Is this worth reconditioning?
 

Please see pictures in Gallery, Suntour derailleur, (Rear) DeOre front, De compe brakes O22 tubing, a few decals are faded. Not a lot of rust which I'm working on. By the way I spent the 600 bucks to make it rideable. I won't sell it. I believe I will need a longer stem for the handle bars. I think it's pretty cool. I guess that's all that matters for a starter bike.

$600 is more than I would have spent on it to get it this far. However I will spend more on a bike project than many others would think wise. Many times the valuations people offer on these posts are based on what each individual would pay. Some people want to fix up an old bike to enjoy and some want to get it ridable and try to flip it for a profit.

But to answer the root question you asked, it is worth what you want to spend on it if it makes you happy.

That's very well said. Yes, to many if not most of us here $600 is going to sound high. My biggest questions are simply does the bike fit you and will you want to ride it. If the answer is yes to both questions, then it really doesn't matter what we think. We're not the ones riding it!

You mentioned possibly having to change the stem. One of the things that they didn't tell you in school is that bikes come in all sorts of sizes. When I was a kid, many of my friends all rode essentially the same bike even though we were all different heights, long legs, short legs, etc. We just made it work. Didn't occur to any of us really that we might be riding the "wrong" size.

So before you spend even another nickel, I'd make certain it really does fit you and that by changing the stem you are just dialing the fit and not compensating for a bike that really isn't best suited for you.

Otherwise, get on and ride!

The only thing I noticed is the handlebars don't seem to be in the optimal position and the brake levers appear to need some adjusting. Look at examples of other bikes and you'll see what I mean.

I wouldn't spend $600 on a bike that doesn't really fit. I did recently spend $200 on such a bike. Size is marginal, mix of components like yours. But some bits are Campy that cover the price. So I won't be upside down if I have to abort (can't make it fit). I just put a longer stem on it. Parts come off donor bikes/left overs, so no additional spending. Tires come LAST as for me, that is where the $$ out of pocket go.

Now some spending can transfer to the next bike, wheels and tires for example. So I have over spent on those items and transferred them to the next keeper bike.

I would recommend on projects, do the size related stuff first, and see if it can be made to work. I've got some basic measurements on keeper bikes: nose to handlebars and saddle to pedal in the 6 o'clock position. If those don't work, I move on.

A great way to manage tool and part cost is to find a local co-op. Some will have a nominal fee to join, or a small bench time charge to use their tools. It is not hard to spend thousands on specialty bike tools, particularly if you dabble in various countries of origin which can have obscure tool sizing. Since you are retired, consider donating your TIME to the co-op. Many will help teach you tool mechanics as you break down bikes for parts. Someone with even ZERO tool or bike knowledge can still be a help to a co-op cleaning parts or whatever. Knowledge is not necessary.

In the "old days", bike sizing choices were often 2 inches apart: 19 inch, 21 inch, 23 inch and 25 inch; or 20, 22, 24 inch, and similar. 2 inches is a whopping 5cm difference! Now people think +/- 1 cm is about all they can tolerate.


While I have flipped hundreds of bikes over the years, I also have several keepers, some I have certainly over-spent on. The way I get a return on this investment is by riding the bike. Riding is the best return, beats ANY flip profit.

The thing about spending $600 on the bike, you have to consider this "sunk cost". Odds of getting that $600, or even part of it back, can be remote.


Being retired as well, one BIG step in managing cost is doing the work yourself. Very few vintage bikes make sense financially if you pay someone else to do the work. The good news with forums like this and YouTube, you can easily learn how to do your own work. Now there will be spending on tools. My flips have funded my tools. Bike maintenance requires some specialized tools.

Flytalk17 If you don't mind my asking, was there you reason your thread title could be "Is this Bianchi Special" worth restoring?

What you have appears to be a 1983 Bianchi Special built by contract in Japan or or maybe Taiwan and originally sold for around $350

Is this for one of your kids or you by chance very petite? I wouldn't bother with a different stem because this frame is likely too small for you.



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...426b4ab46e.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ed0a6fbde4.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3a5c7b97a3.jpg

Looking at the pics a second time, I was slightly alarmed by the bottle cage not having clamps, but double checking the catalog seems to indicate the '83 received some bottle brazeons.

https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net...-g&oe=64127E22