Vintage Road Bike Values

[soddruntlestuntle]

I have a friend who's a road bike guy, and is looking at possibly getting rid of a trio of older bikes taking up space in his garage: a Bianchi, a Masi, and a Medici. He was told by a crank who works at a bike shop that he frequents that they're only good as 'wall hangers'-- I told him there would be folks here on the CABE that knew better. My friend still isn't sure he wants to part with them, so he was a little cagey when I pressed him on the bikes ages, specs, serial numbers, etc. But I did get some pics of the three. First the Bianchi:

The Medici:

The Masi (don't ask me why I didn't turn the bike around, I'd had a couple beers by this point

All three appear to be very clean and well maintained-- my friend is very fastidious about his things-- with the Bianchi and Medici having Campy components throughout, while the Masi appears to have Shimano bits. From what I gathered, the Bianchi was repainted early in it's life, and the Medici received a Masi fork in a swap-out. He's owned all three bikes from new. I know without a YOM and serial number getting a true value is moot, but is there enough value to make it worth my while to gather more information regarding the bikes to help encourage my friend sell them? Grazie.

 

[soddruntlestuntle]

A bit more info, sorta: the Bianchi dates to the mid-sixties, the Masi to the mid-seventies, and the Medici the early-to-mid-eighties.

 

[sworley]

Maybe in your local market (CA) you'd have OK luck at $600 to $800 apiece and see what happens. Your biggest return would likely be parting them out. The repaint hurts the Bianchi, the replacement fork hurts the Medici and the Masi appears to be a mixed bag of parts (Bontrager (Trek) wheels) and possible eras.

Road bike collectors paying top dollar will want original paint, original - certainly period-correct parts and frankly, the market is swamped with road bikes right now, it's a buyer's market for them to be choosy.

Sorry if that's a bit harsh but if those were mine I wouldn't have great expectations. Maybe someone more positive about them will come along!

 

[soddruntlestuntle]

Maybe in your local market (CA) you'd have OK luck at $600 to $800 apiece and see what happens. Your biggest return would likely be parting them out. The repaint hurts the Bianchi, the replacement fork hurts the Medici and the Masi appears to be a mixed bag of parts (Bontrager (Trek) wheels) and possible eras.

Road bike collectors paying top dollar will want original paint, original - certainly period-correct parts and frankly, the market is swamped with road bikes right now, it's a buyer's market for them to be choosy.

Sorry if that's a bit harsh but if those were mine I wouldn't have great expectations. Maybe someone more positive about them will come along!

No, not harsh at all, I appreciate the honesty. And your comment about originality mirrors my own thoughts, the road bike market is no different than the balloon tire bike market in that regard.

Was just looking at Facebook Marketplace and you're right, there is a glut of road bikes on the market, yoiks.

 

[sworley]

Would be interesting to see what @juvela has to say on this, he is extremely knowledgeable about lightweights.

 

[SirMike1983]

The market for mid-grade and lower road bikes has been in decline. An aging demographic, glut of supply, and rise of e-bikes has lowered prices. There is still a market for good, original, higher-end vintage road bikes. But mid-market and down is soft and has been in decline for awhile now. There's a market for those bikes, but not a strong one right now. As with so many things, probably worth more as parts than as whole bikes.

 

[cyclingday]

Those are some good assessments so far.
My gut was telling me $1,000-$1,500 on the Bianchi, but I also agree, that the repaint hurts the value a bit.
Vintage Italian road bikes weren’t known for their quality paint jobs, so a repaint seems to be fairly prevalent with them.
If the repaint and decals are from a skilled artisan, then I don’t see it as big of a deal as some do.
That bike looks like it could be worked with, and made to be quite appealing.
So, I still see $1,000-$1,500 even with a repaint.
Kind of the same assessment on the Medici.
It’s a cool bike, but the replacement fork is more of a big deal, that the repainted Bianchi.
So, I’d say $600-$800 on that one.

Part out the Masi.
The frame and fork is where the core value is there.
You most likely would do pretty well on that one, selling it off in pieces.

 

[juvela]

-----

overview/background -

all three machines exhibit kitting which is later than their respective birthdays

it is certainly 100% appropriate that a cycle owner make changes to suit their requirements

from the perspective of a buyer with historical/collector interest the aim is find/achieve a machine in its ex-works state or as close thereto as is feasible

as has already been mentioned above the value for such a buyer is in the frame

their calculation is "how much would it cost to get the historically correct fittings and how much of that could be recovered by selling off the unrequired bits?"

---


Bianchi -

at first glance the machine may appear period plausible with it present kitting

as one looks closer information begins to come in...

this image is revealing

note presence of Campag dropbolt for brake caliper mount

original brakes were Universal model 61

the Campag Record brakes launched in 1968 and first became available to the general public in 1969

the cycle's Record model front mech lacks the housing stop which would have been correct in the "mid-sixties" stated date

the very earliest Nuovo Record rear gear mechs came out in 1968 and became generally available in 1969. so the cycle's original rear gear mech would have been the Record model.

the Campag Record chainset exhibits the 144mm BCD which is later than mid-sixties. correct would be a 151mm BCD set.

the Campag Nuovo Record Superlight pedals worn by the machine did not exist in the mid-sixties. correct would be Record model pedals.

bicycle's original stem & bar set would have been either Ambrosio Champion or the Tecno Tubo Torino Gran Prix model depending upon specific date. Cinelli model 1A stem fitted to cycle did not launch until the 1968-69 time.


---

Medici -

this marque a made up name - there is no "Sig. Medici" who was the founder

frames produced by three or four California builders on a contract basis

as recalled, marque only around for three or four year

in addition to road there was a touring model

subject frame appears near to 1983

OEM kitting would have been Campag Super Record


---

Masi Gran Criterium -

the dividing line for these as to collector value is whether they were produced in Milano or in Carlsbad

from the apparent date of frame original fitments would have been Campag Super Record

---

reticent to make value estimates due to temporal contradiction between respective frames and the road ensembles they wear


-----

 

[soddruntlestuntle]

-----

overview/background -

all three machines exhibit kitting which is later than their respective birthdays

it is certainly 100% appropriate that a cycle owner make changes to suit their requirements

from the perspective of a buyer with historical/collector interest the aim is find/achieve a machine in its ex-works state or as close thereto as is feasible

as has already been mentioned above the value for such a buyer is in the frame

their calculation is "how much would it cost to get the historically correct fittings and how much of that could be recovered by selling off the unrequired bits?"

---


Bianchi -

View attachment 2004241

at first glance the machine may appear period plausible with it present kitting

as one looks closer information begins to come in...

this image is revealing

note presence of Campag dropbolt for brake caliper mount

original brakes were Universal model 61

the Campag Record brakes launched in 1968 and first became available to the general public in 1969

the cycle's Record model front mech lacks the housing stop which would have been correct in the "mid-sixties" stated date

the very earliest Nuovo Record rear gear mechs came out in 1968 and became generally available in 1969. so the cycle's original rear gear mech would have been the Record model.

the Campag Record chainset exhibits the 144mm BCD which is later than mid-sixties. correct would be a 151mm BCD set.

the Campag Nuovo Record Superlight pedals worn by the machine did not exist in the mid-sixties. correct would be Record model pedals.

bicycle's original stem & bar set would have been either Ambrosio Champion or the Tecno Tubo Torino Gran Prix model depending upon specific date. Cinelli model 1A stem fitted to cycle did not launch until the 1968-69 time.


---

Medici -

this marque a made up name - there is no "Sig. Medici" who was the founder

frames produced by three or four California builders on a contract basis

as recalled, marque only around for three or four year

in addition to road there was a touring model

subject frame appears near to 1983

OEM kitting would have been Campag Super Record


---

Masi Gran Criterium -

the dividing line for these as to collector value is whether they were produced in Milano or in Carlsbad

from the apparent date of frame original fitments would have been Campag Super Record

---

reticent to make value estimates due to temporal contradiction between respective frames and the road ensembles they wear


-----

Thanks for the detailed response; and yes, my friend was very much into upgrading his bikes as he saw fit; I'll have to inquire if he kept any of the original bits.

 

[juvela]

-----

forgot to mention above -

in the case of the Medici & Masi Gran Criterium there is a "reverse" way of looking at things in that it is possible a buyer might wish to purchase one or the other for the respective road ensemble and plan to sell off the frame to recover a good slice of the outlay

reckon such a thing possible with the Bianchi was well; somehow seems less likely


-----