Litespeed Mountain - Value? Early 1990's

[yakboy]

Has the lower rivnut thing been drilled out on the seat tube?

Good spot...My my that is in a bit of a state.. You are really only paying for the frame. For my Austrian find

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/austrian-litespeed-find.430074/

I paid 400 euros's but that was with the Manitou 1 and full Suntour XC pro kit (including wheels). It needed a bit of work but just cosmetic really. I would concur with eveyrone here £250 would be my very very top estimate

 

[greencat]

I would check for cracks around that rivnut. It's possible it has been janked out - and I know from bitter experience that damage here can eventually result in frame failure.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Has the lower rivnut thing been drilled out on the seat tube?

Good spot...My my that is in a bit of a state.

I would check for cracks around that rivnut. It's possible it has been janked out - and I know from bitter experience that damage here can eventually result in frame failure.

Can one of you kindly put an arrow or circle the thing you're talking about? I don't know wtf you're referring to
I am meeting with the seller on Saturday and am only interested in the frame at this point. Though, if I can also see what you all see, then maybe it is not worth the effort.

 

[Mod-Master]

The lower bottle boss on the seatube, looks a bit damaged. 250 max. The seatpost qr is probably the second most valuable thing on this with the frame being first

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Thanks man. Does look screwy as if the front derailleur at one time was mounted on that area. I'll take an m4 and m5 bolt with me to see if the threads are good.

 

[ishaw]

If the boss is indeed damaged, it can be repaired. As mentioned just make sure the frame integrity is sound around the hole, check the others and the various other issues highlighted.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

For my Austrian find

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/austrian-litespeed-find.430074/

I paid 400 euros's but that was with the Manitou 1 and full Suntour XC pro kit (including wheels). It needed a bit of work but just cosmetic really. I would concur with eveyrone here £250 would be my very very top estimate

Awesome. I remember that thread. By the stickers this bike I am looking at also looks like your very nice condition Litespeed Mountain. 1991?

If the boss is indeed damaged, it can be repaired. As mentioned just make sure the frame integrity is sound around the hole, check the others and the various other issues highlighted.

Yeah, this had me thinking last night too. I'm going to take my repair stand, put the bike on that and pull the seat post, fork and stem off then shove my endoscope in there. I'll have a look on the backside of this rivnut. Also I want to see the inside of the tubes around the welds for damage. Fingers crossed the frame is ok. I want that old POS pretty bad.

 

[joglo]

Any update? Just curios if you have been there to take a look at the bike?

My two cents as well, it looks shitty, and may be damaged.
If not damaged and after some TLC and new decals (at least newer are still available directly from Litespeed), the Frame alone is 500€ if not more worth.

So maybe still a good chance to get hold of something rare and nice. Obviously the seller may have a hard time to ask for a lot of money for a bike looking obviously in so bad condition.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Any update? Just curios if you have been there to take a look at the bike?

My two cents as well, it looks shitty, and may be damaged.
If not damaged and after some TLC and new decals (at least newer are still available directly from Litespeed), the Frame alone is 500€ if not more worth.

So maybe still a good chance to get hold of something rare and nice. Obviously the seller may have a hard time to ask for a lot of money for a bike looking obviously in so bad condition.

Just got home a little bit ago.

Story time? Took my bike stand, derailleur hanger alignment tool, dropout alignment tool and my endoscope. Checked derailleur and dropout alingment; both were off, but nothing terrible or worrisome. Pointed out the rivnut and that is broken completely and rattles around the hole. I then wanted to get my endoscope down the seat tube to see of there was any cracking or nonsense with the seat post being too small. On the outside, the seat tube at the clamp and where this is welded to the top tube and stays were fine.

The Ringle seat post QR was heavily oxidized, but I can drop that in a little bit of lye and that will eat right off in a few seconds. The seat post and the asshattery used to keep the seat post in there (think athletic tape for wrapping hands) is nightmarish. The seat post is stuck in there and I had the seller stabilize the frame while we attempted to extract. Not budging.

Basically I told the guy he was dreaming on his price. I offered him a 100 bucks. He declined. Made up some justification to is pricing with the bike needing some new cables and the tires were good. I offered slightly more and told him all the parts were going in the trash and the seat post needs to be removed by a professional. We met on a price very very low, so the Litespeed has a new home!

 

[yakboy]

Well done...now the fun begins!