Jem
Viscount
?
Posts: 3,390 
|
Post by Jem on Aug 20, 2014 19:54:32 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by velocipete on Aug 21, 2014 6:29:31 GMT
Some very nice shiny things there! When you convert prices to pounds,they don't seem
much higher than some asked for similar in this country.I've seen Campag Delta brakes
go for over £500 alone.This makes the whole groupset look good value.For comparison
purposes,check out Hilary Stone's web site.
Cheers,
Pete.
|
|
Jem
Viscount
?
Posts: 3,390
|
Post by Jem on Aug 21, 2014 7:10:06 GMT
I've have never looked into classic Italian bikes and don't know the going rates for these kind of thing. I wouldn't know which was a good one or an average one. All I know is that some of them are very appealing.
I have a friend who I cycle with and have been persuading him that he needs a Viscount Aerospace. (he has a nice 1990's Dawes Galaxy, set up for touring, and a new Boardman mountain bike). I pointed out that he has an obvious gap in his bike line up and he needs a light weight road bike. He was going to do the obvious thing though and buy a brand new carbon jobby that you find on any road on any given day, 2 a penny is the expression, even though he was willing to spend many hundreds of £'s.
He finally gave in the other week and admitted he is not looking for a brand new one, but that he is going for an Italian vintage classic not a Viscount. I was a bit disappointed it wasn't the Viscount but happy he is going for a classic steel frame.
I am also quite interested to see what he can get for his money and how it will ride compared to a Viscount.
I guess that the rise in interest in vintage bikes with things such as Eroica etc will mean that sellers of vintage Italian bikes might be able to charge quite a bit more for them than they did a while ago, even though I guess certain ones have always been sought after?
|
|
|
|
Post by velocipete on Aug 21, 2014 7:32:33 GMT
The most sought after tend to be the high end Pinerellos,Bianchis,Olmos,Rossin.The list goes on!
They had/have some excellent small artisan builders who's bikes would be worth seeking out.
Deep pockets are required for a really good,well equipped(Campag obviously) bike.
Best of luck to your friend,keep us informed of his progress.
Cheers,
Pete.
|
|
Jem
Viscount
?
Posts: 3,390
|
Post by Jem on Aug 21, 2014 8:43:29 GMT
The most sought after tend to be the high end Pinerellos,Bianchis,Olmos,Rossin.The list goes on! They had/have some excellent small artisan builders who's bikes would be worth seeking out. Deep pockets are required for a really good,well equipped(Campag obviously) bike. Best of luck to your friend,keep us informed of his progress. Cheers, Pete. What would you be looking on these kind of Italian bikes at if you had £450 ish in your pocket Pete? |
|
|
|
Post by cusqueno on Aug 21, 2014 9:34:35 GMT
When I'm inclined to think vintage bikes (in general) are expensive, I look at what your money would get you if you buy new. See Evans cheapest road bikes. So the vintage ones may only have 2x5, rather than 3x8 or more gears, but many of the bikes on the steel vintage site come with Campy gruppos; whereas if you buy cheap and new you are likely to get bottom end Shimano / SRAM / Suntour and nameless brakes. Functional, but unlikely to last. Just a thought. And there's still that Viscount 600ex sitting on eBay for which only £250 is asked, with a full 600ex group set (ancestor of Ultegra and, if you agree with Disraeli Gears, of Deore). My 600ex is still working fine, with minimal maintenance and no new components, after c. 33 years. |
|
|
|
Post by velocipete on Aug 21, 2014 10:09:11 GMT
I purposely didn't mention Colnago,now there's a drool!There are some fake Colnago's pop up
on the bay,so it's best to do as much research as possible.If I had £450 to spend,I would
probably go for the best Olmo I could get.They're available in a variety of Columbus tubing.
It may be possible to find an artisan built frame,especially if prepared to trawl Italian ebay.
Now that would be fun!
If a bike was found there,I'd be tempted to combine a purchase with a holiday.What better way
to get to know a new to you bike than a week or so cycling in Italy?
I think I might just pop over to Italian ebay and see what's available.
Cheers,
Pete.
|
|
Jem
Viscount
?
Posts: 3,390
|
Post by Jem on Aug 21, 2014 10:50:57 GMT
I agree with you Cusqueno that when comparing what you'd get for your money vintage vs new, then vintage would always be my choice, and better value for money. Even a very basic new one would be £300 at least and have nowhere near the life span of one of our Viscounts.
Pete, funny you should say about combining the search with a holiday - I have put that to my friend who's on the hunt, and another friend who lives down in Stratford Upon Avon.
We are looking at dates next year ( or the year after) early summer.
Damn this thing called 'work' that gets in the way. I've got to find a way of making money while touring round in the van and on my bike ! That would be bliss.
I'm planning it as we speak. I could be at it a while.
|
|
|
|
Post by velocipete on Aug 21, 2014 13:04:19 GMT
Best of luck in that particular search.Being retired aint a bed of roses.People expect you to do all sorts
of things,thus getting in the way of riding!Work with out the pay!
Sounds a good use of holidays to me. For an example of the sort of bike available from our latin friends,
check ebay item;- 281412092817
Cheers,
Pete.
|
|
Jem
Viscount
?
Posts: 3,390
|
Post by Jem on Aug 21, 2014 17:22:03 GMT
Best of luck in that particular search.Being retired aint a bed of roses.People expect you to do all sorts of things,thus getting in the way of riding!Work with out the pay! Sounds a good use of holidays to me. For an example of the sort of bike available from our latin friends, check ebay item;- 281412092817 Cheers, Pete. Thanks for that Pete - yes, very nice. I also think it would be quite good fun just turning up over there, asking around, going to markets, shops etc and seeing if it was possible to find something at a good price. Not sure if I told you about my visit to a very obscure sunday market that happened every first Sunday of the month in an even more obscure part of Florence last time i was over there...? Anyway, found a great stall with classic wool jerseys from what must have been 1960's up to 80's. Beautiful works of art in their own right. Negotiated a great price for multiple jerseys before I found the more than ample girth of my belly wouldn't fit in any of them...disappointed wasn't the word! |
|
|
|
Post by velocipete on Aug 21, 2014 18:38:29 GMT
I tried the same in the last few trips to France.Saw a Mercier for about 50 euros,gaspipe tubing,steel wheels,
seller had an over inflated idea of it's value.Sounds familiar? Needless to say,he still had it when I left.
Trouble is,even villages in the boonies now have internet.Everyone checks what their junk has sold for in Paris
And adds a bit on for the gullible Brits.You'd have to be lucky to get a real bargain these days.
Cheers,
Pete.
|
|
|
|
Post by cusqueno on Aug 22, 2014 8:41:39 GMT
This might be the sort of Italian bike you are drooling over? www.cycleexif.com/olympia-carlo-borghiI don't understand how Campy models work - which is better than which (apart from Valentino and 980, which I know are Not Good), but I would say that a Viscount 600ex would compare well with this one. It's just not Italian! |
|
bendo
Viscount
Posts: 538
|
Post by bendo on Aug 24, 2014 7:26:46 GMT
The whole Italian bike thing is over-subscribed IME. I always say if you don't know anything about bikes, buy a Giant. If you don't know anything about bike and have too much money, buy a Colnago. b
|
|
bendo
Viscount
Posts: 538
|
Post by bendo on Aug 24, 2014 7:30:06 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by velocipete on Aug 24, 2014 8:02:28 GMT
Now that is a thing of understated beauty!As much as I admire all the hard work
that went into the lug filing of bikes like Fothergill or Hetchins,you can't beat
the simple look.That's one of the reasons I like Aerospace frames.
Cheers,
Pete.
|
|
