hbgjohn

I am please looking for assistance identify 5 bikes make, model, and year! I hope to refurbish two of them maybe and find a home for the others! If you have a value you estimate, please share Information I have so far is
1. Free Spirit 2. Iverson Grand Sport 3. Peugeot 4. Schwinn Varsity (Maroon) 5. Schwinn Varsity (Red)
*Im unable to post pictures because of being new to this forum* Please excuse my ignorance on how this all works. I can share pictures
All parts seem to be attached and original. Most in okay even working conditions! New tires and some work.

DMC707

There is some modest interest out there in the Varsity's. IF they are in working order and can be restified with some new tires and TLC, they might fetch $200 in post Covid marketplave. (roughly double the pre Covid values

Some Peaugeot's have some interest, buy it would really depend on the bike

for the other 2, they would do best being donated to a Co-Op. I wouldnt spend much effort on them besides a modest clean up. Pre Covid, those were $25 bicycles

2cam16

You might want to post about the Schwinns on The Cabe.

francophile 

At the top of the forum, just under the "BIKE FORUMS" logo is the GALLERY

Click on it. Click on Albums. Click to create a new album. Upload some good pictures of all 5 bikes. We're not clairvoyant, without pics, nobody here can really help you. Let us know you posted them when done, someone here will link it. You can't post pics until you hit 10 replies.

Obviously, we want a crank-side full pic, and a non-crank-side full pic. Sometimes Serial numbers (on the frame under crank) can help with dating/ID, so those pics are helpful.

Nothing in that list screams "I alone am worth more than $150" to me, but pics will ultimately tell if that's the case or not. You may have five $75 bikes, or two $50 bikes, a $150 bike, and a $200 bike.

If you have details about the condition of each, when they were last serviced to replace the rotten, crusty old grease, dry tires and probably rusty cables, that info is helpful for valuation.

Ball is in your court hbgjohn

Phil_gretz

Free Spirit = Sears Japanese contracted, welded steel frames, inferior components, undersized wheels. No.

Iverson = Short for Iver Johnson, a generic department store item. Avoid, across all product areas.

Peugeot = Could be anything from exquisite rider to generic boom bicycle. Likely "okay", but not "great".

Varsity (maroon) = Sounds more modern. If aluminum, then Chinese. Avoid.

Varsity (red) = my recollection is scant. At best, electroforged steel weighing in at 40 lbs. Not worth the effort.

hbgjohn

Thank you so much for responding! I hope to get my status up a little on this site so I can post pictures and participate more!

hbgjohn

Great thanks for the lead! Its had not being able to post pictures yet

hbgjohn

Do you have any advice on finding a place to post pictures to get an idea of what models I might have?

hbgjohn

Who you say we are still in COVID pricing or in post covid?

hbgjohn

Thank for the info! I hope to be able to post pictures soon to help identify the bikes!

zukahn1 

The maroon Varsity is likely late 70's some interest if clean and riding only $100-125, the red is a bit better semi nice early 70's if chrome and paint are good about $150-175 these two are the best of the bunch. The rest are not as good and a bit lower on a bunch of fairly low end bikes and are basically bike coop donations for me. Some nice pics would help but likely won't change values much.

francophile 

Yep, I posted that in the 3rd reply above. Here it is again:

hbgjohn

Thanks again for the advice!

hbgjohn

Thanks so much for the advice! I wish I was able to add in pictures when i first started this but didnt meet the forum requirments yet.. My email is hbgjohn2040@gmail.com if you are interested in me sending pictures privatly. Regardless I appreciate the help! Looking forward to posting picture soon!

hbgjohn

Thanks Rob. I have had a little luck with that info!

hbgjohn

Thanks for the advice with the lack of info and pictures! Hope to post pictures soon!

barnfind

We really need pictures to tell what they are.

A few of those bikes could go either way, none are high end but that doesn't mean they aren't decent rides or good transportation for someone.

Here's what I see:

Free Spirit was a Sears brand, the bikes were made by various manufacturers all over the world. I've had Free Spirit bikes made in Austria by Puch, some were Huffy or Murray in the USA, and some were Japanese. The Austrian made bikes were good bikes with solid components, not many were what I'd call high end but they weren't junk.

Iverson was basically a department store brand, they were on par with Huffy and Murray back in the day. They started out as the Stelber Cycle Co. in the 50's. The Iverson name came about later. They made some 20" models that have gained conductibility due to the fact they were 'designed' by George Barris. (Dragstripper model). The Grand Sport I believe was a low end 10 speed. They did use Shimano components and were made in the USA in the early to mid 70's. ( I have an old Iverson Grand Touring 3 spd down the shore that's been just fine for over 40 years, its nothing to special but it looks and rides just fine). I think I gave $55 for it brand new at a Kresge store in the mid 70's.

Peugeot is a French brand and continued to be from France into the mid 90's. They were very affordable bikes during the bike boom which made them very popular. The majority of old Peugeot bikes you'll find will be U08 and U18 models from the 70's. Steel frame, steel wheels, plastic Simplex derailleurs etc. But they can be very nice riding bikes. Most by this time need the derailleurs upgraded to something made of metal, the old Delrin plastic was pretty weak even when new, and now 45+ years later most have cracked or turned to dust.


Varsity was a Schwinn moniker and they used it from the early 50's on up. Anything newer than the mid 80's is likely nothing you want to bother with. Like mentioned above, if its aluminum, its Chinese junk. With that said, the only maroon varsity I've ever had was from the early 50's and it was basically a new branding of the old New World three speed models. I had a 53 in burgundy myself a very long time ago.

Varsity in red, could be anything, they had various red colors throughout the years, Radiant red, Flamboyant red, and Scarlet red were a few of them. Again, your looking for the Chicago built models here, all else is imported or basically department store grade in the later years.

None are high end bikes but in my opinion, any clean, good working bike can be good transportation. Its not always about it being collectible.

Nostalgia is what drives most collectors, if what they had or knew back in the day was low end, then its likely what they will buy to bring back memories or reclaim their youth for a bit.
It very often has little to do with it being high or low end. I've watched quite a few 70's era Huffy bikes sell for three times what they sold for then, and no doubt, with proper set up, they can be just fine for most folks who just meander around the block a few times every week. Several of the 70's and 80's Murray beach cruisers have also become fairly desirable because they 'look' much older than they are. I sold a pair of Murray Westport bikes for $400 the other day, they weren't listed for more than a couple of hours before they sold. They were like new though.

hbgjohn

I now can post pictures! If people can please help me identify the model and year it would be greatly appreciated! Maybe even the value. The tires seem to have rotted a little but everything seems to work okay.

francophile 

Only one I can help with is the Peugeot. It's going to be mid-70s, +/- a year or two, given the raised plastic head badge. The model is a UO-18, the lights are shop or owner upgrades.

Drivetrain looks original, so you should be able to look at this spot on the back side of the rear derailleur if you really want an exact date. Where the one I linked is stamped "4 71" that's April 71. I expect you'll find a 75 or 76 date on the one you have, but that's a wild ass guess.

The Ventolux frame pump, if dent free, will often sell for $25-45 alone on eBay in that condition. The value of the complete bike (minus pump) in its current state of disrepair is probably $20-40. You may be able to fish on Craigslist and find someone super-interested in a project that may pay upwards of $50-75.

Downside: The clamps on those rear stay-mounted lights often came with a spike on the inside (or a set screw as yours has) which typically dented the chainstay due to over-torque, or in the case of the spiked clamp, by design, to keep it from slipping. Between the possible frame damage from the light, and the possible clamp damage from the kickstand, and how much rust I'm seeing are the main reasons I'm giving this a $20-40 value.

hbgjohn

Thanks for the info on the Peugeot!!

hbgjohn

Is there a way to determine if it is a woman's or men's bike?

francophile 

These days, that's almost as bad as using the "wrong pronoun" with folks.

I guess it all depends on who you ask. Old school folks may tell you any step-through frame is a "womens" bike. If you look at some catalogs, you'll see step-through frames marketed as "womens" and straight top tube as "mens", this was traditionally accepted in days when skirts/dresses were maybe a bit more widely worn ... it's a bit more difficult to hike your leg over a standard-triangle frame in a skirt or dress without showing off your naughty bits or whatever you're wearing to cover them. However, I say that, but they definitely had step-through "mixte" frames large enough for men and even marketed towards the more dapper gentlemen? The presence of drop bars (vs. flat or riser handlebar) would suggest it could be a ladies "sport" bike

Anyway, this is a topic like religion or politics. I don't think anyone is going to bash you for calling this a vintage ladies Peugeot bike. I don't think they'll bash you for calling it a vintage Peugeot ladies sport bike either. I know at least one dude that's shorter than your average Tom Cruise (5'7" or less) who likes riding mixtes, "they feel more open" and he'd probably look twice at the suggestion it's only for the women out there.

zukahn1 

Womes or mens on a step through is by size and rather arbrieatary 20 inch or less typicaly consider womens 20 or bigger was considers a Man's often refered as preacher frame coming from the fact that preachers road early models in europe to allowt robes full clothing. From my experiance preacher fame bikes don't sell good and girls are just not worth much. Thanks for the pics with pics maybe $75 each hoped for a bit more interesting nicer bikes.

curbtender

That step-thru Schwinn looks like a Front Freewheel.

zukahn1 

Yes the red smaller camel back step through is a front freeling type 2 thus the fairly low value even in great condition.