MIKE58

Original components, paint, decals, incredible condition, what's it worth?

bargainguy

Welcome to the forums! If you go to the intro section and say hello to nine of your new friends by posting in their intros - for a total of 10 posts - you can post pix and we can give you a better response.

AlexCyclistRoch

Have no idea what you are talking about. Post pics.

randyjawa 

A vintage bicycle's value is based on more than just the bicycle. Size, condition, state of repair and, of course, cleanliness all make a difference. To that add location, as where the bike is will help to determine value. And don't forget your own marketing skill and patience. Market skill is about the pictures yo supply and how you describe the bicycle. Patience is the strength to wait for a decent offer.

So, send some good quality pictures and tell us about the bike, pointing out its strong and weak points, if any. And don't forget to tell us where you live. All that said...

I have always wanted a Canadian built LeCroco. In closing, welcome to the Bike Forums.

Stevensb 

Hey @MIKE58: I have a mid-80's Le Croco and I look forward to your pictures. Do you have any backstory to the bike?

Thanks.

Brad

MIKE58

Yes,
it was built for a guy i used to road ride with, he wanted something for competition, Sandy built it, after a season he sold it to me, we were the same size,
The only thing I had done was a new paint job, which at that time was 600.00, mid late 80's, i still ride it, i have other bikes, but this one is smooth, it has campy, modolo, everything original, i keep it A1.

MIKE58

The bike is in pristine condition, nothing restored, original gears, brakes, custom paint job, which is not chipped, regularly tuned up, no accidents with this one, brake pads and tires replaced when necessary but that's it, changed the traps for clipless but other than that, will upload photos. i put it up for sale on the weekend, and kijiji montreal, the response has been incredible.

Stevensb 

Here'a link to the Le Croco posted by @MIKE58.

Le Croco Prototype Road Bike - | de route | Ouest de l?Île | Kijiji

What makes the bike a 'prototype'?

thanks.

Brad

MIKE58

This bike was built, created for one rider, he used it for a season, it went well, more were made.

Kevindale

I'm confused. In the ad it says original paint and original owner, but here you're saying you're the second owner, and you had it repainted. Is this the same bike? Also, when you say 'prototype', it sounds like you're describing a custom frame made for a specific rider. How is this a prototype? Was this one of the very first ones made?

It looks like a cool bike, but the photos in the Kijiji ad are pretty low res, and don't show that much of the frame and fork, mostly just the components. I recommend taking better photos and posting to a photo hosting site, then linking here. When was the bike made? I'm guessing around 1979-1980.

T-Mar

I have more questions than answers. Had we attended the Montreal GP this past weekend, I would probably have arranged a visit to see this in person, as I know one of the Le Croco builders and wouldn't mind having an example of his earlier work.

However, I'd question this being a prototype. Maybe it's a custom frame and things go lost in translation? I find it very strange that an original owner of a custom frame or prototype wouldn't include the tubing type or year in the advertisement, as these would be of prime consideration in getting maximum value.

The components themselves are an eclectic mix of 2nd tier components spanning the mid-1980s to the 1990s. Frankly, this looks like a parts bin build. There's not a lot of value in the components themselves, so back to the frame.

Portacatena would typically represent circa 1977-1982 but fade paint would typically bump things up into the mid-1980s. Yet by the mid-1980s most builders had transitioned to routing the derailleur cables under the BB shell. The fade scheme is atypical. It starts on the top tube, just behind the head tube and extends all the way down the seat tube, which doesn't appear to have the typical Le Croco decal.

It's all very perplexing but in the end won't matter, as the posting is "best offer" and based on the "incredible response" the owner should already have a good indication of the true market value.

MIKE58

Let me try and clarify, this bike was built for a fellow rider who wanted something new for his new riding season, after a season he bought or maybe was given another bike, I was the same size as him, I bought it, I had Sandy change the paint color, it was bright yellow and I didn't like it, so it was changed. Yes I believe this is the first Croc, I was there, a friend of mine has one also, but one of the last made. Word of mouth at the time was this rider liked it, more were made from that point. I have the bike in storage right now, I will take frame pics when I get a chance. I may not sell it, I still like to ride it, it has great history. It is pure luck that it still exists, during a March practice ride, many years ago, outside of course, I was using my winter bike, bad accident, bike totalled, me I was out for months with a broken pelvis and collar bone. If it had been a couple of months later, I would have been using my Croc and I wouldn't be discussing it now...lol

Kevindale

Thanks for the additional info, @MIKE58. It still sounds more like a custom bike, that provided some kind of proof-of-concept for the builder, rather than an actual prototype. It seems much more important that this is one of the first made. If indeed this is one of the first couple of Le Croco bikes ever built, you'll likely need some very good documentation to establish that to a potential buyers satisfaction. From my limited time poking around the C&V bike world, it's obvious that there's a lot of smoke being blown by many sellers, and huge claims require huge proof. That's not to say I think you're wrong, just that I don't think any buyer is likely to just take your background story at face value without some receipts, photos, key identifying marks on the bike, and so on.

I'm curious, is the second and final post in this thread you? I've found a few other threads here and there about Le Croco bikes -- it sounds like an interesting history. Do you have more info on the origins of the brand and the bikes they made? And I'm glad the bike wasn't wrecked back when. We look forward to seeing some great photos of the frame and fork details.

MIKE58

Well provenance is everything, I agree, but I knew Sandy,not well, but he asked a new up and coming rider if he built a bike for him, would he give it a shot, and he agreed, and he liked it, and more were made. So I know it was the first one made, of course, this individual is still around, but I don't know where Sandy is, he sort of disappeared, but of course at the time, no one knew what would happen, I bought it off Eric because it fit me and I loved the ride. I may keep it, you have to remember 30 years have passed, but it was a quick thing, and I am happy just to read the interest.

T-Mar

Unfortunately, the repaint has significantly devalued it. A non-descript tubeset and unverifiable, 2nd hand story doesn't help. Regardless, I'd edit the Kijiji posting. Saying "the bike has not been restored" is misleading. The OP should remove that statement and state that it has been repainted.

MIKE58

Hey, not sure which original builder you know, but a canary yellow prototype as my bill says, was built for Eric van den eynde. Sandy repainted it for me after Eric sold it to me. I kept the bill just for his signature..lol

MIKE58

I knew Sandy, I rode with Eric, in training, this is how I managed to buy it. the bike was painted by Sandy after Eric rode it for a season, only because I hated that bright yellow. Cosmetic. Actually my paint job involved more than one color. I told Sandy I wanted cherry red to a c-pink. Use your imagination, it took Sandy 4 coats of paint and my wallet, lol. There was no restoration. The paint you see is the paint job done 30-32 years ago. I have only changed pads, and the traps for clipless for convenience and tune ups, and some reinforcement tape but most of it original. it has miles and miles on it, it isn't behind glass all day long. Glad to see all the curiosity. I wish you had seen it. You can call it a 2nd hand hand story but I was there. I also had a fixed wheel croco, purple, for the velodrome but i sold it years ago. I still have the bill...lol

Kevindale

Would still love to see some good quality photos? All this discussion has my curiosity piqued.

T-Mar

Maybe restoration wasn't the most accurate choice of words but it definitely isn't "original" as you initially represented it on the forum and in the advertisement. "Original" means original condition of the bicycle, not to your ownership and it isn't even original to your ownership, since you authorized the repaint. I still have reservations about the prototype status due to your coyness and changing story.