Caliwild

Hey gang,

In today's soft seller's market, what would you pay for this bike? Thanks!

zukahn1 

I would go $150 if all the parts are good and $200 if the tires tubes are good and it is a solid rider a bit off a sleeper.. The bar set up concerns me the stem is too high and the bars brake levers are set so they may not work good or safely not bad but should be corrected minimum the stem should be lowered 1/2 inch for safety .

plonz 

I think this bike could fetch $225-$250 in this market. Needs a little primping like getting rid of the pump mount and the sensor wire. Rotate the bars, slide the saddle back and give it some proper photos.

albrt 

As is (and if it fit me) maybe $180 because I would want to replace some stuff. If I graduated from high school in 1988 and this was my ideal setup maybe as high as $300.

Caliwild

Seller has it listed for $400, but that's definitely too rich. I think up to $200 would be ok, but I guess I should go take a look first to make sure there are no issues... Over $200-$240 would likely be a pass for me. I think I just like the paint job!

SoCaled 

$175 - $250 is what I have been seeing these for (in this condition) post covid.

Caliwild

Anyone know which year this was made?

zukahn1 

Based on the pink splash logo and component's 87 or 88.

DMC707

if it fit i might go up to $250

Caliwild

Thanks for all the comments. At least we all seem to be on the same page with the price. I'll aim for $200-$250 max...

Caliwild

Another quick question... Ignoring the size differences for now, would you go with the Allez or this Lotus Classique? The fork looks nicer on the Lotus and it has Shimano shifting. The Allez has Suntour GPX all around... Which would you get? Thanks!

Chuck M 

Now that the OP knows where they want to be on it… I like how you put that.

I always see these appraisals as an in the eye of the beholder situation where people’s motivation will factor into what they would pay. If I had a yearning for this bike, I may give $150 to $175 and just keep it. Someone wanting to buy to sell needs to have room for profit. I remember a rant someone posted about how people come here for expert opinions and we should not be lowballing valuations. Mass production bikes I think are usually worth what someone is willing to pay. Older, pre bike boom bikes, high end bikes and those built by respected frame builders of course fall into a different category. But mostly I think people just want to know before they put down money what they are looking at.

Caliwild

Thanks! Not looking to re-sell... just looking for a "beater" to leave in the office for lunchtime jaunts.

plonz 

That’s a tough size difference to ignore. But if they were the same size, I’d be all over the Allez. I’m a fan of steel Spesh bikes. It’s hard to get past the effect size has on the Lotus geometry.

Caliwild

Thanks for all the responses... Purchased the Allez for $120! Just finished cleaning everything up. Under all the grime and spiderwebs, it's in amazing shape for its age. The Suntour GPX groupset shifts very, very smoothly. The bar tape is shot, but that's an easy fix. The tires still hold air, but I'll likely replace them since the sidewalls seem a bit brittle after 35 years! I'll post photos once I get a chance. I honestly can't believe you can get such a nice bike for so little money... Makes me question some of my pricier bike acquisitions!

Chuck M 

I'm glad you got it for that. I've lost out on a couple of bikes because I offended the seller that was sure the hi-tensile bike with no saddle was an expensive "racing bike" from the 60s worth 400 and thought my offer was a low-ball.

Caliwild

Some photos after a nice cleanup... Stayed with the blue bar tape. And check out that matching saddle bag!

Chuck M 

That cleaned up well. Good score.

zukahn1 

Love the 80's vibe you did very well. You got a lot of stuff just right nice build.

BMC_Kid 

Great score! Love these 80s Specialized bikes. I have an 87 Team Allez built by Dave Tesch and it like yours, has that very 80s look about it. Ride it in good health!

Caliwild

FYI, serial number under bottom bracket appears to be CC006470

Does the 7 in the in number indicate that it's a 1987?

Caliwild

Here's the higher resolution image... Used Simple Green and Meguiar's car detailing spray to get rid of all the crud and tiny scrapes...

Caliwild

Last question (you've heard that one before): The tires are still holding air. If the sidewalls are a little flaky, does that mean I should ditch the tires? They look to be the original tires, which would make them over 30 years old.

DMC707

Yes - accident waiting to happen. You're going to need 80+ psi in those tires so some fresh skins would do a world of good

Amazon has some American Classic tires cheap -- or did last time i was looking (juat looked again, they are up to $40 - which is a fair price, but not cheap anymore = a Comtinental GP is not much more


BTW - i responded earlier by saying i would pay up to $250 for that bike IF it fit -- for $120, you got an outstanding deal and this bike is worth putting some money into - its better than a "beater" . Your cleanup efforts look great

Chuck M 

Can you post a picture of said flakiness?