Hello, I'm new here but not new to cycling. After about 12 years off I've got the bug again. I've bought a new road and MTB but hanging in the garage is my old road bike that I used for 20 years. I was wondering if there was any value to it above the usual $100 +/- that old 70's bikes bring. It is a custom made steel frame from Tom Ritchey. This was before mountain bikes were made and he was doing custom road bikes out of his home in Palo Alto. It was all Campy Record at first but has been upgraded to Shimano 105. There still are a bunch of Campy parts left on it. It's in really good vintage shape. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

I don't know an exact number or anything, I'd check completed ebay auctions or something. A hand built frame by a well known person like that though, is certainly worth more than the usual $100.

Not worth much, send it to me and I'll find a use for it.
actually, hold on to it, research it here (responces will be forthcoming) and where ever else you can, then decide what to do with it, you really have something on your hands. Post up some clear pics of the lug joints, components, and the whole bike, that will help!

Thanks for all the fast replies. I will post some pictures tomorrow.

Steve

It's worth a fair bit north of $100 in my estimation, how much more is really determined by it's condition. Look forward to the photos, and what ever you do, hang on it it. Unless it's a 57cm, in which case feel free to send it to me.

Its outside my area of knowledge, but I do know that an actual Ritchey built MTB is worth a small pile of money. Given that he is most revered in MTB circles, the road bike might (and that is a big "might"; perhaps it worth even more because of it) be worth a bit less.

But still, far more than $100.

jim

Just to relieve some of the lust it's a 58

I'd check out the Vintage forum on MTBR, they seem to know their Ritchey stuff and will be able to help you out, even thought it's a roadie!

Don't sell it, and if you do get the campy back on there and ask a pretty penny for it, it's worth it!

I suspect that it's worth quite a bit. Is it lugged or fillet brazed?

Upgrade from Campagnolo Record to Shimano 105?

wow, I'd love that for +/- $100!!

Ritchey mountain frames in good condition can go over $500 but eBay is crazy. It really depends on the condition and finding the 'right' person.

Why do you want to sell it? It sounds like an amazing bike, 105 be damned.

That's an interesting characterization.

Don't let the inevitable fellow who'll tell you it's worth $3.95 fool you. It's worth at least twice that - and also at least twice the $100 +/- figure if it's in ok shape.

Ok, I know going to 105 was stupid. At the time I was commuting into the hills of Santa Clara Valley and wanted more/wider gearing (7 speed cluster vs 5). Along with index shifting and hidden brake cables. How was I to know that a bunch of aging yuppies (like myself) would someday bid the price up. I road to work about 200 days a year on this bike, averaging about 20 miles/day for 20 years. That's 80k miles. Some of the parts I replaced were just worn out.

I wasn't set on selling. Just curious if I had something of value.

WRT the lugging. The seat post joint and the head joints are lugged, although they are nicely hand tapered to a fine point. The bottom of the seat tube (which is oval) is fillet brazed into the bottom bracket. I'll have those pix up tomorrow.

Sounds like I may need to spend some ebay time getting this back to all campy.

At this point going to all Campagnolo really won't matter. If you factor in the time and expense, and compare an ultimate selling price, it's probably not going to be worth it. There's nothing wrong with 105, and it obviously was a pragmatic decision on your part. Just got a chuckle out of the way you described it in that first post.

Well it seemed like an upgrade at the time

It obviously worked for you. Might well work for a future owner too. Especially if they live in similar terrain.

I was an upgrade at the time as far as performance was concerned. No doubt about it. As far as quality measured by life expectancy, manufacturing tolerances and finish it was not an upgrade. But campy was off their game in the 1980s in terms of performance, they played catch-up in the early 1990s and got their groove back. In any case we're all curious to see it, sounds like an interesting BB treatment, I bet it made a much stiffer BB which would be a very unique and desireable quality for any fan of vintage steel or even steel in general. I have some vintage steel, they are fun to ride, I'm pretty partial to reynolds 531 ride characteristics... but most of my riding is on newer oversized steel tubing which I appreciate for it's added stiffness and performance while maintaining the longevity of a steel frame. I'll be interested to see what parts you need to get it back to near stock. I'm looking to unload a bunch of vintage campy I have been hanging onto in order to finance my more functional minded purchases of late (two sets of phil hubs and a BB will set you back) and I want to get a carbon fork for the above mentioned frame. In anycase if you are interested in returning it to it's former glory and displaying it in your living room or perhaps leisure or "man" room I am sure we here at C&V can produce most of the goods at reasonable rates. Of course if you just want to sell it, as others have mentioned, it will not be worth the effort to try and put it back to original.

This thread is worthless without photos!

ya I wanna see pictures

What did you do with the Campy parts? >.>

Completed ebay auction for an '86 ritchey frame & fork...$910. So yea I'd say you have something.
Link: https://cgi.ebay.com/Tom-Ritchey-Fill...d=p3286.c0.m14

NOS being the operative word for that one!

80,000 miles and I'd guess half that amount.

OK.....There is to be NO WHINING from the group when this bike shows up on ebay. The OP clearly stated he was looking for a value and folks here helped provide that link. I just can't take another "This guy used us to sell his bike thread"!!!

+1. Don't whine if you provide the coals for the BBQ.

-Kurt

That's fine by me! I just want the leftover Campy parts for my early '80's Ritchey road frame!

OP: "I wasn't set on selling"