somethingliketh

I originally posted this in the wrong section , so here it is again...


"I'll get right down to it:

found this bike on craigslist. owner seems to know little about the bike itself (got it at a garagesale -- definitely wish I had been at that sale!).

here's the information she's provided to me:

60 cm, Bianchi Veloce, Shimano 600 comps

"From my research I would say mid 1990s model. Mechanicals are in great shape and are original to this bike. Crank has usual scuffs. Also, while taking close ups there are small road dings on lower frame tubes. All minor and no rust.

Also, I found a website that has year codes for Shimano components. They are 1993. This is a really nice completely vintage bike. The carbon forks are fine (no visible damage, have nice ring tone when tapped and no tiny hairs protruding). No cables are missing, wheels are true and mechanicals all smoothe...Probably a very nice ride. I am 5' 6'' and I can't even get a leg over it so, I really can't say."

she's asking 500$ for it right now.

the bike looks pretty stellar in the pictures, but there's only so much to see -- she's kind of a drive away so I can't just stop by to check it out.

as always, thanks!"



also, Bianchigirll:

I noticed that you mentioned the frame isn't actually reparto corse -- how can you tell?

Bianchigirll 

I answered this in the other forum. the 600 stuff looks '86ish to me. looks like a mid '90s frame with older parts, maybe from a trashed frame, on it.

if it was close and fit I may go $350 but I am not sure just what the frame is.

somethingliketh

BG:

thanks for the response! that being said, I know in the other forum you mentioned that the frame wasn't actually Reparto Corse -- how exactly can you tell? I've tried googling it and can't find any way to tell the difference (clearly I'm missing something ).

Thanks!

Bianchigirll 

in the mid to late '90s som dope at Bianchi USA (all Bianchis sold in the US since '85 and Canada from I believe I was told '90ish come through Bianchi a US owned subsidary or something like that) anyway some idiot got the bright idea to use Reparto Corse on all Bianchis from the top of the line racers to the lowest MTBs and Hybrids. up until that time all Reparto Corse frame were alledgedly handmade in the RC department.

the simplist way to tell is simply the fact that a frame will have both the RC decal and model name. most all true RC bikes do not have a model name and were simply refered to by the frame and if sold as a bike frame and compionent group. such as a RC bike with a TSX frame a Chorus would be simply shown in the catalog as TSX Chorus, or SBX Ultegra

I believe the only RC bike the ever carried a name, and I do not believe it was on the frame, was the Proto which wer the Columbus MAX Bike and frame sold in '90/91.

this Bianchi you are lookig at is a nice bike but IMHO not worth anythign near $700

somethingliketh

BG:

Thanks, again!

I got her down to 450$... I might be able to get her to 400$ if/when I go to see the bike. In your mind is that worth the price? Obviously this depends entirely on fit, feel, and function, but from the pictures it looks like it's really well kept...

-slt

4funbikes

A quick search on bikepedia shows that the 1999 model was the first year with the carbon fork. The components are not original.
$500 would not leave any room for profit if the intention was to flip.
Even if it was a rider I'd negotiate the price down substantially. $350 or so depending on how bad you want it in my opinion.
I paid $350 for a '97 or so model with less than 100 miles on it, and the full campy 8 speed group, ergos and all.
Doing research at the time, one had just sold on ebay (so take the price with a grain of salt) for around $700 in a bit more used condition.

Bianchigirll 

I agree the lower under $400 the better. you just have to convincer her that the drive train in worn and it will cost you $XX.00 to replace the worn stuff and those wheels can't have to many miles left on them, the brakeleves do not match the calipers, blah blah blah...

somethingliketh

4funbikes:

I feel like 99 would be too late of a year for down-tube shifters...? maybe the carbon fork was added from a different bike? then again, I also know next to nothing about bicycles, so I'm probably completely wrong!

I'll talk to the seller a bit more via email. She mentioned someone else had offered her 375, so maybe if I show up with the cash she'll just take it. orrrr maybe something else has already paid a lot more money for it -- people seem to pay extra for bikes around Austin :-/.

4funbikes

The downtube shifters mounts when on into the early '00s on some bikes I've seen.
No recollection of a Bianchi in particular having that, but I've seen other high end bikes with them.
The bike would have originally had a cable guide intended for use on a braze on mount there.
The dropouts (and I'm going off short handed memory here) look like a different (newer) style dropout.

If you have spring fever and are itching to ride, it might not be a bad deal. If you have some patience though, I'd say wait it out.

Also being in Austin, TX the market is a little more inflated than other areas, but there are probably still some hidden gems out there.
You have to have eyes like a hawk, and you have to think about how many other people do too.
If it sits on craigslist, then the price is probably too high, especially this time of year.

somethingliketh

bianchigirl:

do you happen to have Bianchi catalogs from the 90s? I'm trying to figure out what year this bike is and am having NO luck whatsoever. no one online seems to know where to find 90s catalogs..

thanks!

edit: from looking at bikepedia, it seems that the first TIG welded Veloce came out in 98 -- but the 98 model didn't have downtube shifters. I'm so confused.

edit 2: also, the more I'm reading about older carbon fiber forks, the less I trust buying one used. were the prices you guys were recommending taking into consideration the fact that the fork might be bunk? (in other words, would you value the bike significantly lower removing the fork from the equation?)