo (At least maybe, full Nouvo Record), I think, you can push the value another 150 - 200 bucks, easy....

I don't think it's a Gap. Given the total lack of chrome and 2nd tier Italian components in combination with Nuovo Record derailleurs, I believe this is a mid-range Arenacia, which used Columbus tretubi SL. The tubing can be confirmed by inspecting inside the bottom of the fork's steerer tube for the five helical ridges indicative of the Columbus steerer that was used on SL. The dual bottle bosses and pump peg should place it circa 1985-1986. I concur with Chopmbi1 on the value.

Commute to school? Where? This doesn't look like something good for commuting.

$500 dolars can buy you some great used mountain (MTB) or hybrid style bikes. A MTB or especially a Hybrid will give you a more upright sitting position so you can see what is going on around you better. They have fatter tires for a more forgiving ride, and you ride them on grass and gravel easier. with a MTB or hybrid you can more easily attach racks and fenders.

+ 1. This bike is not a good choice for a commuter. There are better choices out there that will also cost less than the asking price for this bike.

The bike is pretty! Other than the more modernish crankset, it doesnt look that shabby

Id think $350 to be a good price if you can get it for that, But as has been mentioned, the bike is a sport class racer and as such might not be a great commuting rig --- unless you commute really fast on smooth , dry roads and carry minimal gear

Hi all,
Thanks for the replies. I already have a hybrid bike with 38mm tires for commuting to school, so I probably won't be using it as you guys suggested. However, I'm still curious as to how much this bike is really worth, and also it compared to the Peugeot PX-10 as I'm deciding on which of them to purchase.

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...it's possibly a little newer in vintage than that PX-10 you pictured, and a more solid ride. The side pull brakes are easier for a bicycle neophyte to work on, and the clincher, rather than tubular, tires and rims will be easier for you to manage if you get a flat.

It's three main tubes Columbus, rather than the whole frame, but I have owned several similar Italian bikes (tres tubi frames) that were excellent riders, and I still have a couple for that reason today. PX-10's have a big nostalgia following, but the componentry on that Basso will be more easily maintained unless you possess some mechanical sophistication. I presume that's a little less because yoiu are here asking about the quality of the various bikes on an internet forum.

Also the Basso appears to be a little smaller, so might fit better. That's all I got.

Except neither of those bikes ought to be ridden as a commuter to and from school, because someone will steal it.:)

A couple of us have already suggested around $350 --- but its the type of bike that if you pay a little more, its not a deal breaker, -- its a nice bike

Regarding comparisons to a PX-10 ? I'm biased because the vast majority of my bikes are Italian , --- Its not a crime to have 2 C&V era bikes though

My TreTubi DeBernardi rides very well, --- and I think its the bike in my stable that compares pretty favorably to this Basso ---- hard to describe other than to say its smooth and mellow, -- but I have it decked out with an upright riding position and a triple chainset too

Were this Basso mine, I would look around for a period correct crankset for it, install some tan sidewall tires, and enjoy it