Value of Old Bicycles

An old vintage bike is worth whatever a collector will pay for it.

The value of an old bike depends on the components it was built with, the condition it is in, and the overall quality of the bike, as well as the degree of value it has to rare-bike collectors.

Condition

The paint on a vintage bicycle should not be scratched or rusted beyond minimal wear-and-tear, and none of the tubes should be nicked or dented. If the bicycle has been in a serious accident, or if anything is out of alignment, the value will be seriously diminished.

Components

Older bicycles with full groups of components are more valuable than those with mixed groups. The component group includes the shifters, brakes, derailleurs, crankset and wheels. Valuable components include a full Campagnolo or an early Suntour group, Mavic, Campagnolo, or Weinmann wheels, or good-quality Brooks saddles.

Pricing

There are some vintage bicycle collector websites, but as of 2010, the best place to get a sense of the pricing on a specific bicycle model is eBay. A high volume of vintage bikes go through eBay, and it's possible to get a good sense of the value of a bike from the past sales of comparable quality bikes.

References

• Sheldon Brown: Vintage Lightweight Pricing Guide
• Dave's Vintage Bicycles