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Ibis Szazbo - what's it worth?
1 Attachment(s)
So I generally only buy bikes for the love of them, this one I bought because I knew it was a piece of MTB history and I had just been reading up on the brand. Not really my cup of tea though, I just got excited to find one. I would like to sell this bike at a fair price for me and the buyer and I have no idea where to start. There are not a lot of listings to compare to. There is a ebay listing for $2,499 (which seems crazy, and the time it has been listed would agree) a couple of old pinkbike posts at $1,400 & $1,500, but these are all Listed prices, which we know don't mean much. There was one ebay (frame only) listing that sold for $699.99.
Obviously, there are some desirable parts on this and I could break it down and use to upgrade bikes I have, or sell them, but I generally prefer to keep bikes intact if I can. I did an initial clean-up but have not yet dug-in to dealing with little rust bits or re-greasing. Paint has plenty of nicks, seems to have had some adhesion issues on the aluminum. Front and rear shocks both free, but not sure of condition on seals, etc (I don't usually mess with suspension) Am I wrong? should I just strip it and try to sell the frame? Wondering if anyone has and idea of what I should put for an fair market asking price on this? or if you don't have that number, what would think you would pay? In an ideal world I would pass this on to a Local-ish, interested BF member who appreciates these bikes at a price that makes us both smile, any suggestions? |
Rims are matching Mavic 238 - Deore XT Hubs (had rotated down in 1st pics, but were too sunny)
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I have no emotional attachment to this one, blunt responses encouraged
Happy to take suggestions like: Don't sell it, that bike is an important piece of history! Strip it and be done with it, that is an obsolete piece of junk! You should get rid of that god awful seat before you put it up for sale! Too bad the paint is failing, takes away a lot of value. Might be worth something to somebody, but you had better go hunt down a MTB forum. |
It honestly seems like you’ve done your research on the bike and its small market. At this point, the decision is up to you. Do you post the whole bike for $700-$2,500 on eBay or a local platform? Do you part it out and deal with the extra work for extra profit? Do you let it hang for decades and marvel at the museum piece? The world is yours… and so is this bike!
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Asking prices on ebay are meaningless. Its all about what items have sold for. Plenty of bikes out there with sky high, dreamland prices. Those tend to not sell.
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Originally Posted by SoccerBallXan
(Post 22649765)
It honestly seems like you’ve done your research on the bike and its small market. At this point, the decision is up to you. Do you post the whole bike for $700-$2,500 on eBay or a local platform? Do you part it out and deal with the extra work for extra profit? Do you let it hang for decades and marvel at the museum piece? The world is yours… and so is this bike!
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Random context for Szazbo on ebay w/ $2,499.99 asking price
Just got a Classic Redezvous email with link to Ritchey Road Tandem (https://www.ebay.com/itm/26588702791...mis&media=COPY), same shop in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin is selling both bikes. Although the Ritchey is beautiful, based on what I know about tandem prices I think they are "optimistic". Asking prices are just that |
This is why I no longer purchase bikes unless they’re keepers or unless I know how much I can make on a flip.
Especially with bikes that are rare or unique, the value is whatever a buyer is willing to pay. If you’re in California, then you’re in one of the hottest vintage mountain bike markets. You have an example of what what the floor could be—$700–and you also know what isn’t selling ($2500). I would knock a few hundred off from the one that hasn’t moved and start there (if deep down you feel that’s what it’s worth). If you’re involved with the local bicycle crowd you could spread the word via social media or word of mouth. Maybe you’ve got a local vintage mtb nut in your area who doesn’t shop eBay or internet ads. e: Here’s an OfferUp ad for one that sold 5 years ago in Michigan for $450. Another sale that could be referenced. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9f214882f.jpeg |
One data point on ebay: highest SOLD price in the last 12 months = $800.
On other crazy asking prices on ebay: I have occasionally used that to my "advantage." I was selling a plaque that came out of a McDonalds restaurant, 1983. 12 month history showed actual sold prices of $100 to $200. Only other for sale was $5,000. So I asked $300 for mine, over sales history, but dramatically less than the competition. Mine sold. The $5,000 one never sold. So in the case of the Ibex, I might ask $1200, half the crazy price, but 50% more than sales in the last 12 months. You might get lucky! |
If you really want it sold, I'd hang onto the eBay sale wrk101 showed you, and maybe ask around 900 for purposes of being able to negotiate. That frame and other Ibis' are I think what they'd call the Castellano designs. The Ripley, Bow-ti, Szazbo....exotic designs that employed some king of suspension (which was not really super common in the late 90's.) The designer was (John?) Castellano. The 8 speed XT stuff sells very well and that stuff looks like it's in good shape. The frame would probably sell for almost as much as the bike, so....you might consider breaking it up.I'd leave the fork with it. That would encourage a buyer, to not have to worry about finding a fork. Is that a 1"er? Kind of looks like it. Anyway, good luck with it. It's a fun bike.
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Unless you are willing to ship, this really depends on your market. I would leave it as is though, unless you want to part out. The person buying this will know bikes.
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Originally Posted by wrk101
(Post 22649924)
One data point on ebay: highest SOLD price in the last 12 months = $800.
On other crazy asking prices on ebay: I have occasionally used that to my "advantage." I was selling a plaque that came out of a McDonalds restaurant, 1983. 12 month history showed actual sold prices of $100 to $200. Only other for sale was $5,000. So I asked $300 for mine, over sales history, but dramatically less than the competition. Mine sold. The $5,000 one never sold. So in the case of the Ibex, I might ask $1200, half the crazy price, but 50% more than sales in the last 12 months. You might get lucky! |
Originally Posted by SoccerBallXan
(Post 22649892)
This is why I no longer purchase bikes unless they’re keepers or unless I know how much I can make on a flip.
Especially with bikes that are rare or unique, the value is whatever a buyer is willing to pay. If you’re in California, then you’re in one of the hottest vintage mountain bike markets. You have an example of what what the floor could be—$700–and you also know what isn’t selling ($2500). I would knock a few hundred off from the one that hasn’t moved and start there (if deep down you feel that’s what it’s worth). If you’re involved with the local bicycle crowd you could spread the word via social media or word of mouth. Maybe you’ve got a local vintage mtb nut in your area who doesn’t shop eBay or internet ads. e: Here’s an OfferUp ad for one that sold 5 years ago in Michigan for $450. Another sale that could be referenced. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9f214882f.jpeg "This is why I no longer purchase bikes unless they’re keepers or unless I know how much I can make on a flip." - Good advice, I have also given myself, but often fail to follow. That said, much like my philosophy on lending money, I only do what I could afford to walk away from with a smile on my face. |
Originally Posted by AngryFrankie
(Post 22650036)
If you really want it sold, I'd hang onto the eBay sale wrk101 showed you, and maybe ask around 900 for purposes of being able to negotiate. That frame and other Ibis' are I think what they'd call the Castellano designs. The Ripley, Bow-ti, Szazbo....exotic designs that employed some king of suspension (which was not really super common in the late 90's.) The designer was (John?) Castellano. The 8 speed XT stuff sells very well and that stuff looks like it's in good shape. The frame would probably sell for almost as much as the bike, so....you might consider breaking it up.I'd leave the fork with it. That would encourage a buyer, to not have to worry about finding a fork. Is that a 1"er? Kind of looks like it. Anyway, good luck with it. It's a fun bike.
I think this is all solid advice, thanks |
Originally Posted by SoCaled
(Post 22650405)
Assuming you have some kind of upgraded ebay account that gets you 12 months of sold results? thanks for that info very helpful.
It is also sometimes interesting to compare current active listings to actual sales. I've seen situations with a couple of dozen active listings and NO sales in the last 12 months. I avoid those items! |
URT's had a very brief day in the sun (1995-1998) because all the problems they solved were not as bad as the solution. It basically let the suspension top out when you stand up. That was intended, it's fine in a sprint. Turns out people want suspension uphill and downhill too. These bikes were being developed by Castellano and Klein from the early 90s and came to market in 1995. Licensed and copied widely by 1996 (Trek Y) and dead by 1999. This was one of the first if it's a 95 and a really good example. I can't figure out from reading the Internet who was the first to market. According to a 2018 Pinkbike article, John Castellano was still providing support for Szazbo and BowTi and even making replicas.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/the-sh...b-history.html |
Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
(Post 22650724)
URT's had a very brief day in the sun (1995-1998) because all the problems they solved were not as bad as the solution. It basically let the suspension top out when you stand up. That was intended, it's fine in a sprint. Turns out people want suspension uphill and downhill too. These bikes were being developed by Castellano and Klein from the early 90s and came to market in 1995. Licensed and copied widely by 1996 (Trek Y) and dead by 1999. This was one of the first if it's a 95 and a really good example. I can't figure out from reading the Internet who was the first to market. According to a 2018 Pinkbike article, John Castellano was still providing support for Szazbo and BowTi and even making replicas.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/the-sh...b-history.html |
The chainstay yoke and dropouts are really cool. Ibis bikes always have neat details like this.
The brochure has components listed but does not mention the fork, at all. Huh. It seems likely you could find sufficient support to rebuild the fork but no idea about the shock. The V brakes look assembled wrong, splayed way out. Thin spacers on wrong side of posts, maybe. These parallelogram brakes get sloppy and squeally. Handlebar has no visible branding but brochure says "Taperlite" and it looks like something that would be called "Taperlite." Stem faceplate is upside down and there's a nasty rusty screw in it. It might have come with an Ibis branded stem, that is what is shown in the brochure. That seems like it would be a score. The arrow on the tire is cracking me up. Here's where I'm going to look for the goathead... I was thinking the brakes and shifters might be refit. They don't match the brochure (Dia Compe / gripshift). It's very early for V brake and the other photo in this thread has cantilevers. But it's the first year for M739, could be original. |
It is a somewhat scarce and interesting piece of history, as others have stated, but the market for FS vintage mountain bikes is very fickle, unlike rare hardtails, which are a much easier sell.
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Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
(Post 22650724)
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