timmymacnj

Hey guys,

Stricly a light recreation biker here, dont know anything about anything. A friends grandmom was cleaning out her place and I rescued these bikes before they were offered to junkers. I planned on cleaning them up a bit and having bikes around for family and visitors, but if they are worth a little bit I will sell them and buy cheap replacements. Can you guys help point me in a direction to find value?
Pics are kinda crappy, taken at night
White bike is a Coppi, sticker on frame says "Champion model"
Red Bike is a scwinn, know nothing else
Orange bike is a Columbia
Blue bike is a Univega, sticker on frame says "Viva Sport"

Thanks a lot

degan

They all look middle of the road. Definitely better than department store bikes, but nothing that you're going to get a lot of money for.

wrk101

All look bottom end to me. Columbia was the bike shaped object of that era, sold in discount stores, worse than a Walmart bike of today. Cottered crank on the Coppi, wing nut axles, but it still looks like by far the best of the lot (it might have alloy rims, and chrome stays are a good sign). Univega is entry level, but better than the other two.

All look like they need quite a bit of work. Unless you have the tools/time/aptitude/interest in doing the work, you will be way upside down on them if you pay someone to rehab them. When I find bikes like these, I take them to my favorite thrift store and donate them. If you have the time/tools/aptitude, I would look at the Coppi first.

Spoonrobot 

That Coppi is a weird one.

catmandew52

The Coppi is probably the highest value bike there, but only after, YOU PUT A PROPER SADDLE ON IT, and take that cast rack off!!!!
The Univega next.
The Schwinn (Varsity?) and Columbia are in a dead heat for last.
Go clean them up, take some better pictures of the Coppi,(like the one's posted here) https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/701827-Show-us-your-I-talians!?, and add the pictures to this thread.

FastJake

None are worth enough that you could sell them to "buy cheaper replacements." You might be able to $30-$40 out of the Schwinn and Univega as-is, the Columbia is just about worthless.

The Coppi is odd and has a lot of bottom line parts but if it showed up on craigslist for less than $50 I might pick it up just for the cool looking frame. I haven't yet had a frame with chromed lugs or stays.

billnuke1 

I put these kinds of bikes together for the kids around here! They jump off their 27 speed, suspended, fat tired, slow bikes and blast off on these! Usually these bikes just need new tires or tubes, oil the cables and chain and they are good to go! I'd keep the Univega and go all through it, bearings and all the other things. The older kids and parents love these older bikes!
Where do you live? I'm in Ma.

T-Mar

I pretty much agree with the previous post, except that I'd rate the Univega the highest. It at least has an aluminum, cotterless crankset and may have aluminum rims.

big chainring 

The Coppi is a low end bike boom bike that I would love to have. With original bars would probably sell for $125-150. One of these days I will have a Coppi, an Anquetil, and a Merckx(made by Falcon).

repechage

The Columbia is bike toss fare.
The Schwinn is above that, but no prize, on all the bikes it is hard to tell, the drive side has been avoided.
The Univega has the best chance of being turned into a good running bike for the least amount of cash or time.
The Coppi is the wildcard, Italian budget bikes of the era can have decent frames and lackluster parts, or can be terrific finds, this one probably would be much better with a component transplant.

randyjawa 

For my money, I would grab the Coppi in a heart beat. The other bikes range from entry level to so-so, but the Coppi has vintage appeal, at least for me.

As for value, bikes like the Coppi are, indeed, wild cards. The bike could fetch between $100 and $1000, depending on a host of variables, some of which are mentioned in Vintage Bicycle Value.

Other members will poo-poo my evaluation but I evaluate based on personal experience. Also...

The OP is looking a very different sized bicycles. He, or she, must make themselves aware of fit requirements or risk getting a bicycle that does not fit.

oldroads

During ‘the season’ here in Boston they’d all sell after adding new tires, tubes, tune-up, etc.
Flat bar bikes are popular with commuters. Retail prices after fixing them up, $125 for the Columbia, $225 for the Univega, and the others fall in between.

zukahn1 

The Copi is a wild card as said if it has all of the original parts and they are good it has the potential to be rehabed to a C&V bike worth $300-400 if any of the parts are none original or bad it's value could drop to close to zero. The others all have potential as beater ride around bikes fixed up but have norminal value.

billnuke1 

Hey! Why not "just for sh_ts and giggles" get all of these bike in a somewhat rideable condition, starting with what is the perceived order of "value". I would start from low to high. Even if you just get a couple of miles under your belt before the tires go flat or a cable breaks,(don't go too far from home!" you will get a sense of the bike! I will ride about 5 - 10 bikes at a time. The perceived "low" value bike may surprise you sometimes! Less "fussiness" in the ride maybe. Like the difference between an old 6 cylinder mustang and an old V8 mustang! Just have fun with the bikes. Learn how to work on everything! I have picked up high value bikes that need nothing more to ride than a couple of well placed squirts of WD40! The lower value bikes have had more serious problems because of the quality of the materials, such as bent rear hangers or such. Just learn what to look for, bend the offending parts back to where they go and ride!

durrrell

I have an old Columbia USA Racing road bike (actually made in USA) I bought about 15 years ago at a church flea market for $30 for a his/her pair. We were in Ojai for the day, saw the bikes, bought them and rode around the lovely town of Ojai and they were great. Fast forward to today, it's been collecting dust since that day and I decided to sell it but the tubes wouldn't hold air or the tires rotted with sidewalls bulges and I'm not selling a bike that in not safe. Rides pretty good with the 26" 2 1/4" tires and stem shifters and safety brakes... So, I lubed it up, replaced the tires/tubes and will see if I can get $80-100 in Los Angeles...

billnuke1 

I sold one of those a little while ago. I have a lot of bikes, so, I'm always moving bikes around! The bikes are hung up in the garage so we have to lift them up and down. That Columbia was heavy! But, on the ground it wasn't a bad rider at all! I also have a Ford Excursion! It isn't bad once you get it moving either!

catmandew52

Read this and compare to your Coppi https://classiclightweights.net/italy...pi/1978-coppi/.
Do you know what happened to the the original drop bars and brake levers for all these bikes?
It probably will not make a difference on the Columbia or the Varsity(might even be a sale point for a SS/Fg conversion) but the Coppi and Univega should have the original drop bars and brakes re-installed IMO.