Valuation advice needed. Vitus/Lipscombe/Hansom/Moser/Holdsworth/Colnago/Merckx/Hetchins/KRF

[boy"O"boy]

Hi all.
Completely out of my bicycle knowledge comfort zone here, I'm normally over on the pre 97 mtb section.
I've offered to help out a family friend. He is the father of my brother in - law.
Now in his mid - eighties and no longer able to ride. Back in the 70's and 80's he was a successful amateur racer...mainly in South Africa but also in the Brentwood area on his return to the UK.
He is well aware that at some point he will have to sell his collection. No-one else in the family is really interested in his passion for classic road bikes and he has expressed that he'd like his legacy to go to collectors rather than end up as university/pub/hipster hacks.

At this point in time, he is looking to get true values before making any decisions. Like all good collectors, he is reluctant to let things go....afterall, these are his racing memories.
Each bike for him has a story....but as already said, he is also aware that he now needs to move some on.

Valuations for each bike as a whole please. Splitting for parts is not an option.

Again. Please remember that these are not my bikes. I'm offering to act as a negotiatior if he decides to sell. The owner has no email / interest in Internet / or even a mobile phone!

*Mods* if this is in the wrong place, could you relocate please?

There are 10 bikes in total.

Lets start with the 1st up.....

Vitus 979. 1980?
58 cm
Dura-ace 8spd
Mavic chainset
Campagnolo brakes and hubs








I have no knowledge of road, so please feel free to correct or add to my description. Any information you can add is more than welcome.

I'll add another bike each day to keep the thread going.

Thanks in advance
boy"O"boy

 

[vtwinvince]

With internal top tube routing I'd guess this a few years newer. Nice bike, and in my size, good thing I'm in Canada. Good luck with this initiative, pricing will depend on location, but in my market that's a desirable bike.

 

[TreaderSteve]

Sadly bikes like this seem to be a bit out of fashion. Yet pretty nice. The construction of it after these years might make someone a bit apprehensive? To me it looks bonded, with the age it might give someone the jitters? Somewhere a bit less than £250? Which is sad. (Especially when let's say £500 won't get you much brand new from a shop - not that I've looked recently mind). I see someone's made a post whilst I write - let's see what they reckon!

 

[synchronicity]

he has expressed that he'd like his legacy to go to collectors rather than end up as university/pub/hipster hacks.

 

[synchronicity]

Let's see the other bikes then.

 

[Gtpulse]

While the sum of the parts is a lot more I agree with @TreaderSteve about £250 if it were on the forum to a collector. EBay sold 979s vary from £575 down to £150, there is a variety of specs and conditions not reflected by the prices. Guess location/ability to post will have contributed to the gap in those values.

That one looks a nice spec and like it would clean up really well.

 

[mk one]

Let's see the other bikes then.

from original post -

I'll add another bike each week to keep the thread going.

 

[boy"O"boy]

With internal top tube routing I'd guess this a few years newer. Nice bike, and in my size, good thing I'm in Canada. Good luck with this initiative, pricing will depend on location, but in my market that's a desirable bike.

Hi. Thanks for the reply....Yes. it's a bit of an undertaking as my knowledge is limited in this field.
Should he choose to sell, I'm happy to help with shipping. I've explained to him that if you want the appreciative buyer/collector....they are most likely not going to be local.

Sadly bikes like this seem to be a bit out of fashion. Yet pretty nice. The construction of it after these years might make someone a bit apprehensive? To me it looks bonded, with the age it might give someone the jitters? Somewhere a bit less than £250? Which is sad. (Especially when let's say £500 won't get you much brand new from a shop - not that I've looked recently mind). I see someone's made a post whilst I write - let's see what they reckon!

Thanks for the reply Steve.
Suppose that's a fair point - do Road Dynatechs suffer from the same Stigma? - I can only relate to the Offroad ones....and my initial concerns were about debonding. That's a good starter price....

While the sum of the parts is a lot more I agree with @TreaderSteve about £250 if it were on the forum to a collector. EBay sold 979s vary from £575 down to £150, there is a variety of specs and conditions not reflected by the prices. Guess location/ability to post will have contributed to the gap in those values.

That one looks a nice spec and like it would clean up really well.

Cheers.
Sounds fair. Right in the middle.
The bikes are all complete and rideable....wether or not the specs are period correct, I haven't a clue. I can imagine that with the usage of these, they have been upgraded over time?
Yeah... they would all clean up well.

from original post -

Thanks Mark..... building the anticipation!!
To be fair to @synchronicity - I've just changed that to 'day' - I'd love to show them all in one go but as this isn't my field, I want to get the right pictures to match the description.
These are 150 miles away from my home so I can't get pictures until my next visit.....and the owner doesn't even own a mobile phone!

OK.
Next up. Again.... correct me if I'm wrong.

1964 Frank Lipscombe
23 1/2" lugged frame.
Campagnolo wheels and gears
TA chainset
Mafac brakes.












Cheers all.
All replies appreciated
More tomorrow

boy"O"boy

 

[synchronicity]

I'd like to see a video of this chap.
Sounds like a real character.

What were his exact words about not splitting the bikes up?

 

[boy"O"boy]

I'd like to see a video of this chap.
Sounds like a real character.

What were his exact words about not splitting the bikes up?

Yeah. He's a good fella. You can tell his passion for cycle racing when he's talking bikes, showing old photos. He can remember where he finished, what he was riding, who he raced against, where it was. Sharp as a die.

.....and he was very definate about not splitting.
These bikes are everything. It's tough for him to let them go. This is his racing past....seeing them broken up would really upset him.

Talking of passion.... This is the one that gets that sparkle in his eyes. His race bike from South Africa. Custom made... Loads of success on it.
It would also be the last one he would sell.

Hansom Super Prestige. 1980?
23" frame
Mavic groupset and wheels.











Cheers
Another tomorrow.

boy"O"boy