This seems crazy to me.
 

Please let me know what you think.

http://eugene.craigslist.org/bik/933015455.html

I could see maybe $300, but $990? Maybe I'm out of touch.

That bar tape looks nasty. And is it just me, or does the front wheel QR look like it's not fully closed?

You may want to try posting this in the Numbskull Of The Day thread in Classic & Vintage.

The decimal is missing.

I'm in no way knowledgeable, but 30 year old stock components? I do know that the touring crowd likes their equipment to be dependable, but sheez...

Also, I find it odd that the stated reason for selling was for upcoming expenses, but then turns around says will trade for a laptop and/or musical instrument.

Also, how long as Q-R wheels been around? Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, that looks like a q-r on the front wheel.

Quick release wheels have been around for 70 years or so. Tulio Campagnolo invented them after losing a stage because of frozen wing nuts (so goes the legend). My first bike with QR's was a 1969 Schwinn Continental. I bought it new in 1969. It was yellow.

I did post this in the Numbskull thread. Page 270.

Classic Avocet saddle. Funky bar tape, for sure.

That is a good old bike. But, I highly doubt it is worth anything like that kind of money. Definitely ask the C&V people what they think of it.

As an aside, those are VERY strange brakes. Look like centerpulls, but they seem to ride on canti-like bosses.

jim

Nice enough bike for somebody who wants it, and it may have some value for its rarity or to a Centurion fan (there actually is a guy around here who collects what he says are "historic" bikes from that period). No way I'd pay more than $150 or so for it, though. Seventies road bikes are a drug on the market in every thrift store in town.

very true... in fact, they are centerpull caliper brakes, only the bosses are part of the frame and not the brakes. the bosses are actually too high on the fork to be used with any kind of cantilever brakes though (canti brake bosses have to be below the level of the rim). they would only work with those caliper brakes and the ol' u-brake.

Collectors value perhaps only, $990 is insane.

But I'd love the get the frame/fork and re-build it. I'd pay $150 for that. and chuck the rest. That's me.

same with modernjess, it's got some great rebuild potential, but i wouldn't spend $990 on it. Maybe $150.

It's not worth $100 IMO.
$50 tops.
For an upright road bike it's okay, amusing the frame isn't cracked and none of the major parts damaged or badly worn, and there's no warranty there of course. So the real question with a used bike is "how much can you afford to lose".

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I don't know why people do this, perhaps they are hoping for the one person who has been looking for such a thing for months/years, that the price will be paid.

I have seen the same phenomenon for other non-bicycle stuff as well. Every now and then there's a thread on cloudynights.com (amateur astronomy/telescopes) making fun of such ads.

People think that the value of a junk department-store telescope rises dramatically just because they let it sit unused for a couple years, and they "have the original box and all accessories". The telescope they paid $300 for, and then try to sell it on Craigslist for 2-3-4X as much, when the nearly identical current version of the same telescope sells for $130 at Wal-mart.com.
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$150 maybe, since the frame is my size.
$990? fogetaboudit

A fool and his money are soon parted - Thomas Tusser

A fool and his money are soon elected - Will Rogers

Last year I rebuilt a very nice Miyata Pro-Miyata of about that vintage. Tange tubes, Suntour Superbe components, a very nice vintage ride. Sold for 150 bucks.

Head and shoulders better than this thorougly-ordinary tourer.