davidgilmore

I have a 61cm Cecil Behringer road bike that has a full Campy Record group with Wheelmith/Sauturn wheels with low flange Campy hubs. Cecil made the bike for me a looong time ago, and I have no idea what it's worth today. It's in excellent condition, and has been stored in my temp/humidity controlled basement. If it would help I can supply closeup pics. I know that not many people are aware of Cecil's accomplishments, and I'm sure that makes it hard to appraise the value, but I would appreciate any help I can get. Thank you, Dave
ps. I tried to post a picture, but it's been 20+ years since I've been on the forum, and since I didn't have an old email address, I couldn't revitalize my membership, so now having to sign up new - I didn't have the 10 posts to add the pic sorry

merrman

If you post some pics in the gallery someone can move them here for you.

gomango

If you are in the Twin Cities, take it to Dan at Grand Performance.

He can get you started on value, as he is "in the know' with a CB.

davidgilmore

I've already talked some to Dan, as he's an old friend from when he was here at Southern Illinois University as a student. He was working on a value for me, but I thought that because they're so rare, someone here might have an idea. Thanks for the response.

davidgilmore

Thanks, I'll upload some pics to the gallery and go that route.

randyjawa 

It seems to me that "rare", in the vintage bicycle world, means very little. Better known names seem to garner the most attention from buyers.

As for the value of your bike, it does sound like it might be worth a few, if not many, dollars. As mentioned, we need to see pictures and you need 10 posts before you can post pictures in a thread.

So, to get the posts up, tell us where you live. What size the bike is. Condition. Where you got it. Are you the first owner. Each one of those will get the post numbers up and supply us with useful information that will help with appraisal efforts.

gomango

I could likely help you with a "value" as well, but will needs pics and a description of general condition.

As Randy mentioned, paint a picture for us and fill in why the bike is special.

Did you race with Dan?

repechage

These are rare, but not a deep interest.
The very small and the very large are at the ends of the bell curve.
I have seen frames sell for $300, and whole bikes for the near the same.
Interesting builder, interesting connection to Pino.

davidgilmore

Dan was one of the "young kids" when i was facutly at SIU, so I knew him as part of the cycling community. And no, i never raced with him, as he was heads above my abilities, as well as most everyone else's around here. I rode a lot, and loved bicycles, but rode with an older group - also competitive, but not like Dan. It's only coincidence that we both ended up with multiple Behringer bikes. Soon as i reach 10 posts, I'll post pics of my 3 Behringers.

merziac

My Behringer knowledge is sparse, hopefully that will change as we move forward here but I am always puzzled a bit by the low interest for many excellent world class builders.

I get it that many of them didn't make and sell more than a few hundred frames or bikes but most of them put far more effort with excellent results in than many of the marques we fawn over.

Many of these craftsmen deserve far more respect AND value than they seem to get most of the time imho.

davidgilmore

Cecil was probably better known as a six day racer/metallurgist, as well as the developer of the portable velodrome. Cecil told me that a lot of people didn't know his bikes because many of them were in Europe with another companies decal on them. He built Giuseppe Saronni's world championship bike, which allowed him to put the rainbow stripes on his bikes. He built some for Eddy Merxx, but is most famous for his development of the process for hardening titanium (as well as nitrogen loading steel), hence the first 10lb titanium bike. He was also friends and partners with Pino Marroni, and they produced some very innovative procedures, including silver soldering frames - my Behringer TT bike is siver soldered. However, I'm sure most of you know all this, but if you're curious, this internet has a lot of info on him. I didn't know him all that well, but the little time I spent as his shop convinced me that he was one of the most brilliant people alive. My problem in letting them go is the profound respect I have for the man, and to me, they're also works of art. Anyway, once i get my 10 posts, I'll post pictures with full descriptions. Thanks for listening.

davidgilmore

I was able to add 3 pictures to the gallery, but they're only pictures of the entire bikes. If someone could find them and add them to this thread, I'd greatly appreciate it. I will later on add some detail shots with full descriptions. Sorry to be such a newbie to this process, I hope I'm not too old to learn. TIA

cb400bill

Pic Assist

SoccerBallXan

Brilliant bicycles. I’m sure the valuations will be high.
Is the black paint on the first Behringer original?

davidgilmore

All the bikes are original, just the same as when I got them from Cecil. They're all 61cm. The black paint is the paint they used on the submarine he built for the Navy. All three of the bikes were built for me, by Cecil himself. The white one is the one that I wanted valued, since it's full Campy (if I remember correctly - Record). I'm not too sure what else to say, except when someone ask why they were special, for me, it's because they're Cecil's. That may not mean much to most, but I'm aware of all of the technological advances he was responsible for (Stresskin for the Apollo capsule, pacemakers, etc.). I got the TT bike just a couple of months before circumstances made me quit riding for a while, so it has only been ridden a handful of times. The black one is also low mileage. I had clinchers on the white one, and tubulars on the black one.
I'm not sure of build dates, but I know they were all around 1980+/-
I live in Murphysboro, IL in the southern tip of the state.
Please let me know if you would like anything else.

bikemig 

Beautiful bikes. You'll likely have to list them on eBay to get top dollar for them and that's a bit of a pain. You're unlikely to find a buyer near where you live who will pay you what they are worth. You might but that market will be thin. You might want to pay for membership here (I think $10 a year) which will allow you to sell them on the C&V for sale forum.

I know these bikes are very special to you and that they are special bikes, but you may find that they do not command the premium of some of the better known custom builders.

merziac

Here's a pretty good article on him.

Cecil Behringer main

rjhammett

I may be interested if you decide to sell. I passed up a CB about 5 years ago that I wish I hadn't.

bikemig 

This is neat. It links to an obit on him as well:

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/...cil-behringer/

merziac

And therein lies the rub, many/most of the builders that had any success did every bit as good work as the better known if not better.

So even in a sport/hobby/obsession where we know better, name recognition, instant gratification, starry eyed, goo goo, ga ga still gets us at the end of the day, a fool and his money.....

Don't get me wrong, the greats are great, many others were just as great but not rewarded for it.

davidgilmore

I have thought about selling, mainly because of age, but it pains me to do so. If you're interested, why don't you PM me and we can discuss it. I still don't have much of an idea what they're worthl

davidgilmore

Can anyone give me an approximate value?

bikemig 

The market on American custom bikes is thin. I’d look at eBay prices to see what custom bikes of this era are running with similar groups. I’d also look at what Schwinn paramounts of this era are worth on eBay. You can search sold prices. Basically try to find comparables.

big chainring 

I think the white one with its Campagnolo group has the most value. $1500 is what I would value it at.

Mattdiano

I would love some information (value estimates) on my newly discovered 56cm Behringer! My apologies for having it soda blasted, but it was so covered in multiple coats of thick paint....I am probably going to put it up for sale in the C&V sales section here, but would love some advice on it: Any approximation of value, or what to list it at. I know, I know....it is worth what someone is willing to pay for it... my other big questions, should I have it painted before posting it for sale, or leave it clean for the new owner to do with as desired? If I should paint it, powder coat? I want to keep this on a budget as I am guessing the frame isn't going to bring THAT much. But with the Campy dropouts and the Cinelli bottom bracket....and the lug work is really nice....if it was a little bit bigger, I would keep it! Thanks much in advance, I really appreciate the amazing resource on this forum!