Looking at the price people are paying for classic stuff
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=56197&item=3670178801
I don't think it's sour grapes cause I can't afford it, but I'm really turned off by this. I don't know where I'd draw the line. Maybe everyday rideable stuff is safe, but at some point, it's not about the bike anymore. Will first generation Litespeed's or Ergo shifters be selling for $12k in ten years? Are there people keeping year-one King headsets in safety deposit boxes in as investments?

Looking at the price people are paying for classic stuff
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=56197&item=3670178801
I don't think it's sour grapes cause I can't afford it, but I'm really turned off by this. I don't know where I'd draw the line. Maybe everyday rideable stuff is safe, but at some point, it's not about the bike anymore. Will first generation Litespeed's or Ergo shifters be selling for $12k in ten years? Are there people keeping year-one King headsets in safety deposit boxes in as investments?


I have to agree with you. I don't collect bikes or parts and hope they go up in value. I buy bikes to ride them. Any sport/hobby has this debate. There are people that own collector cars for the investment and others who own them to drive. I put myself in the drive catagory.....

Who are all these people bidding on these parts? how can these derailluers, headsets, and or even handlebar plugs possibly worth that much money? Is there a secret society somewhere where people in black robes show off oldie/junkie to each other then try to summon the demon with it?
As a retro-newbie, having followed retro stuff for sometime, I am surprised how quickly older stuffs become sought-after items and appreciate in value, with people like me trying to get themselves a pair of NOS delta brakes. A NOS delta brakeset was selling for under $200 last year this time, I thought it was expensive then, now you can't even get a used pair for that price!
But these derailluers and headsets fetching thousands of dollars is a totally different league. I wouldn't even buy this derailluer for $15 were it offer to me at a swap meet. Am I just not "in"?

I have to agree with you. I don't collect bikes or parts and hope they go up in value. I buy bikes to ride them. Any sport/hobby has this debate. There are people that own collector cars for the investment and others who own them to drive. I put myself in the drive catagory.....

I remember when I was looking at a pair of Suntour downtube clamp-on shifters. Shimano no longer makes a clamp-on bosses, so you can attach cable stops or downtube shifter to a bike with no downtube braze-on bosses. So I figured I could buy an old pair of downtube clamp-on shifters, remove the shift guts, and be left with a just the clamp and the bosses. I saw a pair on ebay and emailed the guy asking if this would work. He gives me this Thurston Howle III treatment, telling me I would be disapproving looks if I was to undergo this kind of "mutilation" to a classic component. I was tempted to tell him I had an original, first-run, NOS Campy crank that I was currently using as a makeshift trunk handle for my Pinto.

Although it's nice to be able to go to one place to find vintage parts, the prices are an outrage. I buy a lot of Superbe, Superbe Pro and other Suntour parts, the prices are up there but not like Campy parts. Suntour probably has less collecting cache. A front derailluer going for $1600plus indicates there are some sick minds out there...hell I just want to ride my bike(s) with some reliable quality parts on it. Collecting bike parts just to ogle them is useless.
Peace

Is there a secret society somewhere where people in black robes show off oldie/junkie to each other then try to summon the demon with it?

I think it's called Japan. some Japanese collectors with money to burn for rebuilding to the very last detail pay $$$$ for parts like these.

I wouldn't even buy this derailluer for $15 were it offer to me at a swap meet. Am I just not "in"?

i guess if you see one of these for $15 at a swap meet, pick one up for me and i'll pay you back :D

one thing to keep in mind is that it's all relative. most people wonder why anyone would pay more then $100 for a whole bike! and if you're on this board why would you get an 'old' bike anyway for almost anyprice!?

hey Q, i sent you a message about your Gios. did you get it?

hey Q, i sent you a message about your Gios. did you get it?

Sorry I didn't realize I have a message. Here's the detail you requested. As you can see, the BB cut out are quite simple, no details you mentioned.
The Super Record and Professional are quite easy to tell apart, one being a 70s bike and the other 80s bike:
1. Brake cable clip brazed on the top tube--Super Record; Internal Cable routing--Professional.
2. Derailluer cables go above BB--Super Record; go below BB like modern bikes--Pro.
3. Medallion on the fork crown--Super Record; no medallion-Pro, only Gios engraving.
I am sure there are a lot more difference, I just never had a chance to check out a Super Record thoroughly.
BTW, the Gios website has fan pictures of different models, you might want to check them out.

Sorry I didn't realize I have a message. Here's the detail you requested. As you can see, the BB cut out are quite simple, no details you mentioned.
The Super Record and Professional are quite easy to tell apart, one being a 70s bike and the other 80s bike:
1. Brake cable clip brazed on the top tube--Super Record; Internal Cable routing--Professional.
2. Derailluer cables go above BB--Super Record; go below BB like modern bikes--Pro.
3. Medallion on the fork crown--Super Record; no medallion-Pro, only Gios engraving.
I am sure there are a lot more difference, I just never had a chance to check out a Super Record thoroughly.
BTW, the Gios website has fan pictures of different models, you might want to check them out.

thanks for the gios details. checking out the gios site shows a few brake cable routings above the top tube too. must have been a transition period.

the derailleur cables above and below seems consistent in various pictures.

and the fork crowns seem to have changed over time. the medallion crowns seem to show up in the early 80's because supers from the 70's seem to have a semi-sloped crown with the GT engraved.

the underside of the bottom bracket though seems inconsistent in some ways. yours seems to match other Pros. but i've also seen some with GT cut out and another with 4 little 'windows' and wonder if they were pros or super records or maybe even just records.

thanks

Guess who did shopping today? No, not me. Remember that guy who spent 1600+ for a derailleur? He just got himself a headset today.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3674570129&category=56197&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1
I just can't imagine some millionare out there sitting in front of eBay babysitting an auction to snipe a rusty bike part for 2K. If I win lottery this weekend, I will make sure I outbid this guy a couple of times just for fun!

Looking at the price people are paying for classic stuff
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=56197&item=3670178801
I don't think it's sour grapes cause I can't afford it, but I'm really turned off by this. I don't know where I'd draw the line. Maybe everyday rideable stuff is safe, but at some point, it's not about the bike anymore. Will first generation Litespeed's or Ergo shifters be selling for $12k in ten years? Are there people keeping year-one King headsets in safety deposit boxes in as investments?

ohmygawd, I Have one of those in my parts bin out in the shed. I had no idea that thing was worth MOney e-bay here I come...

I've got a Gran Sport front derailer and a couple of quick releases. Maybe even some brake cable retaining clips. I think I have a classic Shimano Eagle derailer and a vintage Huret Allvit. I hope I can get it all on Ebay before that guy runs out of money.

I've got a Gran Sport front derailer and a couple of quick releases. Maybe even some brake cable retaining clips. I think I have a classic Shimano Eagle derailer and a vintage Huret Allvit. I hope I can get it all on Ebay before that guy runs out of money.

Oh NOOO! The wife cleaned it all out! Pffftt gone.

Just kidding... actually the old Gran Sport front D I have is next to worthless. It has the Hat logo...darn heheh

Looking at the price people are paying for classic stuff
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=56197&item=3670178801
I don't think it's sour grapes cause I can't afford it, but I'm really turned off by this. I don't know where I'd draw the line. Maybe everyday rideable stuff is safe, but at some point, it's not about the bike anymore. Will first generation Litespeed's or Ergo shifters be selling for $12k in ten years? Are there people keeping year-one King headsets in safety deposit boxes in as investments?

I have been gathering up Campagnolo C Record components, Cinelli Giro Bars and XA stems where they have been priced right, over the last few years to avoid this problem. I now have great groupo to put on a frameset. If my interests change, they are like hard currency.

The example you show is an extreme one. A small number of hard-core Japanese collectors fighting over a few select, very early pieces. eBay has made most Campy stuff very affordable, esp. non-record and non-NOS pieces from the Super Record and newer years.

There is nothing exceptional or rare about ergo shifters, or any Litespeed to make them collectable in my opinion.

As a retro-newbie, having followed retro stuff for sometime, I am surprised how quickly older stuffs become sought-after items and appreciate in value, with people like me trying to get themselves a pair of NOS delta brakes. A NOS delta brakeset was selling for under $200 last year this time, I thought it was expensive then, now you can't even get a used pair for that price!


I can't recall a NOS Delta brakeset selling for $200 unless it was Croce D'uane.
The prices may be on the rise, but that is to be expected now that the economy is picking up steam. The valuation fluctations of some of these items seems to mirror the stock market.

NOS, last generation Delta (the ones with the black bellows) with levers sell on ebay for $375 or so. Now compare that with a 2004 set of Record calipers, and levers which are not nearly as beautiful, rare, or complex.

Next compare that to the $400 a second gen set sold for in 1987! That would be $650 when adjusted for inflation. http://www.campyonly.com/history/1987_prices.html

C Record stuff was very expensive when new.

Guess who did shopping today? No, not me. Remember that guy who spent 1600+ for a derailleur? He just got himself a headset today.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3674570129&category=56197&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1
I just can't imagine some millionare out there sitting in front of eBay babysitting an auction to snipe a rusty bike part for 2K. If I win lottery this weekend, I will make sure I outbid this guy a couple of times just for fun!


I think we should salute his enthusiasm for cycling.

Last year, I picked up a NOS Basso frameset for $450 that weighs 2 or 3 hundred grams less than a Litespeed Vortex that costs over $3000. I think what people are willing to pay for new, common stuff is more unbelievable.

I think we should salute his enthusiasm for cycling.

Last year, I picked up a NOS Basso frameset for $450 that weighs 2 or 3 hundred grams less than a Litespeed Vortex that costs over $3000. I think what people are willing to pay for new, common stuff is more unbelievable.

Of course I meant to say a few hundred grams more, not that a few hundred grams matter anyway.