capnjonny 

Just finished this resto for the Bike exchange. Tell me what you think it is worth.

No name aluminum bars with AVA closed back stem
Weinman levers with hoods
Universal model 62 center pull brakes
Nervar cotter ed crank w/ 39/52 tooth rings
Campi down tube shifters
Campi piston style front derailleur
Campi Valentino rear derailleur
Campi small flange hubs
Rigida red label narrow rims
Schwalb 700 x 25 Tires No name aluminum bars with TTT open back stem

bikemike73 

I don't know what its worth...

But It is BEAUTIFUL !!!

It's my size and MY color !!

LOVE YELLOW

If you lived close by, I would be on my way over to your house to make this my bike

Too bad so far away...

Good Luck with the sale. It will go quick !!!!!

bikemig 

This is a tough one to value. It's beautiful and has a lot of original parts but it's also a lower end bike with a steel cottered crank and the campy derailleurs are so so.

Just as a bike, it's worth in the neighbhorhood of $100. Pretty much any decent hi tensile steel bike that is in good shape with alloy wheels is worth at least that much. Given the condition and age, I'd value this around $150-$200. If someone wants a cool old bike to tool around town, this is it.

3alarmer 

.
...I pulled up the 1972 Bottecchia catalog here, and this appears to be the Gran Tourismo" model they show there. FWIW, I have no idea on value. Certainly it's not top of the line for that year in the Bottecchia catalog. But that's a relatively nice cottered crank, and Campy Valentino derailleurs, as problematic as they are, were pretty standard on mid level stuff in 1972.

I'm uncertain what "steel made" means in terms off frame tubing. But I have a slightly newer than that Bottecchia bike that is also mid level that has an Aelle tres tubi sticker on it. So I'm not convinced it's not something better than straight carbon steel.

I guess the cosmetics on it ought to be worth something to someone. That mid level one I mention rides pretty nicely.

Edit: those rims are definitely an upgrade that has value.

wrk101

I would aim higher frame wise if the goal is to raise money with such projects. Some nice parts on basically an entry level bike. I believe this one is high ten steel level bike, similar to a Peugeot U08. Parts may be worth 4X what the complete bike is worth.

plonz 

Lower end bike with terrific curb appeal. Appears to be a quality refurb that is ready to ride.

To the vintage enthusiast, not much value. To a person in the market for a used bike, this one has appearance, being ride-ready and a healthy dose of retro cool going for it. I could see it fetching $175-$200. Good luck!

ramzilla

That's absolutely gorgeous! It's a wall hanger for a collector. Definitely a special Sunday rider. Unfortunately, not many buyers realize what an amazingly cool bike that is. To the uniformed buyer it may only be worth so much because it wasn't the top of the line. If you can find somebody that really appreciates it then you will get much more for it. Dress it up with a black racing seat and, change to a white cable cover on RD. Then, try to get $285 - $300 for it.

ramzilla

People forget that Bottecchia was the largest Italian bike manufacturer for decades. I call them the "Schwinn of Italy". Bottecchia didn't compete with other Italian manufacturers. Their only competition was the big international producers like Raleigh, Peugeot and Fuji. (And, US Schwinn for that matter). If it wasn't for Bottecchia, most US Americans would have never seen an Italian bike BITD.

bikemig 

I like the bike a lot as well. But at that price ($300), you can get a higher quality bike with a better frame and parts. Just sayin.

juvela

-----


Good to see you were able to get Monsieur Peyrard well sorted.



-----

capnjonny 

For the record, I do the best I can with what I have, and at the Bike Exchange that varies greatly. I am a sucker for bikes with Chrome spats and lugs and I love anything Italian. I believe the bike is / was a Special but it could also have been a Grand Tourismo . The frame is too heavy at 5.5 lb to be cromo. It came to me as a frame / fork with cottered bottom bracket . Everything else came from my bins and tried to keep all parts European and era appropriate. It would be a shame to sell this bike for $150. Actually I am suggesting that we hang it from the ceiling in the retail area of the shop to impress the customers and encourage the volunteers.

All up, with pedals and seat it weighs 27.29 lbs. not bad in my book.

bikemike73 

I would hang it on the wall.

It is....by all accounts " Italian Art" !!!

I have a few wall hangers my self.

I smile every time I walk by or sit down

Too bad so far away

big chainring 

Bottecchia did some over the top finishes on their bikes. I had a mixte, same yellow color, and headlugs, fork and all 6 stays were chromed. Prime bike boom goodness.

randyjawa 

When asked to comment on value, of any vintage bicycle, I consider what it is worth to me. If I had that Bott Special, I would get close to $500.00 or even more and have done so a few times, in days gone bye. Prices suggested here are for us, those who have done the leg work, found the bikes and learned how to repair, etc. There are lots of people who have no idea of how to find a good bike, or how to make it road worthy and safe to ride and, and, and...

The point is, if you want a bike to ride, go to the department store and buy one (see what you get for a hundred bucks, these days). But if you want a really cool bike (that yellow Bott is really cool), go vintage and worry not about a few hundred bucks. But you should also know that you need to know how to maintain it yourself.

Anyway, if you are willing to accept a hundred dollars, give me a shout. This one, by the way, set me back twenty bucks...


This one a hundred bucks...


And the rest are lost in my failing memory.

randyjawa 

Good suggestion, unless you own and ride a dozen, or so, vintage road bikes. Then, it is wise to place the min/max tire pressure indicators at the valve stem.

randyjawa 

Good suggestion but, sadly, I am more of a restorer than a bicycle rider. Make no mistake, I put a lot of miles on my bikes, but know little about technical riding issues, other than, perhaps, how to fit the bike to me or me to the bike (see what I mean). That said;;;

Ride the lonely roads of Jamaica with me and my guess is that you will soon seek high pressures. If not fully inflated, snake bite becomes incredibly common...


Anyway, at about 200 pounds and always carrying a, somewhat full, back pack, I seek full pressure. That said...

I have always run 23s on the front and 25s on the rear. These days, thanks to what I learned on my Jamaica Bianchi and here, at Bike Forums, bigger air volume is the only way to go on those lonely roads. And, I like the bigger tires so much that my main ride in Canada sports mountain bike tires with plenty of cushy air volume and at a dramatically reduced pressures...

zukahn1 

Love the color and look it should be noted the Campy component's are Grand Tourismo not Valantino the GS stuff and rims would make this a Gran Tourismo deluxe which I would consider mid level so worth a bit more. In the current ,soft market I would give it a bit of a bumb but not much say $250. Note wait a bit and if your up four it one could part this bike for $400 sans frame online.

robertorolfo

Pretty sure you could find some hipster sucker in Brooklyn that would give you over $500 for it.

ramzilla

Just checked out how many Bottecchia's are for sale on CL & this is the only one I could find in the US. Then, I looked on ebay & prices are sky high.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/b...103121091.html

cantom

That is a beautifu bike...did it sell?

$200...wow, it's got to be worth more than that.

cantom

FWIW...my dad bought me a Bottecchia Special when I was in high school...I'm very fond of them.

Guess what I'm riding today? Not the same one but the same model.

Oh, btw, the purists might be offended. I just bought a frame on ebay and built it up with much higher grade parts than they ever had new.

I am not fond of cottered cranks. A cotter pin came loose on my original and it eventually led to the ruin of the crankset.

I'm still using the original Universal brakes with the original red rubber pads...they work really well.

BTW, the Valentino Extra derailleur worked just fine...low end Campy is still Campy.