WHAT IT'S WORTH CONCLUSIONS

Not one old bicycle, pictured on this page, sold for less than $700.00.  And some sold for well over a thousand.

Generally, it is very difficult to predetermine the value of a vintage road bicycle.  Many things impact final value, including the price of the bicycle, shipping costs, handling costs and, from time to time, importation costs.

Who made the bicycle, and when, are key price determining factors but not necessarily indicators of higher quality.  The big names are not, necessarily, the best in the field.  With this in mind...

It is better to evaluate a bicycle's quality level, state of repair and location, before assigning value.  A pristine, top of the line, new old stock (NOS) Bianchi, will fetch a pretty good dollar, when compared to one that is in a poor state of repair.  This is an almost self evident truth.

Identical bicycles will fetch different prices, depending on location.  Generally, bigger cities will reveal higher values simply because the demand will out weigh the supply.  Additionally, the domestic buyer does not have to worry about shipping costs, money vehicle costs and on-line selling fees.

Big frame vintage road bicycles, be they complete bikes, or stand alone frame sets, are less valuable, than average size frames.  And, really small vintage road bicycles, those with frames smaller than 50cm are worth the most, as a rule.

A nicely cleaned, tuned, and presented bicycle will always appear to be worth more, than an unprepared one.  As a seller, know that this will increase value.  As a buyer, know that it will not.  Think about that because it is important!

No used bicycle, even one that has seen no use, will ever be mint.  Bikes can be in time bubble like states of preservation, but never mint.  Know what deficiencies to look for, and then point some of them out, at the negotiation table.  Doing so will help to lower the selling price for a buyer.

Sellers usually include a handling fee with each sale.  The fee can be built in or reported, but be prepared to know that these fees do exist.  And, for the most part, the handling fees are absolutely fair.  The seller must deal with his or her costs to sell, ship and, quite frankly, fix things when/if, they go wrong.  This all costs money.

Understand, as a seller and buyer, that moving a bicycle, across an international boundary, can involve costs, more so if the item exceeds $200.00 in value.  The seller needs to identify who will pay theses costs, should they crop up.

Buying and selling vintage road bicycles is a murky affair, with few cast in stone rules, to help guide, either seller or buyer.  The exercise is fraught with dangers, from on-line scamming to in-person rip offs.  However, you, as either a seller or buyer, can with some personal study, prepare yourself to avoid many of the value associated problems that can, and probably will, crop up.

And, in closing, a prediction.

Today is the best time to buy a vintage road bicycle.  Tomorrow they will cost more to buy and to ship.  It is just about as simple as that.