Raleigh Professional! Overpriced??
 

I have been on the hunt for a Raleigh Professional in my size..59 to 63cm.. When I do find one, it is OVERPRICED!!! :cry:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290516534915
http://i.ebayimg.com/05/!CBHndE!EGk~...TWuQQ~~_12.JPG

IMHO, I don't think his price is that far off. Actually it's only off by one number. If you drop the "2" from the $2700, it's about right. Ya'Think?

It is clean, not original accurate, wheels look wrong, Super Record large ring, bars and stem switched out.

Love to know more about the value of a parchment certificate of restoration.

I think the price is very hopeful

We were commenting about this in the Appraisal forum - The seller is delusional, but I'll bet someone will make it worth his while, with a hefty offer, and go away happy, thinking he got a killer deal because of the ridiculously high BIN.

my size too, but i'm not your competition right now, at least unless I sell some more of my bikes soon :) Maybe you can buy the white one from the other thread...

Not this week, I'm still in :love:
Besides, I'm still working on the parchment.

Mike

The white one is sweet.

Its only over priced if it doesnt sell.

Yup!

One of these days, one, or more, of us will fondly remember the good old days, of vintage bicycle interests. And these, incidentally, are the good old days.

That bike will only go up in value and presenting it with this high price tag will ensure that it will do so. Perhaps not this auction, but in a future one? I'd bet money on it!

We both on the same page.. Want a Professional, got too many bikes as it is..On my side, the wifee started an inventory on me..:). I snuck one in on her before can't do that now, and she said enough.. Sure, I said okay, but you let a Professional or a Paramount in my size, and for the right money show up, I am getting it!!! :)

On my side, the trouble with selling one off, is that I want them all. Even the last $50 Prelude I just got, the bike is sweet, all my bikes are sweet, I ain't cutting loose with NOTHINNNNN...:)

Luck to both of us in our hunt for a Vintage Raliegh Professional...:beer:

They don't make 'em any more, and demand for high-end vintage bikes continues to climb as the supply slowly dwindles.

A pristine mink blue Raleigh Pro in my size sold recently on eBay for around $1100. I could have done local pickup as well! I should have put a snipe bid in, but I didn't even bother because I thought it would go much higher! Darn!

Mint? 100% original? No wonder they go for top dollar.

I've built up most of my bikes from frames or frankenstein bikes. It's cheaper that way, and since I'm going to upgrade anyway, why pay a premium for a 100% original bike. Are you going to mount the bike on a wall? If not, might as well buy one with a few scratches from use.

If you aren't a collector, then reasonable priced bikes are out there. As for that link - the 'Certificate of Restoration' alone is worth $2000 to the right buyer...and there's one of those 'right buyers' born every minute.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=184191

Just keep a lookout - now this '78 has a CyclArt repaint c.'87, and they added braze-ons and internal TT cable routing at the time, and changed it out to indexed 7s DA. This bike has been ridden & wasn't a wall hanger, but he did swap it out for a new ride shortly after the repaint. And when I bought it [this year], it had a slight mismatch on the front wheel (Campy hub). So it's not for the purist.

But I love the ride, and paid $300, inclusive of some extra bits.

Now I'm considering returning it to NR, but I haven't decided for sure. I'd have to acquire a few parts.

My first high quality bike was a '74 Raleigh International that my dad bought for me in '77 for $400 complete. It was full Campy NR with Weinmann clincher rims. I put thousands of miles on that bike, many with a friend who rode a '76 Raleigh Professional. At the time I would rather have had a Pro myself as we did mostly day rides around the Colorado front range and the International's touring geometry was not so "sporty". I did a 900 mile tour loaded w/ panniers with my Raleigh Pro pal and my International performed beautifully.

I couldn't find a Pro in my size, or a Masi Gran Criterium (the other frame I coveted at the time), but in '79 I found a used Colnago Super and bought it for $100 and sold the International frame for the same amount.

I certainly understand the allure of these classic vintage rides. I spent countless hours on my Reynolds 531 and Columbus SL frames in my teens and riding one of these vintage bikes does bring back lots of memories. Would that be worth $2,700? I suppose that depends on the buyer.

+1. When I was debating with myself about whether or not to bid on the '71 Paramount I purchased recently, a young fellow I work with who's wise beyond his years said to me, "you know, we're getting further and further away from 1971."

A few minutes later, I placed the winning bid.:)

You Can't Always Get What You Want ...
 

Yet I can still buy pretty decent stuff here in Norcal
in the $400-500 range. I have wondered about this
phenomenon myself from time to time as I have engaged
in a veritable orgy of acquisition over the past year or so.

I now have just about every steel framed bike I've lusted
after over the years hanging from the beams in the garage.
Sort of a Jay Leno of bicycles thing. I really hope I'm near
the end of it.

But in terms of prices, the only rational explanation I can
come up with is that all the serious money is chasing the
latest and greatest in carbon fiber. (And honestly what,
if anything is rational about carbon fiber?)

If the predictions here about price appreciation turn out
to be true -- and that is a big if in my opinion -- some of
you guys are gonna be richer than Croesus (the Bill Gates
of his era).:D

Regards,
Mike Larmer

+1000 I should trim back to 10 bikes from 11 but I keep my eyes open for more. How does that song go?

I want it all (yes I want it all) I want it all (hey)
I want it all and I want it now

Here's another, 21.5", 5.5 hrs to go:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1970-Raleigh-Pro...#ht_821wt_1141

Now Open To Best Offer
 

Stay tuned, this seller appears to be getting
openly hostile.:lol:

The 21.5" went for $660 (without parchment).

I found one my size, very original but in rough shape and bought it for $350.00. It was way more than I wanted to pay but I wasn't letting it get away and paid what I had to. I am happy with my decision.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/...e89c2f121a.jpg
IMG_3710 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

That Pro is about as fine as any I've ever seen since I lusted after them in bike shops. If the only deficiencies are wrong chainrings, I wouldn't worry - you can get the right ones if you actually know which ones they are. The hubs are correct - 120 mm Campy large flange, as are the Record sidepull brakes. The rims are not, but tubular rims of those days didn't always last long. They should be regarded as maintainance items, to a degree. On the other hand, if you can actually determine what was correct, it's not that hard to swap over from that modern rim to the correct vintage bare aluminum rim. The spokes might even fit straight over.

And the Super Record chainring is what an owner would likely have used as a replacement part if his NR chainring had worn out. It is a bolt on fit, Campy's top model, and most likely what the pro shops had in stock back in the day.

As far as overpriced, the price is what one is willing to pay. That bike is 97% perfect and as-original, if not better.

They raised the price to $2900.00 :eek:

I wonder if it's crossed their mind that they're getting a ton of "views" due to people like us?

Check out what a Ferrari 12 cyl. GT-250 is worth today. When the collecting 'thing' starts to attach itself to a commodity, all common sense drops out of what is reality for most of us. And we men and women on this forum have watched the collecting 'thing' begin to cling to vintage bicycles. And in a way it's understandable because there are many instances where the machines are tangible art masterpieces, regardless of their intrinsic mechanical prowess — which is often not slouching either. Again, look at the Ferrari.

But — and big but — (am I being obtuse here?) for that sort of money, you could seek out a top flight frame builder and have the Raleigh frame copied exactly. In addition you could have it built in Reynolds 853. You could have it built to exactly fit your body and still have enough money left over to track down all the right components and parts for it, have the paint mixed and applied and custom decals made up besides. No, it will not be a collector's bike. And you will not get your money out if you want to sell it a week later. But you will have a new replica that costs less than a new Pinarelo or Cologno — and about 10K less than the top flight pro Trek that I saw a guy buy the other week. He can afford it. I don't know if he can ride it. Maybe, but he is my age and I don't see the point. But, I was told that he collects bikes. (My wife would cut my liver out with a fruit knife while I was asleep if even I could afford such a thing. She might just slice me open if I bought a Raleigh for $3K — and I would not blame her.) Some people are in the league. Most of us aren't and are not going to be. There is something to be said for not encouraging this nonesense.

And if one reads the revised description they come away with a lesson on how to do anti marketing. Obviously no idea his listing might just be viewed as entertainment.