dinzdale

Long Story:
My grandpa passed away recently and my parents were put in charge of his estate. They are currently in the process of auctioning anything of value in his estate after pulling the items they wanted to keep. Of those things, there were three vintage bikes because he used to be an avid cyclist when he lived in the Monterey Bay Area. He kept really good care of his bikes and it shows. My mom said he used to keep it in his bedroom even though Grandma hated it.

My parents realized that they didn't want to auction the bikes, but that at least one of them might be worth enough that the bike should be sold and the money divvied up among the siblings. They have been tipped off (and I feel confident that they are correct) that the Cinelli bike might be worth enough to try to sell it. I really want it, but I understand their reasoning and I want to help them find the value of it. Maybe you guys can help.

Short Story
The bike is a bright yellow Cinelli frame, no chips in the paint, no visible rust. The decals look pristine with the exception of the headbadge, which is a little rubbed off. It has all Campy parts hanging on it. I don't know enough about the history of Cinelli to tell if they are original or all upgrades, but they look to be all matching (i.e. installed at the same time). As far as I can tell, there are no dents in the frame and the forks are not bent.

The BB shows a number 1763, which I think places it in the mid 70s and that can be confirmed by the family.

I only took a few quick pics before moving on, but I can get more if desired.

Any thoughts?

Vonruden 

Sweet bike

big chainring 

3 grand. But tell your parents it's only worth a couple hundred. Then ride it in warm sunny Sunday afternoons and enjoy.

elboGreaze

Don't know a lot about Cinelli bikes , but the ones I've seen were very pricey. Maybe you can make a deal with the family and keep it . Awesome bike.

FastJake

Keep this one in the family! Don't let them sell it. It's worth a lot, but someone in the family should enjoy it for another couple generations.

BlueDevil63 

The pictures are too few and too low res to make a really good estimate but it may be quite valuable. Say in the $2000-3000 range, maybe. The maybe is because there are some strange things here. First the all chrome fork and rear triangle. That was not standard on an SC although I have heard they could be ordered that way. The rear derailleur appears to be PATENT 82 and it is definitely post CPSC (1978). The pedals are the black cage SL pedals which I don't think would have been original equipment. The wheel skewers also appear to be post CPSC. Yellow is also a pretty unusual color for a Cinelli SC (except for the Bruggelman bikes which this is not). But if this was a special order frame, as the fork and rear triangle seem to indicate, then yellow might have been a special order color. Perhaps some of the Cinelli experts will chime in.

dinzdale

Thanks for the answers! I would love to keep the three bikes in the family if not in my garage. The other two are a Fuso with all dura-ace components and a super vintage american-made track bike. We'll see if I can convince them to hold on to at least the Cinelli. Do you think I can convince them to trade the Cinelli for my 1980 Raleigh Grand Prix?

IthaDan 

It's valuable, don't get me wrong, but the money to cover a single month's mortgage payment comes and goes pretty easily while a nearly flawless cinelli with sentimental value is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

If the money will change someone's life, then by all means, but if it won't, keep all three, they won't lose any value as the years go by.

bibliobob

We definitely need more photos of the seat tube lugs, head tube lugs, etc. Are the shifters brazed-on, or clamp-on? I can't tell from the photos. It has eyelets, which were discontinued in the very early '70s, but it also has brazed-on bb cable guides, which weren't introduced until the early 70s. I doubt that there are many that have both. Definitely need more photos before a year range can be decided, or even to decide if it's original paint and frame features (could've been a repaint and braze-ons at the time of the later component additions).

I've seen the full chrome rear triangle before and a chrome fork in earlier models, but it's definitely not common.

Value could be all over the place, depending on whether frame is in original state or not, who's doing the selling (this matters A LOT), where it's being sold, quality of the photos and description, etc. Based on what we know so far, I'd say that value could range from $1500 (for a refinished frame with later parts being sold by a newb with crappy photos and description) to $4500 (if it's an original condition frame set and the auction is perfect and run by a seller with lots of relevant feedback for high end bike sales).

Is the bike your size? If it's really exactly your size and you really, really like vintage bikes - don't sell it under any conditions whatsoever. You will not likely stumble onto something like this ever again.

If it's not your size and you're not head over heels in love with this (though you should be), you need to decide the sentimental attachment and relationship to your grandfather. If it really reminds you of him, it could be a great wallhanger. If not - sell it to someone who will truly love it. But, find someone to help you that really knows what they're doing. It only takes a minor mistake (bad cleaning technique, bad packing, bad photos) to really sink the value of the bike or the amount of the sale.

best of luck, and more photos!

iab

Assuming that is original ( and quite excellent) condition and not a repaint, $3,000-$6,000.

More pictures would be helpful.

FastJake

+1 The value on all three bikes will only go up. If they are sold, you will probably never see anything like them again. The sentimental value of them being your grandfather's is all the more reason to keep them.

If they were a couple Varsitys hanging in the garage I would say dump them on craigslist. But he obviously loved these bikes, and IMO it would really be a shame to let them go.

Chicago Al 

I don't have anything to offer specifically about the bike, but having recently wrapped up as executor of an estate, I will suggest that you make sure no one is rushing in making a decision about what to do with the bikes. Estates are an enormous, exhausting amount of work, hundreds of decisions to make, and it's easy to make a snap decision that turns out to be a mistake. In particular make sure that no well-meaning relative decides to take those bikes to Goodwill or whatever, just to 'clear out the garage.'

It will take some time to figure out the value and even more time to properly prepare the bikes for sale, decide on a venue, and find the right buyer. Like Bob said above, selling the Cinelli 'wrong' could yield half the price. It may well be that you are the only one in the family with the interest and time to properly evaluate the bikes.

As for your own interest, if it fits you, having your Grandpa's old bike to keep, hopefully forever, would be really cool. And if you're the only family member really interested, it seems 'fair' that you should get it, as long as it's not shorting anyone else. But family stuff can be difficult, doubly so when money is also involved.

Is there anything you can do (assuming you don't have money) in trade for the bike? One might be preparing the other bikes for sale: the Fuso is also potentially valuable. Any other work for the estate, sorting, moving, cleaning out?

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

Kactus 

Give it a try! Along with Chicago Al's ideas about helping the estate in other ways for trade of the Cinelli it's worth a try. But I would agree only if it fits you and you would treasure it.

When I watch shows like Pawn Stars, it always bothers me when someone brings in some cool item that belonged to a grandparent because they want a few bucks so they can go to the casino or on vacation. The Cinelli is part of YOUR history... what came before you and what became you! In that regard it is something that can never be replaced once it's gone.

Your grandfather obviously loved that bike. Every time you ride the bike, you will feel your grandfather riding along with you.

KonAaron Snake 

I used to be extremely sentimental and felt like Kactus above. I no longer do - it's just stuff, and memories are separate from stuff. If you have a passion for vintage bikes, keep it. If not...sell it and split the cash. My way of balancing whether it's worth keeping is pretty simple - it's part of the estate. Are you willing to put its minimum value into the estate? If not - sell it. As far as that value, it really depends - as stated above. People here tend to give experienced eBay seller values and, as explained, if that's not you, you should expect less. It sure looks purdy, and if it's original (and it's probably a restoration) it's worth quite a bit. If you do like vintage bikes enough to pay $1000 into the estate, do it. They're hard to come by. It took me about 3 years of active hunting, and overpaying a bit, to get mine - and mine is much rougher.

Chombi

I guess I have to be the one to do it this time.....

It's no good!, botyom of the line yellow crapcycle from Cinelli if there ever was one.....so mail it to me for safe disposal ASAP and spare yourself the pain of owning and riding such a horrible old bike!!!!.....And yeah, I think the fork might be bent anyway!!......










Congratulations! your Grandad had very good taste! A family heirloom if Ive seen one! Keep it in the family as long as you can.......

repechage

It is a Handsome bike. The images leave a few questions for me but I have seen a few, (very few) of these with the chrome stays and forks from way back. The paint hopefully does not have some blemishes that it might. I wonder about the top tube cable clamps, those usually sing out "chrome", these don't ...the bottom bracket cable guides brazed on and the lack of water bottle fittings on the down tube is curious.

Really variable, $2,000 to $4,000 is my take from what I see.

dinzdale

I think this album is public. It's a few extra pictures. I feel like a doofus for not taking more pictures. I was pulled away to other things before I got all the details I wanted. The lugs looked awesome with the three-hole style, painted red. I don't know if it's worth a look for you guys, but here it is.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10387...91017994004129

Kactus 

I'm not a Cinelli expert by any means but it looks pretty good to me. The rear derailleur appears to be a later replacement as someone mentioned and it looks to me like you have Specialized clincher tires. If your grandfather rode as much as you say, it's plausible that replaced things as they wore out.

If your folks don't want to auction it, I think they could easily get $2000.

What would YOU like to do with the bike? I don't know your financial situation but if it were me, and the bike fit, I would find a way to bring it home!

repechage

The image of the seat tube herald graphic indicates respray to me. The herald shows it has been clear coated over. Not super surprised actually and hits the value as most guys willing to spend the big dollars want a bike with an original finish.
It still has quite a bit of value.

dinzdale

To be perfectly honest, I would want to ride this. From what I could tell without taking it for a spin (I didn't trust the tires), it is the perfect fit for me. Grandpa had about the same frame as me.

I wouldn't want to make it my commuter by any means, but I would maintain it for Sunday rides with the family and hopefully keep it in good enough condition to pass it down to my kids/grand-kids, etc. I mean, regardless of whether it has original finish or not, it's a beautiful bike that was meant to see the light of day. Occasionally Dallas has a vintage ride around white rock lake. I can't think of a better use for this beauty.

bibliobob

+1

Now that we can see that it has the dots in the lugs, it's definitely early 70s (prior to braze-on shifters and bottle holders). And, that Columbus decal is definitely later.... It all adds up to a repaint. If you look closely, I suspect that you'll see that the paint is a bit fresher looking than the chrome.

This will knock the value down a good chunk. $2000 or so, with a good auction? If a couple bidders decide that they really love the yellow ( I most definitely do) and all the chrome (not my cup of tea), it could hit $2500?

But, as others have noted, the real value is going to be in the sentiment and the ride.

I'd keep it, and ride the snot out of it (on sunny days only, of course). The good thing about a repaint is that you won't want to commit hari kari if you get a scratch on it...

You have a really, really special bike there. Enjoy it!

gaucho777 

Sounds like a good plan, and a great way to honor & remember your grandfather, who clearly had fine taste in bicycles.

KonAaron Snake 

Wanting something and wanting something enough to pay the estate and other stakeholders its value are different. If you don't like it enough to compensate the estate fairly, it's probably not something you should have. I say this having gone through an estate division that was acrimonious and unpleasant with people who "wanted" things and thought they deserved them. Unless the person specifically left it for you, or you're willing to pay into the estate, it should be sold and the proceeds divided fairly. Other approaches can lead to unpleasantness and resentment - and, in my mind, it's just not worth it. Maybe your family would be more reasonable about it and less greedy and my experiences won't apply.

I agree with Bibliobob's assessment, but it's just so beautiful that it wouldn't surprise me if someone overpaid and went $3000 + (depending on seller).

bibliobob

I was mulling it over, and you may be right. If someone starts lusting after all that chrome and digs that color, they may bid quite a bit. There's always a wild card...

This is a nice earlier model but with similar chrome. If it's original paint, it's a stunning bike. But, that head badge looks pretty suspect to me. Tooooo nice...

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/bik/3695909407.html

TampaRaleigh

I bought a house from the estate of a friend's mother. I even paid full market value for the house because it was in a good location for me... the greed and bitterness of the rest of the family was unbelievable. And none of the greedy ones had any sentimental attachment.

I've learned to avoid estates like the plague.