Is this "Retro" yet?

Bought this Ribble 653 roadbike frame in 1992 – it was the year Ribble sponsored the Barcelona Olympics and this frame was stickered up in the same style as the GB team models.

I’m reluctant to get rid as it was the first ‘proper’ bike I bought, but I’m getting sick of tripping over it. Would it be best advertised on Retrobike or ebay?

And does anyone have an idea what it might be worth? (with Shimano 600 headset/BB, Shimano 600 “boltless” stem and Campag seatpost…)

20 years old, definate retro id say.
i recently checked ebay looking for a 653 cougar similar to the one i had in the 90s, frame and forks were going for the same price i paid new!!

You should buy this Marty, it’s top speed ever was 65mph… Off Nick O’ Pendle on one of those lovely crisp “float” days… 😉

retro or not it’s one of many on ebay and not worth much, from what I’ve seen.

Those stems are worth a decent amount, i’d sell that separately. You might get £20-£25 for the seatpost too.

Ribble frames are too dull to be worth much, old or new.

lol@shibboleth.

@cynical, you sure, i didnt see many on ebay, not 653 ones anyway.
i wish id never sold my cougar, probably the biggest regret of my life.

*cough* what size?

I think it’s a 24″ frame… I’m 6’1″.

Shame it’s not a 58 otherwsie I’d have taken it off you

pffft, miles too big for me, im only 5’10”.

if you need to ask i suspect you’re not the man for the job 😯

Just had a nosey on fleabay, there don’t seem to be many 653 frames… I’ll have to stick it on and have a punt…

1″ frame, quill fork, 653 or not it’s redundant old tech – £100-150?

Fair enough if the stem is worth something.

…and a completed item search shows I was being optimistic!

I’m hoping to cash in on Olympic fever! 😉

No – retro refers to something that is new that is built to look old. This is just old.

I think it’s the use of old bikes rather than the actual bikes themselves that qualify for the term “retro”.

It’s cycling in a style that is redolent of the past.

I like that. Lovely looking frame and would fit me too. Shame I have no spare cash 🙁 new car is needed.

No – retro refers to something that is new that is built to look old. This is just old.

Don’t tell them that on retrobikes 🙄

I think its nice, eBay has a way of finding somethings true value.

List it and see.

Shame its for a giant.

Ahem. Hope you don’t mind me jumping into this thread, but it is timed quite nicely. I’m about to sell a similar era Ribble, but with Reynolds 731OS Race tubing, rather than 653. Bit of a Google doesn’t throw out too much info on the tubing, let alone the frame! I was told it was Dolan-built when I got it, but no idea whether that is a common claim for Ribbles of this age.

As with the OP’s, it is fully specced with Shimano 600 throughout. Will be putting it in the classifieds, but not really sure what would be a fair price to ask? I was thinking around £500, is that a bit optimistic? Condition is very good considering the age. Just some tiny bits of paint flaking.

Nice tyres and rims…

But, I suspect you might sell it for £100, maybe £200.

The problem is that both frames date from the time when the world and his wife had road bikes exactly like that, so they aren’t in short supply, and Ribble are a bit …Halfordsish… when frames are considered.

By way of comparison, I bought a custom made 753 race frame second hand for £200 at about that time. A custom made 531 frame for me would have been £8-900.

Ok, ebay searches suggest I might be being optimistic!

Crikey – thanks, a bit more hunting around on ebay and it threw up enough to suggest I was being wildly optimistic! Might just keep it for now…

This post’ll be no help whatsoever, and it’ll probably ramble on a bit (due to my age), but I knock about on an generic-steel MBK road frame of similar vintage.

It’s currently SS and just used for nipping into town on, with it’s scruffy appearance and oddly mismatched wheels, it’s not going to attract much attention.

… but having ridden it a bit more of late, I’m now on the cusp of having it resprayed, and dropping in a new groupset and some decent wheels; dunno if I missed it back along, or if I’ve changed over time, but there is very definitely *something* about the way the frame rides that’s drawing me go back to it.

frames like these ride well mostly, it’s the front end (1″ quill stem) that lets them down these days.

Buy one and use some ahead carbon forks and you have a bit of a bargain, though more modern alu stuff will be lighter for the same £££

Ribble frames don’t have any kudos – they were and are seen as very mainstream / standard. Not the sort of retro that people collect sadly.

Nice looking bike Captain.

You want to make money, fixie it.

Try putting it on lfgss.com, they love a bit of old steel on there.

Try putting it on lfgss.com, they love a bit of old steel on there.

Was going to post this. Gorgeous paint on that, ignore people who say ribble are boring, that only applies to their current chinese carbon catalogue frames.