Please advise: Part out a Diamondback Topanga?

[plantluvver]

I wrote to a couple of bike shops to learn more about a bike I own and received no response.

Now I am thinking that I want to use the handlebars on my 1980's Schwinn, so I thought I would ask opinions here. I am wondering if I should sell the bike, or just use the parts I can from it. (The frame is too big for me, so adding it to my stable isn't an option ). I tried to look for my bike on the Diamondback site, but all the bikes have a front suspension and my fork is plain.

How do I determine the value of the bike (or its parts)? Am I better off just taking the parts I can use from it, and sell the frame, or trying to sell it whole? Is it worth investing time to fix up and sell? (I can't ride it myself)

My original e-mail is below.

Thanks,
Mary
=============================================
I bought this bike at a rummage sale last year. I
only bought it for its rear rack, but now I am
thinking it is a better quality bile than I thought by
the condition of it.

It is a Topanga (?) (Difficult to read, due to wear).
Serial number F8(backwards C)95512.

I am trying to determine if it is worth putting work
into. However, I can't use the bike myself, since the
frame is slightly large for me. (Too bad!) Can you
give me an idea of the original price of the bike, or
another way to measure its quality.

[ridebikeme]

I have worked on a number of Diamondbacks... nice bikes! I can't remember if there was more than one model of Topanga or not, but generally they were around the $350 range. If the frame is too big for you, then there doesn't seem to be an urgency to put new parts on it... unless you are going to give it to someone else. If you are going to sell it, then I would say that it's always easier to sell a complete bike as opposed to a frame.

Have fun!

[Popoki_Nui]

What brand and model of parts are on the Diamondback now? What year/age is the bike?

[plantluvver]

Thanks!

To Ridebikeme,

What I meant was that I want to take parts off the Diamondback to put on a old Schwinn (if possible) Specifically, I want to swap out the old 'ten speed' bars for the straight bar. I want to do this because yesterday I was riding in the rain, and I could not apply the brake fully from the position I ride from usually the hood. I have a stiff back, and already have difficulty in turning to look for traffic, not being ablle to brake is another disadvantage. (though I am so out of shape,that I don't really need much of a brake anyway). It was also a slight downhill, and I weigh 250, which I am sure adds a lot of momentum.

To Popoki_Nui,
I have no idea of the year/age of the bike. It didn't match any on the diamondback site, because it has a plain front fork, and all of theirs have a suspension. The parts that I could read a manufacturer and model are:

Suntour shifters
Suntour340XCM front Derailler
Exange 300LX Rear Derailler
Mavic 400 Front wheel
No name chromed rear wheel
Surefoot III pedals

Frame says 4130 CroMo main tubing.

I also have another bike with straight bars, it is a Mountain Eagle, Magma. I found it lying on the sidewalk one day. Noone picked it up from the police station, and so I got it. I was excited at having a mointain bike, but then realized that the gear ratios were not really lower than my Schwinn, so I decided that it was probably just a department store bike. (However it does fit me, from what I remember.)

Mary Megrant

[Popoki_Nui]

Your Diamondback sounds like a real oldie. It probably has a 1" quill-type stem system, so you could quite likely use the bars and stem from it on your Schwinn. To be certain, you should measure the diameters of both stems with a caliper. If they are the same, it's pretty straightforward to swap bars and stems.

[plantluvver]

Thanks, I am a member of a bike coop, and they have mechanics to help me, so I am not to worried about the actual mechanical stuff right now.

So is the bike a low enough value that I am just as well off using the parts I can from it? (I can always try to give away the frame on freecycle). I really don't know how to tell the quality of components, especially since I know nothing about newer (to me) bikes.

Mary M.