rootboy 

Take a look at the Classic Rendezvous web site. And pour over all the albums of any country and marque you want. Just about every bike shown there is "sought after". Some more than others.

Bandera

Race bikes of my era of competition were geared for the dedicated folk willing to put in the seat time to be strong, fit and determined "back when". That meant gearing of a bottom 42/24 low in demanding conditions.

If our OP wishes to get a "High-End-Vintage" machine of that era that will be the deal, if not a bit stiffer gearing.
That is the "Truth" of operating a C&V race bike regardless of one's body fat index or relative speed. One can hack the gearing or not,
that's how it was and one gets along with it today, rides someting else or stays on the flats. Not easy especially by modern (sissy) standards but the Historical Truth of the hardware.

The machines remain the same, as do their operating requirements, while we riders of their era do not.
It is relevant to point out from the perspective of original users just what those requirements were to modern "collectors" and such.

PS: Enjoy enjoy yourself riding your old bikes, I do mine.


-Bandera

DMC707

This ---
I havent read the whole thread , but i will toss out some mountain bike ideas --
Any pre - 'schwinn buyout Yeti is a sought after bike , --- but rare would be a Yeti Ultimate from the late 80's

Bridgestone mountain bikes prior to 1993 , especially the MB-0 and MB-1 ,

Any of the bikes from the MTB pioneers , Charlie Kelly, Tom Ritchey, Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher (pre Trek buyout) ---- rare would be an original Breezer

Other bikes have kind of a cult type following, like the 80's Cannondales with the 24" back wheel, and early Stumpjumpers , - early BMX fans might lust after a very early Mongoose mountain bike

The sky is the limit ------ there are more (Fat Chance, Klein, Mantis - MAntis being one of my "holy grail" bikes , an original Bontrager or Salsa )

_______________________________________________________

oddjob2

Any bike @Vonruden has in his stable or any of @sloar's bike of the week.

sloar 

Always on me!

ezln64

dense thread this one!

generally you get what you pay for. and these forums (definitely venture into the fixed gear forums, touring, road, etc.) tell you all you need to know about what you'll like and what's worth what. read through every page of some of the important threads and you'll see trends, mistakes, and gems.

the high end stuff will be obviously high end after you've done your homework!

iab

Race bikes from your era could be purchased with the choice of any cog you wanted, 24, 28 or 32 and was not restricted in any way. God bless capitalism.

Your "Truth" is in fact, not.

Fahrenheit531 

Well said.

repechage

A Peugeot, like the PX-10, Raleigh, Professional or international, or Schwinn Paramount were common bike lust bikes for those who now have grey hair but when they were young admired them at the local shop but could not afford. Maybe they had a Peugeot UO8 or Raleigh Super course, the original long gone but fond memories remain. Lots of different motivators.

For me it was when I started riding with a club. I had saved for a pretty nice bike but much of what I became immediately exposed to, Masi, Colnago, Pogliaghi, Cinelli, Rene Herse, leJeune, Ron Cooper and a few other even more esoteric brands colored my view from pretty early on. Duly noted was that they were almost all full Campagnolo.

Velognome 

Now, see how subjective this is......in certain circles: smashed, stamped and heavy is just cool

CliffordK

Perhaps.
Every once in a while I look at the old balloon tire bikes on Craigslist. But I am not quite sure what I would want one for.

For me, a bike is for transportation, with a bit of a bonus if it has a little extra style. But it has to be something that I would want to get out and crank out some miles on.

look171

I am lucky to have raced on some of these bikes from the mid 80s well into the 90s. Too bad, I had to grow up and get a job so I stopped. Plus, I was just finishing with the pack. I have folded a couple of classic bikes during that time still, I think the most beautiful ones are the ones from the early to mid 90s. I lusted after a Motta and a 3 Rensho, but want my Gios Torino back (Folded that one). Back then, racing frames and component were sold separately, always. There is no period correct if you ask me. Campagnolo Super Record, and nothing else (I raced on Suntour and liked it). After the early 90s. its Dura Ace still, never purchased a compete bike.

I have a Colnago and a Casati hanging in the garage. I kept saying I would finish them and hang it on the wall in my office but we all know how that goes. My Casati is complete like the day I won my first race on it as a jr with the exception of the wheels. I just gotta hang it. Its not for riding much anymore.


My suggestion is to buy the one that's the prettiest to you. They are pretty much the same in terms of riding (Italian anyway). If resale is important, them buy the big name frames like Colnago, Masi and such.

mobilemail

You might try going to an organized bike ride that gets a bunch of people, just look around and see what bikes catch your eye. Ask yourself why that particular bike looks interesting, maybe even ask the owner why he likes it. Now that you know what you're interested in, research that category. This part might take years of you do it right.

Salubrious

I like old bikes. Can't say why- character?? Its all about obsession- hate to put it that way but so it goes. 20 years ago I was really into balloon tire bikes and still have a Schwinn Black Phantom that I would love to sell. I doubt very much I will get even half of what I have into it.

And that is a great example: the cost of the bike is the cost of the ticket to adventure. If you are concerned about how much you are going to sell if for then this *may* not be the right sport for you. In some cases you can do well flipping bikes, but it seems that there must be an easier way to enjoy a hobby.

Right now I am having a lot of fun with British 3-speeds. Seven or eight years ago I was fascinated with hand-built vintage French bikes (which I never seem able to afford). After goofing of with a variety of bikes I decided to pony up for a frame custom-built to be what I wanted- for the kind of riding that I seem to do the most. I like the idea of owning a bike for a long time so this still seems like it was a good idea. But that is not to say it quenched my curiosity about what is around the next bend. I used to really be into older Campagnolo- after owning a few higher-end machines so equipped, I find the 3-speeds to be more interesting...

Bottom line: if this is a hobby for you and if can follow your dreams don't worry about what is the most sought-after. That may not be the bike you really want. IMO what is important is what is the bike that makes you want to go out and ride. Racers don't do that for me- they tend to handle too quickly and often have a harsh ride- a torture rack after an hour or two. I have a Schwinn Paramount from the early 70s (which is a 'sought after' machine without question); it is set up with touring geometry and is much easier to ride. So my advice- try a few bikes and see what it is that keeps you coming back. There is a lot of variety out there so just enjoy the ride and seek advice so you don't waste too much along the way... in that regard, be resigned that it will probably happen sooner or later

jjames1452 

I try to look at the high end steel bikes of the various manufacturers.
Then I look for the variety of eras. Each era has its own charm. Friction vs. Index shifting, etc.
Then I look for the differect styles of bikes-touring, sport, etc. I am trying to put together 20 that will span all-mfg's, styles and eras.
There is another level of knowledge, understanding the hierarchy of the components from each period.
Finally, I try to buy the bikes right. If they fit right, and are a blast to ride, then I keep them. If not, I find someone who will appreciate them.

Schwinn's: Paramount, Voyageur, Peloton, Passage, Prologue, Tempo. I also own LeTour's and Preludes-but they are further diwn the food chain.
Treks: 500 series and up.
Higher end Nishiki's are great.
Miyata's higher end bikes are awesome.
Univega's are cool.
I like Centurion's.
I also have Kona Kapu and a Waterford road bikes (Kona is a nice mfg of mountain bikes-the Kapu is a road bike - Waterford is where the Paramount came from).
I have yet to explore Italians and custom frame builders.

That is the great thing about bicycling-it is global and never gets boring. There is always more to learn

Salubrious

One Schwinn that seem to have a number of threads devoted to it is the Sports Tourer/Superior...

YouthxCrew

Based on prices, anything Eye-talian with Campagnolo seems to fly out of sale ads/ebay as quick as possible, and people seem to be willing to pay almost anything.(Exotic Italian stuff has never been my thing. Maybe it's the reality of living in a city where everyone I know has had a bike stolen at least once and I'd rather not lose something like that)

After that, the top models any company offered (Ralieigh Pofessionals/International/Competition, Peugeot PX/PY/PRN10, Motobecane Grand Record/Le Champion/Team Champion)

Schwinn Models are all over the place because they varied so much year to year and some years are better than others (A 77 Super Le Tour is better than the 79 Super le Tour, and the 80's Super Le Tours were better than both) Most of the 80's bikes with Columbus tubing seem to be sought after.

I would agree that it's better to learn what good componentry and frame features to look for, then you can find diamonds in unexpected places. My favorite bike, a Raleigh Super tourer, I only recognized as a good bike because it had a chromed rear triangle, forged dropouts and a nice Stronglight crank. Nothing else in the ad showed a good bike, the components were garbage level replacements, and no model name was given. I've actually identified a lot of nice bikes just based on them having nice frame features and components.

Lascauxcaveman 

Schwinn. Freaking. Varsity.

That's all you need to know.

jjames1452 

Absolutely. Another is the Volare - although only produced two years. I have tried to buy two Volare's with no luck.