Originally Posted by
VegasTriker
f Bicycle Blue Book is correct, this model bike was made in either 1993 or 1994. It has an MSRP or less. The model was resurrected again in '97 in a road bike form and again in 2000 as a MTB.
https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/valu...product/43903/ https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/valu...product/13116/ https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/valu...product/45875/ It is definitely an entry level bike with entry level components. You are seeing that labor costs for refurbishing an entry level bike often outstrip the cost of the bike new. There are so many on-line tutorials these days that you can avoid using a bike shop and do it yourself. If you were to buy the replacement parts online and do the labor yourself it might make more sense especially if you really like the bike. No matter what, it is still going to be an entry level bike which these days goes for as much as $500 for similar quality entry level components.
According to Bikepedia, this model was made from 1993 to 1999. The 1993 model year is somewhat better than '94 or '95 as the frame and fork were Japanese made Tange Cro Moly Steel. In '94 and '95, the frames were Cro Moly main tubes with high tensile stays and fork, which is ok, but clearly a downgrade over the full Cro Moly. My guess is, if you wanted full Cro Moly frame in those years, you needed to go up to the 730 or 750 models. And all those models up until the mid 90s were American made. But either way, it was still a well made bike and well worth repairing over an entry level Chinese made aluminum bike.
https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...k%20&model=720