Value of a KHS Tandemania?
 

I found a pretty beat up KHS Tandemania CroMo for sale in someones front yard today. The frame looks beautiful, but the components (chains,cassette,bars) are VERY rusty. Seats are shot, tires, rims and brakes look ok. It has a sign that says $95 needs love.

Is this bike something worth saving? I did see the thread towards the bottom of the forum about them, and it seems like it's a good entry level tandem bike. There is no way I will pay $95 for it in the conditon it's in though. It's been outside for a week, I think I'll wait another week and see if they will take far far less for it.

Is it the Milano (drop handlebar model)? If so, new they go for around $900 (EBay) to $1,200 (bike shop). If you can salvage anything off of it and it's a Milano, than $95 is quite cheap. Rust on the chain and cassette do not really mean anything - a little lube and they will work. Seats were crap to begin with, so no loss there. If wheels are strait and it shifts gears than you are good to go with a couple of saddles.

Depending on the level of neglect it's amazing what a good cleaning/tuneup plus a new set of tires, new brake pads and new cables will do to make a bike 'ride like new'.

Bars are cheap and easy to obtain used, really easy to swap. Cassettes and chains (and to a slightly lesser extent chainrings) are 'consumable' items, and are easy to swap. Seats you'll often end up swapping anyway, take-offs at bike shops are quite cheap if you don't mind getting a slightly heavier saddle.

Assuming the bottom brackets are ok and there's no major damage to the frame, together they're worth over $95. The rest of the bike (with the exclusion of wheels) can be put together using parts off of single bikes. You get to pick what level of parts you want/how much you want to spend.

Heck, what size is it? I might be interested in the bike..

Thanks guys.

It's the sport model, and the price is down $10 to $85 today. I'm going to wait 6 more days:p I need another bike like I need a hole in my head...

Don't let it get away, I'll take it on as a project bike. PM me if that is an option.

Is this the bike?

http://www.khsbicycles.com/Images/Bi...05/tandems.jpg

link: http://www.khsbicycles.com/11_sport_06.htm

Hi-tensile frame would make it a bit on the heavy side but good for noodling around town or at the beach.

Yeah, thats it! The biggest difference I see is that the pictured one has V-brakes but the one I snagged has cantis.

I talked the seller down to $70 and it's going to a good home...not mine however, but to a friend and his wife who will fix it up and enjoy it :)

Thanks everyone,
Kevin