I’m trying to identify and possibly put a value on an old-ish road bike.
A friend has borrowed it off another friend and likes it so much they are thinking of making him an offer for it. They’ve asked me 1) if it’s worth buying, being so old and 2) “what’s it worth?”
I know very little about road bikes in terms of spec, rear hub spacing etc, but having had a quick look at this bike I can tell you it’s a fondriest, made of columbus tubing. Lugged construction. Sachs/suntour groupset with sti type levers. Rims are fir. Appears in very good nick. Apparently it’s original owner was a keen racer and had some success on it, then sold it on to my friend who has kept it as a second bike for some years, he has leant it to her after she had her bike knicked, she now wants to keep it. (keep up at the back)
Back hub had to have a bit of work recently but she did a triathlon on it at the weekend no issues and has commuted on it daily all summer.
Is this enough info to guess it’s vintage?
Any info at all would be useful!
Would a bike like this be old and Italian enough to get people excited on ebay, or is it just another old steel bike that will need a whole new groupset as soon as the cassette wears out?
Ta in advance

Been quite a while since Sachs/Suntour was about on road bikes IIRC, and that makes it old and lowish-end

Is a classy brand though, and columbus tubing can be good (can also not be the lightest).

In summary, prob not worth a great deal, say up to £200 max?

Early-mid 90s, possibly using sachs ergopower levers. Would have been reasonably expensive with the sachs groupset and fir rims etc., now worth what it allows you to achieve, rather than any significant money.
Almost certainly based on 8spd Campag and cassettes are available unless it has a freewheel which may require a bit more searching.

Yep, 150 to 200max

So standard rear hub spacing if it needed a new wheel then?
Seems worth offering him a couple hundred for it.
Useful info, Ta

Agree. An early one might even be seven speed friction, but you mention Sachs so I’m guessing it’s their own brand Ergos which will make it an 8 speed. Not the easiest to spares for and the Ergos might need a rebuild (I can do that)
But then you mention STI so God knows.
Also Fondriest appeared on some cheap Columbus frames.

A few months ago I sold an immaculate 1990 Gios with full Campagnolo Athena and Cinelli and got about £250

Sachs Ergo powers are nice and not at all low budget. At least Campag Chourus spec. Some More like Record. They were supposedly indexed to Shimano spacings, ie 4.8 mm whereas Campag 8 speed was 5mm. Dunno if its true, mine work fine with bothe Campag and Shimano 8 speed cassettes. If it has a cassette hub just fit whatever goes on best, its all avavilible

oldgit: By mentioning sti I just meant brakes and gears in one unit, not downtube shifters! I don’t know all the terminology.

I’ll let you off this time then.
Yeah 8 speed Ergos shift over Shimano 7 speed cassettes.

Yeah 8 speed Ergos shift over Shimano 7 speed cassettes.

Confused me with that one- care to explain?

Cassette spacing on 7spd shimano and 8spd Campagnolo is the same so if you make sure that the limit screws on the rear mech are set up right you can mix and mix certain manufacturer’s shifters and cassettes.

I’d agree with the £150-£200

Anything road bike shaped and made out of anything other than gas pipe seems to be £100 even if the kit’s fubar’d.

I have some 8 speed Sachs New Success hub wheels (Ambrosio rims) in the garage – been hanging up for about 10yrs! They are 8 speed freewheel and cartridge bearings. They were Campy Record-Chorus price when new.

If I ever get round to it I’ll possibly fleabay them.