What's this Shogun worth?
 

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/bik/287247296.html
http://d.im.craigslist.org/qV/Pn/PdM...csfOD5dYsC.jpg http://a.im.craigslist.org/Um/Fq/QPu...KIaeUfoqU5.jpg
http://a.im.craigslist.org/Yq/79/eu4...wHHEsOsmi2.jpg http://b.im.craigslist.org/Q4/2q/e4C...fnU6rQvvpm.jpg

Seller is asking $140

krntourist, you're running into the same problem I have! Those small bikes tend to be not as high end as the bigger bikes.

In this case, the Shogun is High Tensile steel (not that there's anything wrong with that!), and it sounds as if there's been a bit of swapping out on the original components. It's also got chrome handlebars, which implies that the handlebars are steel, rather than a lighter weight alloy.

It does have new tyres/tubes/repacked bearings on the rear wheel. It also looks as if the rims are alloy...

I'd say it's kind of a wash with originality, and we're a bunch of cheapskates, but in the LA market it might not be such a bad deal. I'd still offer around $100 and go up from there.

East Hill

I wouldn't pay even $100 for the bike!

That particular model is the lowest end bike that Shogun made and could be bought new for $50; bikes like that at garage sales etc could be found for $25, in fact I bet he found it at swapmeet or a garage sale and paid $10 for it and cleaned it up. The rims are alloy because at some point in time (can't remember when) steel rims seized to be built due to their inability to stop when wet, so those alloy rims are only on there because the bike was built after that time and I can be sure they are of poor quality as would be the hubs. The ad says Shimano components but I can bet their the lowest grade components they ever made. From the pics, but can't tell for sure, the front derailleur appears to mad of chromed steel thus another tip off the components are of the lowest quality. The seat is also a low grade Walmart seat that in short order your going to replace due to it being uncomfortable. The handlebars have the old foam grips that no longer are being made, and since they are old will probably start to crumble when you use the bike and have black particles on your hands everyday.

The frame and the chrome handlebars, seatpost, and metal pedals are all a huge tip off that this bike is the lowest grade bike Shogun made, and also the bike would probably weigh around 30 to 35 pounds.

You would be better off going to Walmart and buy their new road bike for $200; at least it would be a lot lighter!

Sorry if I sound like I'm blowing your bubble, but you have to know your bikes before you buy a used one that looks good in pics. If your wanting to buy this bike for your kid then fine, but the seller is asking way too much for it. If you want something older and classic then I would look around and wait till you see an older Italian, English or Japanese bike that was a mid to higher end lightweight road bike. Those will go up in value whereas the Shogun will go down from what you would pay for it.

Generally I would agree with froze, but you're still in a tough market. I would be quite leery of going much over $100, and that only because it's got new tyres.

Froze, those of us with short standovers don't have a lot of choice at times...that's why I have mixtes :D . I'm not certain that krntourist wants a mixte, though...

East Hill

I agree that this Shogun isn't worth the asking price. Maybe if they dropped one of the numbers of of the three!

East Hill does have a point though about slim pickings for smaller riders. I was (when I didn't know better) riding very large frames (60+) which most people couldn't get a leg over. I found them either going for next to nothing locally, or being bid up fairly high if the seller was willing to ship. I got lucky and got a Centurion with Tange Cro-Mo tubing for $35 locally off ebay. I was the only bidder. Before that I got a Schwinn in 63cm for $10 that needed a bit of work.

Actually on E-Bay I see a lot of short and long standover bikes for sale, it's the average standover where the rarity comes in.

You could also (assuming money is tight and you have time on your side) go to E-Bay buy a NOS frame and fork and then wait till you have more cash and go back to E-Bay and and find NOS components. Recently there was a complete Suntour Cyclone road group in the box, Cyclone stuff was extremily high quality that beat anything Shimano or Campy was doing back then, and Cyclone on E-Bay does not sell for as much as Campy especially.

There is a method of knowing whether or not a seller is any good and a method of bidding correctly, if you have questions about that repost a new question or ask on this post if interested.

I have gotten some nice bikes off eBay, but they are just barely my size...I require something between 44-48cm. There's really not a lot of HIGH END stuff out there for someone my size. If you can find me a (vintage) 46cm Colnago, or Masi, or Pinarello, for less than $300 including shipping, please let me know. Otherwise it's too big. Unless it's a mixte.

I have a lot of people on this forum keeping an eye out for just such gems, and I don't think anyone has ever pointed me in the direction of a vintage tiny little Italian bike, with full Campy. Anyone?

I love mixtes.

East Hill

I've been on ebay more or less since its inception, but any tips you have would be really helpful. I actually figure money is more on my side than time, at this point.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/bik/287733138.html >> Is this overpriced as well? Same seller.. havent gone over there yet - wondering if I should go at all. Did not sound like price was negotiable to below $100, much less $50. Been considering buying a complete NOS on ebay or elsewhere, gonna look for an older bike till I feel I can't put it off any longer, and if I can't find one by then I'll buy new or nos.

First the bike; this bike seems to be good; not familar with the brand though thus don't have a good price gauge for you and Sheldon Brown site didn't have that brand listed; so maybe someone else might have a better clue then I.

There's no mention of the type of tubeset it is, though he does say that it weighs around the 20lb range which was very light for bikes in the 70's thus it must be a decent tubeset. Suntour Cyclone components was extremily good stuff and sought after today, however I don't believe they were the original components, the original may have been Galli but those didn't function well so the owner switched them out for stuff that was known to work superbly. 3T stems and bars were amoung the lightest you could get back in those days. The Maillard hubs were also very good and still sought after today.

The ad says that the paint and chrome are pristine and that's good. If you can actually see the bike then I would, then decide if you want it. But on the surface it seems like an interesting bike that could be worth $250...but make an offer of $200 and hope he bites.

E-Bay if you've been around it for awhile then you probably already know the tricks. First you need to make sure the person your doing business with has extensive history and most buyers have had a good experience and those that didn't got the problem resolved in a timely manner. One way to test the water is to ask the seller a question about the item and see if they respond, if not then forget it because more then likely their customer service will be poor.

Also don't bid on an item until the last 30 seconds of bidding is left if your on slow modem or 15 seconds on highspeed internet, then have a high limit your willing to pay and bid that limit and no more-don't get trapped in a bidding war you'll end up paying more then you wanted, but waiting untill the last 30 seconds will help prevent that. By waiting for the last few seconds anyone who wants the item will be scrambling to try to out bid you before time runs out and will fail. Also bid odd amounts not even like $21 not $20. For example an item you want has a current bid of $100 and your willing to spend $150 for it, so you wait for the last 30 seconds and then enter your bid of $151. Couple of things could happen, either the next higher bidder bidded $125 (this is an example of an even bid 5's, 10's, 20's, 50's, 100's, etc are even bid's) and you'll get the item for $126 (automatic odd bid because your limit was $151 and the automatic bidding only jumps $1 increments and you win on the odd bid as most people do but they don't bid that way), or someone also set a limit of $150 but you got it because you had the odd bid. I hope that made sense.