Dilemma: Raleigh Strada 62cm

[DCLane]

Having picked up a Raleigh Strada on Sunday, which was described as for parts and if not sold to be in a skip (which was outside the house) I've been surprised how original it was. The bike's got every original part bar the saddle, it's all working well and the only thing wrong was dirt/dust/lubrication and rotten brake hoods. Even the original bar tape's just grubby. This however is a 62cm frame, so only for very tall riders, which will limit the market. The Mavic MA2 wheelset's in excellent shape, as is the Shimano Sport LX groupset except for the brake hoods.

Having definitely been looked after at some point, the seller was clearing out to renovate. It's as page 4 here, except with a different saddle: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/d/104192-2/Raleigh+Lightweights+1989.pdf

Now my dilemma: when I sold my restored Raleigh Twenty the seller clearly bought it to strip down and sell as parts. I could have done that but didn't want to.

So ... knowing I'm not going to ride it (due to being a stumpy mixture of Saxon/Celt/Scandi) do I restore to original, tidy with replacement hoods and new chain/cables or strip and sell the parts?

My Olagnero's turned out to have a (very) seized seatpost, so I could transfer the groupset to that once it's out, leaving me with a frame and spare wheels. But ...

 

[raggydoll]

How much do you reckon you would get for it by selling as the complete bike?

 

[DCLane]

How much do you reckon you would get for it by selling as the complete bike?

Probably only £50-75 even after thorough cleaning and a new chain. Even with new hoods I'd be surprised if it makes £100.

I'd get £50-60, for the wheels, £60-100 for the groupset, £20 for the frame/seatpost/bars, £10-20 for the Look pedals.

That explains why my Raleigh Twenty purchaser travels the country buying up bikes, then stripping them down. I got £35 for a restored Twenty, they then made about £200 from selling it as parts to the retro Raleigh Chopper and BMX buyers

 

[raggydoll]

In that case I'd probably strip it and sell the parts.
Doesn't seem right stripping an old bike down but would be frustrating to put some work into it and sell it for £50 - £75 only for the new buyer to strip it down and make more money.

It is nuts that individual parts sell more than they do as a complete bike!

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Not much market for a bike that size whatever the condition.
More likely to sell as parts, but ebay fees are not friendly. You won't be able to retire off the proceeds.

 

[raggydoll]

I think in a weird way, if you knew the new (tall) buyer would keep it in tact and happily ride it for years to come you'd be happier to sell it as a complete bike though?

 

[midlife]

There used to be a ready market for MA2 wheels for the vintage scene as they resemble sprints/ tubs with the right clinchers. Recoup your money there?

 

[Cycleops]

Blimey the bloke that rode it must have been a giant, look where the seat post is.
i could ride that. If I was in the U.K. I’d be sorely tempted.

 

[I like Skol]

Strip it, nobody's going to ride anything that monstrously big so chances are it will get stripped for classic/retro parts by the next person anyway.

 

[DCLane]

Blimey the bloke that rode it must have been a giant, look where the seat post is.
i could ride that. If I was in the U.K. I’d be sorely tempted.

He was. It's not often I feel like one of the Seven Dwarves.

I think in a weird way, if you knew the new (tall) buyer would keep it in tact and happily ride it for years to come you'd be happier to sell it as a complete bike though?

Absolutely. Unfortunately I'm not sure there's many about who are at least 6' 3".

Strip it, nobody's going to ride anything that monstrously big so chances are it will get stripped for classic/retro parts by the next person anyway.

I guess that's the last resort, even if I hope not. It's sort of an XL/XXL frame, but a nice one.

 

[raleighnut]

He was. It's not often I feel like one of the Seven Dwarves.



Absolutely. Unfortunately I'm not sure there's many about who are at least 6' 3".



I guess that's the last resort, even if I hope not. It's sort of an XL/XXL frame, but a nice one.

I would have had it but Maz won't let me have any more bikes, the frame is the same size as my Road Ace

 

[T4tomo]

sell the parts.

you can always advertise the frame too if there is giant out there wanting one. its a reasonable frame in that its 531 main tubes, but not that special.

 

[midlife]

LFGSS have a section on large frames sale / wanted.

 

[GuyBoden]

Re: Frame size on vintage mass production bikes.

With a lot of the older steel framed mass production bikes, the top tube is the same length whatever the size, the difference was the seatpost length. So within reason, if you put the saddle lower you can ride them. The added bonus then is that the handle bar stem will then be higher too, which makes a better ride for old blokes, IMHO.

I don't know about this Strada, it look mid 1980's.

 

[curzons246]

Strip it, nobody's going to ride anything that monstrously big so chances are it will get stripped for classic/retro parts by the next person anyway.

All my road bikes are 62cm - 65cm. I'm 6'3" nothing out of the ordinary these days.