SadAir

Help! A Bianchi road bike has just come up for sale for $50 CAN. While it's clearly not a high end model, I was hoping someone had an idea what model it might be and tell me a bit about it, and whether it's likely to be a better buy than a more expensive used one (also looking at a ccm with a reynolds 501 frame for $125). I've attached pics of both. Thanks a lot guys - I'll be sitting by the computer so if one of these is a solid buy I can race out and grab one.

tmh657

I would be in the car going to look at the Bianchi with the cash in hand. Unless it is getting ready to break in half buy it. Check for stuck seat post and stem of course. If you can ride it and the parts work it's a no brainer.

Level that saddle!!!

mongol777

My buddy just got same bianchi for $100. By the time he got there seller already had ~22 other emails wanting to get it. And it was in Guelph
This https://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...AdIdZ522368744 for $50 in Toronto will fly regardless of condition. If you are handy - get it, fix it, ride it. If you don't like it - flip it.
It is Japanese Bianchi, solid ride.
In fact I am tempted to cancel my evening ride and just go get it

mongol777

And CCM is nothing to write home about - guy is a regular poster/flipper on kijiji, most of the time OK bikes for OK price (for Toronto)

mongol777

Couple of same Bianchi's (I think it is Strada) has been for sale for a while now at ~350-375, I think they'd go much quicker at 200-250 mark

mongol777

I second that - check for stucked parts and if everything moves - get it. If you are not handy with bikes - take someone with you who knows how to check the frame for dents, bents, stucked and broken parts

SadAir

Yeah, I didn't see the damn phone number. That one hurts.

Bianchigirll 

The Bianchi looks to have a steel front wheel but no matter $50 isn't a bad deal for a tretubi ChroMoly Bianchi with Suntour/Diacompe on it.

mongol777

So you missed it? Don't beat yourself too much - I see nice bikes popping up here and then very often for $50-100 range. Just yesterday there was nice Peugeot for $20. Looked rough but just needed scrubbing and clean up.
I would recommend to narrow down brands/models you like, tubing, geometry, etc; study this forum and get an idea on what is bike worth. This forum helped me so many times to get the right bikes for myself, my friends and occasional flip (to fund byuing more bikes )

SadAir

Thanks a lot for the advice, much appreciated as a newbie!


The Bianchi would have been great because I'm in no position financially to pick up anything of that quality at regular prices...just from the research I've been doing I would've been at that guys doorstep if I'd seen the phone number - I'd emailed him and hit up bikeforum while waiting on a reply. Ah well, you live you learn.


That's a pretty good template of what I'm looking for - something under $100 hopefully at least part alloy to keep the weight down - and up until now I've just been trying to discern which brands you can more or less be guaranteed you'll at least be at a good starting point. Only having online sources to research, opinions vary wildly on brands and models so it's hard to tell. I've done some reading on geometry but it's a bit beyond me at this point without more real world experience to really understand the practical results of the differences.


I know at my price point it's unlikely but I figure if I had an idea of the brands and models that sometimes go for $100 and under I'd know what to keep an eagle eye out for. This summer I had a go on an acquaintance's road bike and I've caught the bug...I can tell it's something I'll really enjoy along with the associated tinkering. Any suggestions that might point me in the right direction would be amazing. Sorry for the mini-essay, thanks again!

mongol777

I am very new at C&V myself and it is very addictive. This forum and of course https://www.sheldonbrown.com/ should be your starting page :-)
Here is one for you https://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...AdIdZ522457305
I don't know much about Bottecchia and this looks like a good entry level bike. If you like it/size OK - do your research, post new thread if need to and go for it.
Also - a lot depends on how handy you are and if you invested in the right tools (tools are everything, I paid more for some tools then for complete bike). If you are handy and got the tools or can ata least borrow them - you can score nixe fixer upper and get yourself a good ride. Good luck

mongol777

Garage sales and word of mouth are both great ways to fidn desired bike or as wrk101 mentioned - to increase bicycle fund. However I would not discount cl and kijiji at this point - riding season for a lot of people are almost over and deals popping up everyday and good deals too.

T-Mar

That CCM is a lot better than you think. I would have gone after it, had it been local.

mongol777

Really? I had several CCM which went through my hands and was never impressed by them. One which I liked a bit was I assume very popular CCM Targa - heavy and I think entry level but very nice feel to it. What is so special about this model?

mongol777

And would you get above Bottecchia for $80 or CCM for $125 (let's say similar or very close condition)?

T-Mar

For the price difference I'd have taken the CCM over the Bottecchia which is a frankenbike version of the boom era, bottom of the line De Luxe model. No contest!

I can't imagine what CCM you've had pass though your hands if a Targa is the one you liked the most! That was their boom era, bottom feeder. They were bought by parents who wanted to buy their teenager the cheapeset 10 speed available, without going to a department store brand. Any teenager with their own money or influence over their parents got a Sekine SHC, Peugeot U08 or Raleigh Grand Prix. The equivalent CCMs were very poor sellers, as the kids didn't want CCMs, but they were a lot better than the Targa.

Now, let me ask you a question. What would you consider to be FMV in the GTA for a circa 1984 Peugeot PGN10 in similar or very close condition to the Bianchi, Bottecchia and CCM?

SadAir

Was this CCM a Concorde, and is that one I should keep an eye out for?

mongol777

I know - I was surprised myself but I really liked the targa! I am no expert on French bikes at all but from my limited knowledge PGN10 was midrange, Reynolds 501? No real idea on the FVM right now but if I was selling one fully refurbished - I'd post it close to 300 in spring and accept 250, may be around 250 right now and accept 200. I find that famous brands sell quicker and a lot depends on presentation and pictures. If we are talking about Toronto crazy FVM - add 100-150 to my estimate.

btw, i posted separate thread about Bottecchia - something in this bike is calling for me :-) Will likely go see it tonight. I enjoy frankenbikes to be honest - I had so much fun with my recent Bertin (all stripped right now, waiting for parts to arrive). And I like bikes no one else has so Bottecchia might be right up my alley (for flip in spring or just keep as a spare for my friends if I like it).

T-Mar

No, it was not a Concorde. It was much better. It was a circa 1984 CCM Tour du Monde. This bicycle was roughly equivalent to the Peugeot PGN10. It's from the period after CCM went bankrupt and Procycle bought the brand. Procycle was building Peugeot under license at the time and the TdW is basically a PGN10 frame with the full Reynolds 501 butted CrMo tubeset. Most of the components are the same or equal to the PGN10. The one down side is that the rims are 27" versus 700C on the PGN10 but this is somewhat offset by the better performing SunTour BL derailleurs. Some of the OEM components on the bicycle had been replaced but given the market, somebody got a deal at $125.

84Bianchi

CCM can be very hit or miss. 60s CCMs are beautiful bikes. I would have thought by the mid-80s they would be department store junkers. I guess I don't know my CCM history well enough, but know well enough that they are sold next to the Supercycle's at Canadian Tire these days.

mongol777

Thanks to T-Mar again I'd be paying much more close attention to CCMs now. If he was surprised I liked Targa - who knows how higher end CCM would feel :-D
Btw, is it true statement that CCM Concorde was made out Reynolds 531? Full or just main triangle?

T-Mar

All Concordes had a silver brazed, plain gauge, Reynolds 531 main triangle mated to hi-tensile stays and forks.

In the 1960s there was very little competition for CCM. They had built a good reputation and were profitably coasting on it, courtesy of the post war baby boom Their coaster brake and 3 speeds were competent but nothing special. However, everybody thought they were great because of past reputation and there was not much to compare them to.

When they re-introduced the lighweights to their line-up in the very late 1960s they'd lost what they'd done with the Flyer and concentrated on the entry level. Again, it was competent stuff but nothing special. They ended up revising the line a couple times during the boom but nothing flew out the doors, except for the bottom of the line Turismos and Targas, for the reasons stated previously. THe CCM weren't great. nor were they bad. Their market failure was more the result of social circumstance than design and workmanship.

Basically, CCM's iconic image backfired on them. It was a time of teen unrest. They thought the adults had made a mess of everything, so there was a lot of resistance to establsihed domestic corporations like CCM. Instead they turned to the new (to them) European brands and then the Japanese.There were no parental ties to these names. They were free and clear of parental contamination.

CCM struggled on into the early 1980s with governmental assistance, then went bankrupt. Procycle bought the brand and assets but not the factory. Trouble was that Procycle already had Peugeot and Velosport. The CCM line was relegated to entry level and lower mid-range models. Then Procycle started adding other brands and CCM got pushed into the chain stores like Walmart and Canadian Tire. A couple of years ago, Procycle sold the brand to one of the companies in the Reebok corporation whom they had originally sold the hockey side of the business too. This company struck a deal giving Canadian Tire exclusive use of the CCM name and all the manufacturing was tendered out to CTC's bicycle suppliers, mainly in China.

mongol777

OK, I really fear only two things in this life - sheldownbrown.com or T-Mar disappearing. Thank you!

T-Mar

Then be afraid, very afraid. Only 26 posts left until T10K.

mongol777

Calling for someone from the future - we need to digitize a human being, ASAP!!!