Mitch8101

Hi, I'm going to look at this bike tomorrow -

https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/bik/3872774302.html

I'm planning on using it for commuting and towing my one year old around the neighborhood in the bike trailer, with a little vintage/old school style (so I'm not really worried about it being collectible or anything), but from looking around on the web, it appears these bikes might be worth less than I thought (even in good condition).

I don't want to lowball or insult the owner, since he has a history with the bike and it obviously has sentimental value, but I don't want to overpay either. Can you help me out?

Thanks in advance.

Chombi

Looks to be at least an upper mid level bike from Bianchi, but it has been modded with newer components through the years as some of the stuff on it might not have existed when Bianchi sold that bike. Not neccessarily a bad thing if the seller can hook up with a buyer not looking for a 100% original Bianchi from the 80's but it can be made as a negotiating point to get a better price as I think the bike is overpriced to start with anyway. I'm thinking more like $375 max for the bike as it is. Maybe $400 max if it is in a very hot market.
The bike can be negotiated down in price further if the said repairs on the head tube is less than perfect. It has to be pretty much invisible aith perfect brasing and matching paint, otherwise, if it's not, you can ask for at least a hundred bucks more off...... Don't even consider buying it if the brazing looks bad and the head tube structurally questinable as a result....

no1mad 

Moved from C & V.

thinktubes 

Agree with Chombi on $375-ish. Personally, I'm not crazy about buying bikes with repaired frames and would hold out for an original.

aramis

I wouldn't look at it as a classic or collectable and you can't really compare it to original bianchis from the era. It's a nice looking collection of parts that appears to be in good riding condition. It includes fenders, a good seat, decent bar tape job, nice clipless pedals a nice set of newish tires (gp4000s are about 70+ new) and it looks like a set of lights as well. If you like how it rides and everything is in good tune and it fits I think $400 is more than fair and it will probably be a lot cheaper than buying a $200 bike that needs a refresh, tires, tune up, etc..

The frame being repaired is the only thing that isn't that awesome, but if it's a good job I wouldn't worry myself.

Funny thing is I have a similar era bianchi I bought with a triple and tiagra sti parts on it. I paid $2xx but it had a stuck stem and several other issues I had to fix.

Bianchigirll 

Personally I wouldn't go near it for $500. $350ish maybe. I don't see anything that would have come on the bike originally and since the fork is a replacement I would suspect the broken headlug came from a crash. They didn't bother to even try and match the OEM decals when they fixed and painted it.

The frame itself was likely a TreTubi (maybe Alle) Columbus so really nothing to write home about.



The bike has an OK back story but it boils down to this. I bought this second hand in college beat the crap out of it racing and training got some money so I got a better bike and gave this to Dad. Dad didn't like the scratches and peeling paint so we had someone paint it, and put a bunch of stuff I had lying around on it to make it easier for Dad to ride it.

robtown

If I was selling the Bianchi I'd take off the fenders and price it at $350. The rear wheel is 6 speed, the RD doesn't match. If it was 9 speed with bar end shifters and a nicer RD I'd try for $500.

For pulling a trailer I'd get a $200 hybrid. That'd work for a short ( < 4 mile) commute.

Mitch8101

Thanks for all the responses! I appreciate it.

(And sorry for being a noob and posting this in the wrong forum section )

I looked at the bike on Friday. It rode well and was well maintained, but the owner was basically firm at $450 (at the time). Since it's the first bike I've looked at in my commuter price range, I decided to keep looking.

The owner has since come down to $400. (looks like it either sold, or the new Craigslist posting has expired)

Thanks again!