Vintage Bike Girls... Heeeellllppppp...

[Running Mommy]

I had a guy wheel in an old bike today asking about it's value.
It was a Specialized Sirrus, had suntour drivetrain w/downtube shifters. The crank, quill stem, and bars all said Sakae on them. And the wheelset was a Wolber GTX w/wheelsmith spokes.
Any idea on the value of this bad boy?
And is there a website out there or forum or something for vintage bike folks?

Oy, I need to brush up on my bike history...

[7rider]

Any bike, vintage or not, is only worth what someone will pay for it.
Your valuable may be someone else's trash.
Was he looking to trade it in?
With apologies to the owners of the many fine Speciaized bikes out there, I can't imagine that an old Specialized really holds the value of a more "boutique" brand...a true vintage Schwinn, a Waterford, a Guerciotti (sorry if I butchered the spelling on that one), etc.
That said...my first place to search is Craigslist and E-bay...what are folks asking and getting for these things?

[snapdragen]

There is a Retro-Classic forum on Road Bike Review, they might be able to help.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

[DebW]

Also try www.bikeforums.net, the Classic&Vintage forum.

Sakae was a low-to-middling grade Japanese brand. Nothing special in my opinion.

[bike4ever]

Running Mommy - check out Bike-alog. This is a database program that we often use in the bike business to assist in pricing older bikes. This program runs on PC's - it isn't Mac compatible. Our store is a Mac store. We have one PC in the bike shop to run this program.

http://www.bikealog.com/

[Tuckervill]

I think it mostly depends on the components, if the bike is steel or aluminum, when it was made, etc. If it is a '70s era bike, it might be worth $50 to the right buyer--if it's steel. I can't imagine with those components it was much more than that when it was new. But I second the bikeforums.net link.

If you get one in that has Campy parts, then that's a different story altogether.

Karen

[Running Mommy]

Thanks all.
I didn't want it, but I told the guy I would try to help him figure out a price range. I think the guy has pie in the sky expectations. And yeah- it's a specialized, not boutique by any stretch.
I'll give him a call and give him the links you sent me.
Oh- and thanks for the bike a log link. I have their disc, and didn't even think about that.
Ciao!
Denise