HELP! Vintage or Crap?
 

http://southbend.craigslist.org/bik/2146290374.html

I know nothing about vintage bikes, but stumbled upon this gem on a craigslist browse. I could find nothing about the German company who built it or how old it is.

So I ask you, good vintage find or crap?

It doesn't look like a terrible bike, but it also doesn't look like it's all that special.

I think it looks like it might be on the "crap" side. I'd move along

Pass.

I wouldn't call it crap. The bike looks serviceable and could be reliable, but it doesn't look like a bargain either.

How do you measure standover when there is no TT?

i don't think that "vintage"and "crap" are mutually exclusive; there's a good bit of overlap.

That being said, i don't think that bike is terribly old. I'd bet it's from the 90s, which is vintage to some, but not most. It's also not a particularly "nice" bike, in terms of dollar value. However, i think it's a really rad bike, and if i were in the market for a step-thru 3speed city bike, i'd be all over it. (I'm not.) Is it worth $110? I'd say that's more of a $50-$75 item, but if i really needed a bike in that style, I personally would drop $100 on it.

A lot of ppl on here would probably disagree, and shoot very low-ball figures, b/c they don't want to actually buy bikes; they want to sell bikes, so they want a very cheap initial cost so as t maximize profit.

-rob

ps- many will also disparage the bike b/c their tastes are skewed towards lightweight road or classic touring bikes. A friend of mine trashpicked an old german-made sachs-equipped 3speed by an outfit called "Classic". best trash-picked bike i've ever seen; it's very well made, but heavy, and not at all glamorous.

I saw that too, it looks to be a good enough bike, but not so desirable. I'm sort of a noob though, but the brand is one I've not heard of before and the look of it is just 'Meh'. Are you looking to ride this or rehab it for profit. Perhaps if you've been looking for a Guveneur Super Sport just like you had as a kid, then this the bike for you. If you're looking to flip it for a profit, you are looking at a tough sale locally, people know names like "Schwinn" or "Trek". If you're just looking for a bike to ride, it would seem there are better deals to be had. That person's stuff always looks over-priced to me, so take this with a grain of salt.

By the way, you're just about an hour away from me.

I'd say it looks like a good find. I've never heard of the brand either, but with the stuff it's equipped with, it looks like a pretty good deal. Of course, it depends on the market by you. If you just want to get a 3-speed now, it looks like the best one on Craigslist in that area, but if you wait, you can probably find a better deal.

The best way to figure out how old it is is by looking at the rear hub. I don't know about Sachs, but most internal gear hubs have the date stamped on them.

I guess I was curious about the heritage some also. Has anyone heard of the brand?

Thanks for the replies so far!

I haven't heard of the brand; not sure if it's the same as the Hoffmann-Gouverneur motorcycle: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoffmann-Werke_Lintorf
All the other examples I could find on the web look similarly low-end.

As others have said, the "vintage" vs. "crap" distinction depends on what you want it for.

If you're thinking about flipping it...probably not. In Germany, this would be a pretty low-end department-store-type bike with not much to recommend it at all, but in the USA this type of bike is somewhat rare. "Rare" doesn't necessarily mean "worth a lot of money," but I'd say that in the right market (guess: Chicago) it'd be worth maybe a little more than the asking price to the right person, but not much. $150 at the most.

OTOH, if you want to ride it, then it may be a good deal, depending on what you want in a bike. If you're looking for a utilitarian city bike, and it doesn't turn out to have any hidden problems, I'd say go for it.

It looks to be in good condition, and the racks, lights, pump, toolbox, and chainguard all look useful (and not common on US-market bikes). You'd have a very hard time finding a Raleigh 3-speed in that condition with those accessories for that price. New tires are a bonus; the wheels look like steel, but if they're aluminum, then that's a point in its favor. If it's in good shape and ready to go, then you'll have a decent transportation tool that should last pretty much forever. If that's what you want.

Personally, I'm kind of into the toolbox on the seatstays. You don't see 'em like that very often 'round here.

My intention with this bike is more for a commuter bike. I want something utilitarian but inexpensive. I don't want to run the risk of my "nice" bikes getting lifted while I'm running errands. The racks and lights are cool along with the toolbox too!

I thought the bike looked like a cool unique ride. :)

Are you looking to buy a bike that's 'ready to ride', or a project to fix up yourself?

I don't know about the brand, but it's a cute bike. Love the front rack :).

Analog, are you a lady? you didn't say. It is a ladies frame.
I guess guys can ride ladies frames.
I mean, not that there's anything wrong with that. :innocent:

The bike does look "ready to go" and it doesn't have a wicker basket...

This guy puts a bunch of bikes up on CL. I bought a Raleigh Sports from him for $110 for the ex G/F (at the time, the most money I'd ever spent on a bike). most of his bikes are low end, most are step-through (ladies' frames), and most are overpriced, IMO. Take for instance the $300 Peugeot he regularly posts, or the $70-80 Schwinn Varsinentals. He also rarely does much with them. The Sports I got needed to be completely gone through and regreased, the rear hub was sticky shifting, and it was wearing old (but serviceable) tires.

Just to point out that is a step through frame, not a ladies frame. FWIW I ride step through frames on occasion, and at 6'-2" 215# I don't get any guff, don't expect any either. ;) There are many advantages to a step through frame versus a diamond frame, easy boarding when the bike is loaded down is one, a bad knee or hip? A step through might be just the ticket to keep you riding.

In answer to the OP's question. Low end bike, late 1980's? If you are interested: see it, ride it and make an offer. I personally think that the price is a bit high for that particular bike. Also parts for that hub are a bit hard to source, they are available.

Aaron :)

Its not crap, but it is pretty darn close to crap. Pass.

Good bike if the seller meant to type in $10 rather than $110.

Crap if the seller wants $110 for it.

Pass.

You could do much better in a step-through frame ( or possibly a mixte frame) with a recognizable name and at least a prospect of getting parts.

It has 700 tires so it probably is not that old. It has generator hub. It appears to be in good condition, new tires, with nice rackss and fenders. I would make sure that rims are aluminum and spokes are stainless. If your looking for this style of bike then the price is reasonable.

I don't like the combination of front hand brake rear coaster, but that is me.

Offer them $20.00

Why do you want it? Personally I would pass, it will never be worth much, and it's not worth the $110 their asking for it.

Are you sure it has 700c rims? Because I cannot recall ever seeing chromed 700c rims, and those rims look like chrome in the pic. But the bike is too old to have come with 700c originally, it came with 27" rims, so if those are 700c then someone replaced them; the front brakes look like long reach brakes so it was feasible for someone to have done that and either put on a newer front brake or simply adjusted the pads to fit the rims.

I looks like the rear tire was not mounted properly. Unless you really love something particular about this bike I would pass. Its nothing special and in Lincoln I wouldn't pay more than $75 for it say if my wife wanted it or someone else I knew.

Looks like a Raleigh copy, probably 26 wheels, seeing the rims look like raleigh steel. The spelling of Guverneur makes me think its some Canadian house brand department store bike. I got a $60 Raleigh Sports for my Mother in law and it's been completely reworked and repainted. Beautiful sturdy bike ready to go another 45 years. Not sure about this bike here. It may be up to commuting task and the pluses are the racks and fenders, not the generator lights. I remember those, they are a joke. If the market near you is full of $125+ cruisers then take a chance. Try to get it much lower in price. Then you can always use parts of it for a future bike if it breaks.

Nothing special.

Look for Raleigh Sports and Schwinns if you want something along those lines. Good values at under $80 and should last. Also, you may like a Mixte frame so look for those as well. Many of them seem to be built by good companies while garbage company knock offs tend to use the single top tubes.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +1 in almost everything.^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Indeed, this is the most convincing reasoning for riding these around,
but they also kinda grow on you after a while.

I have owned and ridden for at least 15-20
years both a three speed Raleigh Sports and
a three speed with coaster brake DBS Oegland
(Norwegian?). The Oegland has a Sachs rear
hub and at least at that point, they were very
durable and satisfactory performers. Your
prospect might even have the same hub,
because they made a great many of them
over the years.

I ride the Raleigh more, because I prefer the
ability to backpedal freely at stops --helps
me get going faster and suits my riding
habits more. But I have logged plenty of
miles around town on each of them.

On some european 3 speeds of this era,
you run into steel rims that, while not alloy,
are of a reasonably high quality and are
pretty ridable. I'd not let that make my
decision for me.

I can't speak to the price. I really don't
know what stuff costs any more, and I've
already publicly humiliated myself over on
the what's it worth thread once today.:lol:

Both of mine came from thrift stores, but
it was a different world then.

Respectfully,
Mike Larmer