[tracke30m3]

I used to bike alot back in the early and mid 90's and now more than 15 years later I bought an entry level hardtail mountain bike for light offroad riding whenever I go camping and also for commuting around the city.

The more I ride the more I'm getting addicted and I'm also starting to miss riding road bikes.

I have two circa late 80's road bikes and I'm debating whether I should restore and put them back into service or if I should just sell them and buy a more modern road bike. I'm not looking to compete or anything, just recreational riding and commuting.

I was hoping someone here could tell me how much my bikes are worth. Knowing how much I could get for them should help me decide if I should keep or sell them.

The first one is a Vitus 979 in gold, with matching gold or gold accented parts. Gruppo is basically full Campy Super Record. Everything is still original save for the brake levers which I replaced years ago to ones where the cables are hidden. The old Campy brake levers still had the exposed cables. I've also installed various titanium bolts on the bike.

The second one is a Colnago, I can't remember what model it is and was hoping someone here could tell me. It has Campy Super Record drive train/ seat post/hubs, modolo brakes, Ambrosio rims, 3T stem. Pretty neat is that all of the major components has the Colnago name and logo engraved on them.

Thanks.

 

[Richard]

They're both keepers!

 

[Kuma601]

Both those are nice rides...I'd bring them back into riding condition.

The eBay prcies I've seen for Vitus frames is ~$200 and some to about $250. Complete bikes with Shimano 600 ~$400. It varies though.

This is my 979 that I built up around '89, I still ride it and it now has a flat bar for local commuter runs.

 

[Bill Silverman]

Yeah, keep 'em both. No need to eek out a few hundred bucks and then regret the sale a year later. There are retro geeks out there that salivate like Pavlov's dog when they see a vintage Colnago with Super Record.

At last count, I have 9 bikes, including a recent Cannondale Six13. However, I find I'm riding my retros a lot more frequently, especially my '85 Dave Moulton Fuso with Super Record.

Finally IMHO, the perfomance of those older bikes is surprisingly close to the modern ones. Keep them and ride them both.

 

[spastook]

Those early Vitus frames had the stiffness of a noodle but I like your Colnago. Just lose those bars and get a nice set of Cinelli #66. I have a Litespeed with Campy Chorus but find myself riding my 25 year old Falcon with Suntour Superbe down tube friction shifters.

 

[moschika]

that colnago is a jewel of a bike, minus the bars. i'll give you $100 for it :wink5: seriously, i would not sell these to buy something more "modern" you won't be gaining anything. you will actually be losing, because you'll soon regret it. they are both gorgeous bikes but if you still want to get rid of one, my offer still stands

 

[DannyBoy]

Keep 'em.

You won't gain much by going modern and once you're really back into road riding again you'll regret ever getting shot of these.

 

[Doctor Who]

Both of those bikes are worth a ton, and will ride just as well for most kinds of riding as more modern machines. If you were into racing, it'd be a bit different story, but if all you're doing is riding for the sake of sheer pleasure and fitness, then I'd keep those two bikes which have a certain cachet that most new machines don't.

Oh, keep the Mavic bullhorn handlebars on the Colnago – those are pretty rare, if I remember right.

 

[tracke30m3]

Thanks for the replies, keep 'em coming.

 

[orbeamike]

Your location matters.....

The only possible downside to the older bikes is the gears are fairly tall for an average person. If you live in a relatively flat area then this is not an issue, but if you live in a hilly area you may find yourself wanting to get lower gearing. Another option is to sell one of the two and get a modern bike with more flexible gearing.
Colnagos are more collectible, especially with pento parts. My recommendation is to switch the bar on the colnago back to conventional drops, then sell the Vitus and the Mavic bull horn parting it out. Use the money and buy a modern bike.

 

[Peanya]

I'm a fan of retro - seeing the pictures of how the bikes look is what it does for me. I'd want more modern wheels and shifting on one however. Too bad it's not in the budget for me to get anything now...

 

[tracke30m3]

The only possible downside to the older bikes is the gears are fairly tall for an average person. If you live in a relatively flat area then this is not an issue, but if you live in a hilly area you may find yourself wanting to get lower gearing. Another option is to sell one of the two and get a modern bike with more flexible gearing.
Colnagos are more collectible, especially with pento parts. My recommendation is to switch the bar on the colnago back to conventional drops, then sell the Vitus and the Mavic bull horn parting it out. Use the money and buy a modern bike.

It's pretty much flat where I live, I've never really had problems with the gears when I was still riding the bikes years ago. I think I should be OK with the tallish gearing.

As for selling the Vitus and keeping the Colnago, I've actually thought about that. I might just go ahead and do that.

Thanks.

 

[bourget117]

I definetly would not get rid of the Colnago! You will regret it. The vitus maybe. You could get rid of it and put the money towards something else, unless you really like it and it has meaning to you then I would keep it.
I was in a similar situation like yourself. I used to ride/race road bikes in the late 80s early 90s. Then gave it up for riding mountain bikes for the last 15 years. But the last road bike I bought was a 1986 LOOK Bernard Hinault. A classic bike. I would never get rid of it. So this year I wanted to get back into road bikes again, but I didnt want to use the Hinault. I kind of wanted to retire it and keep it in good shape. So I was lucky enough to find on ebay a LOOK kg481sl for a really good price that I can use everyday and still keep my other classic road bike.

 

[tracke30m3]

I've decided to keep the Colnago but sell the Vitus and use the money to get a mountain bike.

The Colnago has been taken apart and I'm having the various parts polished. I guess it's also about time to regrease and reoil the various parts.

I've been offered $650 for the Vitus, do you guys think this is a fair price for it?

Thanks.

 

[orbeamike]

Not knowing the market value for the Vitus frame I think 600 is reasonable for the SR parts plus the frame. I would take it.

 

[BLUE BOY]

I've decided to keep the Colnago but sell the Vitus

Excellent choice ! Those old Colnago's are, IMO, the definition of a true classic road bike.