Used Bikes

2001 Litespeed Tuscany

2001 Litespeed Tuscany

If it were up to us, this bike would be a timeless representative for all of the high-tech metal bikes out there.

People really seem to like dates, however, so we’ll bow to pressure from the bike collector community and call this a 2001 Litespeed Tuscany road bike.

2005 seems more accurate to us. The frame hung on a bike shop display hook for 4 years, unbuilt. In 2005 our friend Michael bought the frame and then made it a working bicycle by installing the 2005 model year Campagnolo Record parts on it, inflating the tires and setting out on it’s first ride.

Like a lot of bikes, this one got some upgrades or just fresh replacement parts over the years. The Mavic Ksyrium wheels were purchased in 2007, the Fizik Arione saddle is from 2013 and the Campy compact crank was from 2017… And the rear innertube is from Wednesday.

head badge

Time carbon fork

Curved seatstays

We’re not sure what causes the stickiness surrounding model years in the bike world. A frame or complete bike might come out of the factory in 2001, labeled as a 2002 model. That same bike might sit on the floor at a bike shop until 2004, and be outfitted with parts from 1996 when it finally rolls down the street. Bicycles are not like cars where the ‘55 model had round headlights and a v-8 engine and then the ‘56 version was ruined with square headlights and a V-6.

Although sometimes context makes a difference… Unlike the 1999 model year, a 1997 Trek has no Lance Armstrong baggage.

A Litespeed titanium bike from the ‘80’s or ‘90’s was a bike connected to the Lynskey family who had created the brand and had been building titanium goodies since the beginning. A 2000 model year Litespeed was made after the Lynskeys sold the company.

Mavic Ksyrium SL

Campagnolo Record drivetrain

Fizik Arione saddle & Ti post

Elsewhere in this museum section we have a Litespeed Solano which we use to tell part of the 1990’s titanium story. The Solano was a good bike, but the graphics and design belong more to the “new” Litespeed rather than the Lynskey-owned Litespeed company that put titanium road bikes on the top of very performance cyclist’s wishlist in the 1990’s.

By the way, when you scroll through the pictures of this bike you’ll find white streaks and spots, photographic evidence that sometimes it does in fact snow in Seattle.

This 2001 model year 57cm Litespeed Tuscany is in good enough condition to be mistaken for a 2018 Lynskey. It’s for sale and can be yours for $2499

Used Charge Cooker 1 mountain bike

Used Charge Cooker 1 $979

This British Charge hardtail just crushes tight singletrack with great handling front-end geometry. You would think that the rigid front fork would leave you with squirrely handling, but in reality the meaty 27.5 x 2.8″ tires and dropper seatpost give you plenty of comfort and control as you roll over roots and rocks.
This one has a KS dropper seatpost, TRP hydraulic disc brakes, RaceFace cockpit components and the Shimano Deore 1 x 10 drivetrain.
This one is in new condition, really brand new.
It’s a medium size (good for a rider 5’5”-5’8” tall)
$979 with a free 90-day tune up and a year warranty.

Used Bianchi Advantage hybrid

Used Bianchi $229

You would think that there’s nothing special to say about this old hybrid bike. Wrong. I have plenty of things to say about it!

This is a steel Bianchi Advantage hybrid that’s about 25 years old. While the parts on the bike are a bit out of date (only 7 cogs on the rear cassette!), everything is in fantastic shape. In fact, it looks to us that this bike has about 50 miles on it.

The steel frame feels springy compared to modern aluminum bikes (and it’s lighter and better riding than modern low-cost steel bikes that are coming straight from China). the saddle is a comfortable gel one, and the tires and other consumable parts are in fresh condition.

This is a small to medium size and it will fit a rider between 5’4″ and 5’7″ tall the best. Only $229 with a full year warranty and one free tune-up.

Used Giant Defy Aluxx SL

Used Giant Defy $599

This is a used road bike from Giant’s Defy series of aluminum bikes. It’s light, comfortable, fast and user friendly. It comes well-equipped with reliable Shimano 105 and Tiagra parts as well as Shimano SPD pedals. The frame is designed so that it feels fast, but not too fast. Like most good sport bikes you can expect predictable and stable handling. The 105 components give you ten gear choices with the rear derailleur, and the bike has two chainrings up front on the FSA compact crankset. Light weight materials in the components and the front fork give you more speed with less effort as you ride than with other entry-level bikes.

This is a medium sized version designed for a rider between 5’6″ and 5’8″ tall, and it’s going for $599 (about half of what it would have been brand new) with a full year warranty and one free tune-up.

Used Trek Pure 7

Trek Pure $349

This is a fun bike. A Trek Pure. It looks like a beach cruiser (but it has gears and is easier to ride). It fits you like it’s a cross between a recumbent bike and a regular street bike. The saddle sits back over the rear wheel with the cranks far out front, and when you have the seat at the proper height you can still put your feet flat on the ground when you’re not pedaling.

This version would have run you about $650 bucks if it were brand new. You can buy it here (slightly used) with a full year warranty from us for only $349.

Used kids’ bikes

Used DB 12″

Norco 20 $149

DB 16 $109

Hotrock 20″ $179

Giant 24 $219

DB Viper $105

Trek Mt 200 in white

Used Hotrock 12

Raleigh MXR 20

Trek Mt 220 in red

Used Trek Mt. 60

Used Strider 16

Novara Duster $144

Used Kent 18

24” road bike $99

Hello Kitty 12”

Reid Roadster 16

Cannondale 20 $149

Used balance bike

Trek Mystic 16

Used Novara 16

We have a trade-up program for kids’ bikes, therefore we have used kids’ bikes for you to buy.

The selection varies, so check in here or visit the store to see what we have on hand.

Bikes with 12” wheels are for the littlest kids, usually 3 year olds. Bikes with 16” wheels work for the 4 to 5 year age range, 20” bikes for 5 to 7 year olds, and 24” wheeled biked take 7 or 8 year old kids all the way to 12 years (usually around 4’10” in height, at which point they graduate to adult bikes that are measured by frame size, not wheel size.

These bikes are usually ones that we originally sold, and lots of them even come with the original warranty.

We tune-up each bicycle to make sure that they are safe and ready for the next child to enjoy. Some bikes have new parts, and we stand behind all of our used bikes with a one year warranty.

Used Lynskey Road Bikes

58cm Sportive w/Ultegra 6800

Sometimes the garage gets a bit crowded and people trade in some fantastic bikes.
First up is a Lynskey Sportive outfitted with Shimano Ultegra 6800 components. In this instance the frameset is brand new (the former owner never got around to building it up), and the Ultegra parts came from one of our rental bikes. This one is a 58cm frame, which will fit a rider between 5’10″ and 6’1″ really well.

The second Lynskey is a 10 year old R230 that has the Shimano Ultegra triple group on it.

59cm Lynskey w/Ultegra triple group

This one has new Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels, Continental tires, a Chris King headset and True Temper Alpha Q carbon fork. This one is nearly the same size but with a top tube that is nearly horizontal. We’ll call this one a 59cm frame (but it’ll work for the same rider height range).

Either bike would have run well over $3500 when brand new but are now available (with a free tune-up and a year warranty) for $1899 each.

Used Trek Transport+ Electric Cargo Bike

Cargo bikes are awesome.

Used Trek Transport + electric $1099

The long wheelbases make them stable and easy to ride even when they are loaded down with heavy or bulky stuff.  Use them instead of your car.  You will find yourself looking around for bulky things to carry on your bike just for fun!  We sold a Trek Transport Plus to a farmer in Chimacum, and he uses the bike to haul produce to the farmers’ market in Port Townsend!

Right now we have a lightly used Trek cargo bike that is a steal of a deal.

This Trek Transport+ is well equipped. It rides great (it’s about 9 pounds lighter than a similar Yuba or Radpower model), and is only $1100 with a Bionx PL350 electric motor system, racks and a pannier included (it would have run $2600 brand new)!

Like all of our used bikes, this one comes all tuned up with any worn-out parts replaced and a full year warranty.

Used Norco Sight A7.3

Norco Sight 7.3 $1649

Yep. It’s a “used” bike.
This is a Norco Sight full suspension mountain bike. It came out of the box over 8 months ago, but it’s still pretty much new and a current model.
It is a trail 27.5′er with about 130mm of suspension travel in the back and 140mm up front with the Rockshox Yari fork. This bike has all of the bells and whistles. The bells: Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, WTB wheels with boost spacing, Sram NX 1 x 11 drivetrain. The whistles: Trans-X dropper seatpost, WTB Volt saddle, Maxxis Minnion tubeless tires.
This is a medium size bike, and will fit ideally for a rider between 5’5″ and 5’9″ tall. Brand new this bike would run you $2500. You can get this one, in “used” condition with a year warranty, for only $1649.

Used Specialized Fuse 29′er

Used Specialized Fuse 29 $1199

This hardtail will crush tight singletrack with great handling front-end geometry. With a 120mm travel Manitou Machete fork and meaty 29 x 2.4″ Continental Mountain King tires, this Specialized Fuse will roll over roots and rocks easily.
This one has boost-spacing on the hubs, thru-axles front and back for added safety and stiffness, a stealth dropper seatpost, and the Sram NX component group. If you were interested in using 27+ size wheels, they will fit, no problem.

This bike is in new condition, we mean really brand new.
It’s a small size, which is good for a rider 5’3”-5’7” tall.
$1199 with a free 90-day tune up and a year warranty.

Used Bowery Lane city bike

Bowery Lane $249

It’s not old… It’s Classic.

This is a new city bike from Bowery Lane Bicycles. It’s new, but it’s built like something from our museum. The frame is made out of steel tubing, the saddle is made out of leather, the grips are cork and the basket is wood. What’s more is that there’s only one gear, you pedal backwards to stop, and the bike comes with a kickstand, fenders and a bell.

All yours for only $249.

Used Trek SLR Road Bike

Used 62cm Trek SLR $599

If you’re looking for a good road bike and you happen to be over 6′ tall, we have a great option for you.
This is a Trek SLR, which is a really versatile and well built road bike. Brand new this bike would cost around $1600. Since this one is used, we’re selling it for only $599.
This particular bike is about 10 model years old and it’s the 62cm size. It has been tuned-up and comes with Shimano 105 drivetrain parts. The chain, cassette, bottom bracket and rear derailleur pulleys are fresh. The crank is a double, so you get 18 gears in total, and the bike also comes with a carbon fiber seatpost. The frame is made from butted aluminum tubing and you get a matching carbon fork.

Used Specialized Ruby Expert

Ruby Expert Di2

This is a fairly new medium-sized Specialized Ruby Expert. It’s built around a comfortable, light and fast carbon fiber frameset. For parts you get Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic shifting, DT Swiss wheels, a Specialized Jett saddle, carbon seatpost and a flat-top handlebar. A very high-performance bike, this one would have run about $5000 dollars when it was brand new.

This medium size bike (with a 53cm top tube) is most appropriate for a rider between 5’5″ and 5’8″ tall. You can grab this one before someone else snags it for only $2499

1997 Bontrager Privateer Comp

1997 Bontrager Privateer Comp

Take a trip back to 1997 on this Bontrager Privateer.

This is a light, nimble and efficient mountain bike. Nimble and efficient aren’t attributes ascribed to many mountain bikes these days. New mountain bikes have gone the way of the monster truck, with suspension and tire sizes that simply crush trail obstacles instead of making it fun to pick your way around and over the rocks and roots.
Consider this bike like you would a new “Gravel Bike”. Think of yourself riding out of your driveway, down the street a mile or so to the trailhead. Logging roads and “easy” trails are still in play on a bike like this one, not boring stretches that have to be endured until you get to the downhill (like on your 6″ travel full suspension enduro bike). When you do get to the stretch of technical trails you can relive the white-knuckle exhilaration that we all used to feel while riding our ’90′s era mountain bikes OR you can simply slow down and take the park trails at speeds that won’t get your (or the bike’s) abilities overextended.

Air cartridges that still work!

This old Bontrager is in great shape. It has fresh brakes and drivetrain parts (Shimano Deore XT). The wheels and tires look new, and the vintage Manitou fork still works! It seems incredible that 20 year-old elastomer fork would be anything but a worthless piece of mush, but there’s a surprise that explains it all: This fork had elastomers that were thrown out, replaced with Englund adjustable air cartridges when the fork was new, and those cartridges work great and turned out to be super durable! Who knew?

Anyway, this is a medium size bike (18″) and will work best for a rider between 5’6″ and 5’8″ tall. It’s all yours for $749

Used 54cm Orbea Orca carbon

Orbea Orca $1199

A carbon fiber Orbea Orca with Shimano Dura-Ace components for $1199. Your reason for wanting the brand new aluminum bike with Sora equipment was the disc brakes? Let’s think about this.

The new bike with disc brakes weighs 26 pounds. This one weighs 16. The new bike has an aluminum frame that’s plenty stiff, almost the same as this Orbea, but it doesn’t have the shock absorption or the long-term durability of carbon fiber. New Shimano Sora parts work pretty well, almost as well as ten-year-old Dura-Ace, but you only get 8 gears on the back wheel, not 10.
The point is: why not buy a used bike? You get a lot more for the money. This one has new cables, bar tape, chain, cassette, saddle, brakes and tires. This bike is a 54cm size, so it’s about right for a rider between 5’5″ and 5’8″ tall. It comes with a year warranty and it’s only $1199.

Used Specialized Tarmac

Used 58cm Tarmac $1699

When your doctor tells you that you need to be getting more fiber, do you think that more carbon fiber is what she means?

This carbon fiber Specialized Tarmac will certainly improve your health if you ride it enough.

This is a ten year old Tarmac model that is outfitted with all of the goodies. With this bike you get Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels, Shimano Dura-Ace components, an FSA carbon crankset and Specialized carbon fiber bars, stem and seatpost. The whole bike is in pretty fresh condition and it has new brake pads, chain and tires.

carbon stem and bars

Dura-Ace and FSA

FSA carbon post

The frame is a 58cm size and it will fit a rider between 5’10″ and 6’1″ tall really well. It’ll come with a full year warranty and a free tune-up. The best thing is that it’s half the original price at only $1699.

Used Specialized Sequoia Elite

Specialized Sequoia Elite

While we have to call this a “used” bike as it was just traded in, It’s new enough that you can probably still find it on the floor at some Specialized dealers…

This is a 2017 Sequoia Elite, a touring/gravel/commuter bike from Specialized.

Like a lot of touring rigs you get a cromoly steel frame with a whole bunch of attachment points for racks, fenders, stuff sacks and bottle cages. Like most gravel bikes you have clearance to fit wide tires, in this case you could roll around on two-inch wide knobbies from your mountain bike if the mood strikes you. Like all good commuter bikes this one comes with hydraulic disc brakes and durable drivetrain parts (FSA super compact crank, Shimano 105 derailleurs).

This is a 56cm frame size and should fit a rider between 5’8” and 5’10” tall the best. Brand new we’d be talking around $2100 for this bike. Buy it now with a year warranty and one free tune-up for only $1599.

Used Specialized Dolce

Used Specialized Dolce $499

This is a 2014 Specialized Dolce.  It has a mix of Shimano 2300 and Sora equipment on it, SPD pedals and light aerodynamic wheels.  The frame is made out of butted aluminum tubing and features a carbon fiber fork and seatpost. It originally rolled out the door with for about $1000.

It’s a steal at $499.  A nice size for a cyclist between 5’2″ and 5’5″ tall.

Used fun (and reliable) transportation

Okay, this section doesn’t contain the most exciting bikes (if you judge bikes by current marketing buzzwords) but they have a lot of fun features to offer:

Trek 820 $199

Scattante Americano

1949 Schwinn $149

Trek 820 $199

Trek Allance $199

Used Mt. Tek $199

Novara Aspen $199

Nishiki Tri-A $169

Norco mtb $199

These bikes are easy to afford! Every bike in this section is less than $200 (or what you currently spend on Uber and Lime rental bikes in two months).

These bikes are fast and easy to ride (again, these bikes average about half the weight of a Lime bike).

Nobody is likely to steal one of these (paint chips and old styling save the day)!

These bikes work! All of our used bikes get a complete overhaul before we sell them. Worn-out parts are replaced, and we stand behind our used bikes with a full year warranty.

Used Novara Hybrid

Novara Jaunt $279

We have a nice Novara hybrid bike available.
It probably sounds like a used car cliché to suggest that this bike was ridden just a couple of times and put in the back of the garage, but that’s what it looks like.
Great for cruising around your neighborhood. Terrific for riding to work, school or to the grocery store. The parts are reliable and the aluminum frame will provide a nice comfortable ride.
This is a small size. The bike should work for riders between 4’10” and 5’4″ tall.
The equipment on this bike is mid-range and only lightly used (it could pass for new), but you’ll still save a hundred bucks over buying one of these brand new. It’s only $279.

Used Salsa Casseroll touring bike

Salsa Casseroll $849

Here it is. The gold standard of loaded touring bikes, the Salsa Casseroll.
This bike is designed to handle predictably whether it’s packed up with 70 pounds of gear or stripped down like you see it. It’s equipped with components that will perform reliably for years under the worst conditions.
The steel frame was made in Taiwan, the gearing was selected to handle the Rocky Mountains, and the bike will accommodate Pacific Northwest fenders.
This bike is a 59cm size, and it should fit a rider between 5’10” and 6’2” quite well. When new this bike cost about $1800. Buy it now with a full year warranty for only $849.

Spezzotto Custom

Spezzotto custom $1499

The name Spezzotto has been kicking around the Italian bike racing world for a long time.
There was a bike mechanic named Ricardo Spezzotto who worked in the Treviso area in the 1920′s. We think it was Ricardo’s son Antonio Spezzotto who opened a bike shop in Conegliano in the 1950′s. We know for sure that in the 1970′s a second-tier pro team G.S. Serrande raced around on Spezzotto bikes. It’s a fact that today you could walk into Cicli Spezzotto if you’re in the Treviso area and roll out with a new bike.

Chorus crankset

Columbus tubing

Campy Neutron wheels

Want a Spezzotto road bike but don’t want to walk all the way to Italy? You can walk into our shop and roll out with one now.

This frame was a trade-in. It was made in the early ’90′s of Columbus Aluthron aluminum tubing, and it will fit a rider in the 5’5″ to 5’7″ height range quite well.

Record carbon levers

Record carbon derailleur

We built the bike with a mix of Campagnolo Chorus and Record equipment, it has Campy Neutron model wheels and a Soma highway one handlebar. While it looks like a bit of a vintage ride, the materials and design are quite modern. You get a compact crankset so the gearing is pretty easy on the hills, and with all of the carbon fiber bits and pieces the bike end up weighing only 18 pounds. Oh, and it will only set you back $1500.

Used Colnago C50

Used Colnago C50 56cm

Here is another Colnago C50 trade-in. This is one Colnago calls a 52sl size, which means that it is 56cm bike with a sloping top tube. It’s well suited for a rider in the 5’9” to 5’11” height range.
This one comes equipped with a Campagnolo Record component group with a compact crankset, carbon fiber crankarms, shifters, and derailleur pieces. You get some pretty flashy Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels with this bike, wheels that are as strong and stiff as they are light.

The cockpit components include a Chris King headset, Deda handlebars and stem, an American Classic seatpost and a Fizik Antares saddle with some nice red accents.

C50 front details

King headset

American Classic Post

Campagnolo Record

Fulcrum wheels

Record calipers

Racing bikes don’t generally get sold in used condition like this (It looks unused).  A former bike shop owner had a couple of these bikes, and he took very good care of them.
This bike can be yours for $3199 (again, about $5000 less than brand new). It comes with a year warranty from Classic Cycle, and a personal guarantee that you’ll never ride a bike that’s more fantastic than this one.

1989 Ritchey Ascent Comp

1989 Ritchey Ascent Comp

I have always been a Ritchey fan.

Just like the road bike aficionado who fell into Colnago, De Rosa, Pinarello or Eddy Merckx camps, early mountain bikers tended to be Gary Klein, Tom Ritchey, Gary Fisher or Salsa (Ross Schafer) boosters. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you rode one of these bikes, it just means that you wanted to.

To be a Ritchey fan meant an appreciation for early West-Coast mountain bike design. Elements like slack head tube angles, forks with a lot of rake, oversized (and force-directional) Japanese steel tubing, wide Bullmoose handlebars and fillet-brazed frame joints are all in fact either Ritchey firsts or ideas that Tom championed.

XT Thumb shifters

Front end

Deore XT M732

This Ascent Comp is a beautiful example of late ’80′s mountain bike cool. The bike rides smoothly over rough trails thanks to the aforementioned force-directional Tange steel tubing and slack frame angles. There’s no bullmoose-style handlebar, but there is a Ritchey Force stem with an integrated cable hanger and a 22″ wide Force bar. The components are all modern marvels.

Built by Tom

Back end

Deore XT M732

The Shimano Deore XT M732 shifters are indexed (7 speeds in the back!), the brake levers operate with two fingers instead of your whole hand, the rear hub holds a cassette of cogs instead of a screw-on freewheel, and the chainrings are oval Biopace shape (or were. We changed them out for round ones).
This bike is also outfitted with the original Shimano off-road clipless pedal, the M-737. No toe clips? We’re probably more nostalgic about old bikes than anyone, but toe clips and straps were awful, so a vintage SPD pedal for your vintage mountain bike is really the best way to go.

If you’re a Ritchey fan like we are, this bike can be yours. This Ascent Comp is a 20″ size, so it’ll fit a rider between 5’7″ and 5’10″ the best. It’s in great shape and it’s about half the price that you’ll find on Ebay for something similar at only $1399

Used 56cm Colnago C50

Used 56cm Colnago C50 $3000

Here is another Colnago C50 trade-in. This is one is a traditional (horizontal top tube) 56cm size, well suited for a rider in the 5’9” to 5’11” height range.

This one comes equipped with a Campagnolo Record component group with a compact crankset. You get carbon fiber all over the place with carbon crankarms, shifters, and derailleur pieces. Since this all-black frame has a somewhat traditional look to it, the traditionally styled wheels with Campy Record hubs laced into Mavic Open Pro ceramic rims are a good match.

Record ergo levers

C50 front end

Carbon stem

Record calipers

Record parts

Mavic Open Pro rims

The cockpit components include an FSA headset, Specialized S-Works carbon stem, Cinelli bars, Campagnolo Chorus titanium seatpost and a Fizik Arione Kurve saddle.

This bike can be had for $3000 (again, about $5000 less than brand new). It comes with a year warranty from the shop and a personal lifetime guarantee that you’ll never ride a better road bike than this one.

Used Cinelli Saetta Carbon

Cinelli carbon $1399

Wow, if you’re 5’8″-5’11″ tall and you’re looking for a high performance road bike, your options are pretty good at the shop right now.

Adding to the vintage Torelli, the Colnagos and the used Giant carbon we now have a 56cm Cinelli Saetta carbon that was just traded in.

The bike is in great shape.  The beautiful carbon frame sports a Shimano 105 component group along with a carbon seat post, Cinelli ti rail saddle and an FSA Gossamer crankset. Brand new this bike sold for $2300.  If you have $1399 burning a hole in your pocket, this cool Italian carbon bike can be yours today.

Used Colnago C50

Used Colnago C50 $2799

We actually have 3 pre-owned Colnago C50s right now.  No kidding.

Bikes that we have described as being “the best ever made” and people traded their beloved Colnagos in?

Well, sometimes you just have too many bikes in the garage.

So our first version is a 54cm frame size bike from 2004.

The hand-built Italian carbon fiber frame is outfitted with a Sram Red component group and comes with a new cassette, chainrings and chain as well as a new saddle, cables, handlebar tape and brake lever hoods.

You get really new Zipp 101 clincher wheels (with tires that are still pretty fresh), a green Chris King headset, an FSA carbon fiber handlebar (42cm) and a Thomson seatpost.

The best

FSA carbon bars

Sram Red components

Chris King headset

Sram Red

New cassette and chain

This 54cm bike fits a rider between 5’6” and 5’8” the best. It comes with a full year warranty from Classic Cycle, and a personal lifetime guarantee that it’s awesome.

The bike weighs in at 14 1/2 pounds, and it’s all yours for $2800 (that’s $5000 less than what this puppy would have cost brand new).

1997 Bontrager Race Lite

Vintage Bontrager Race Lite

It probably isn’t fair to Trek, but there is a group of modern classic bikes today that hold their value better simply because they came along “Before Trek ruined things”.

Have an old Klein mountain or road bike? The versions that were made before Trek took over the company are worth a lot more than the ones that came after.

Looking for a LeMond racing bike? You’re probably interested in finding a LeMond-badged bike that TVT, Clark Kent or Calfee made, not something that Trek produced following their mid-‘90’s deal with Greg.

Vintage Gary Fisher mountain bikes are almost all pre-Trek, as the label was killed off almost immediately after Trek hired/merged with/bought out Gary Fisher.

Marzocci Bomber

1997 Deore XT

Bontrager dropouts

Keith Bontrager’s bikes? Pre-Trek Bontragers have certainly held their value better than anything Bontrager-badged after being hired/bought out by Trek in 1995. There are a couple of transition years, however, where the Bontrager frame shop in Santa Cruz operated under the Trek umbrella and still produced some fabulous bikes.
Really, Keith Bontrager is the only bike industry icon that survived a Trek takeover with his legacy pretty much intact.

Bontrager is a brilliant engineer who came into the bike world from motorcycles in the late ‘70’s. Utilizing his experience as a motocross mechanic (and his physics degree), Bontrager bikes began with custom mountain bike rims and steel frames. Bontrager steel frames have strong joints augmented by load-distributing gussets and sometimes with mechanically joined (via rivets & glue) attachment points for derailleurs, cables or bottle cages instead of brazing. This was an attempt to reduce the weakening effect of repeatedly heating and cooling the steel tubing when welding these areas. Bontrager’s frames had seat stays made with larger diameter tubing in the upper area which added torsional stiffness around the brake-bosses joined to lighter and more flexible tubing below the brakes to add greater bump compliance.

V-brakes

Tubing gussets

USE post

This bike came out of Keith’s Santa Cruz workshop during the early years of his work with Trek. It’s built of steel tubing (naturally), and displays all of the signature Bontrager reinforcements and design touches. The Shimano Deore XT equipment, Marzocci coil-sprung Bomber fork, USE suspension seat post and the low, flat handlebars are all popular mountain bike specs of the era.

Today, Bontrager’s name is stamped on most of the parts and accessories made by the Trek company. Keith probably still has a hand in designing a fair amount of the components (their handlebars and wheels are brilliant) but we doubt Keith has any say in the design of Bontrager cycling socks, bells or baskets.

Always wanted a steel Bontrager mountain bike? Now’s your chance. This one is available (18.5” frame, for a 5’7”-5’9” rider), and it’s only $949.

Used 61cm DeBernari Road Bike

61cm De Bernardi

How about a nice Italian road bike?

If you’re between 6’ and 6’4” tall, we have a good option for you. This is a DeBernardi road bike that was new sometime in the late 1980’s. It has a mix of Campagnolo components on it, Veloce derailleurs and shifters from about 1991 with a Record crankset and bottom bracket that are from the late 1990’s.

The handlebars and stem are real gems. They’re Modolo Master SSC models, really the coolest stuff you could have put on your bike 30 years ago.

DeBernardi badge

Modolo SSC

Frame detail

Record crankset

Regal style saddle

Veloce

The frameset displays some great construction techniques from DeBernardi, a frame builder with a reputation for perfect alignment and nice finishing work. The frame tubing is Columbus SLX cromoly pipes that are silver brazed into custom lugs. Nice work all around.

If you’re tall enough to ride it, it’s yours. Only $849

1980 Bob Jackson

1980 Bob Jackson custom

Italian and French racing bikes have always had a fair amount of prestige. There’s no denying their cycling pedigree. Keep in mind though, when you think about the most famous racers and their bikes from the last century, they weren’t all Italian or French. The British have had some fantastic bicycle builders and great racers and racing stories to tell as well.

Raleigh, known for their city bikes as much as racing bikes, lead the pack simply by backing the TI-Raleigh racing team of the late ‘70’s. Craft labels like Claud Butler, Hetchins, Bates, BSA, Jack Taylor, Trevor Jarvis and the Flying Scots were all present and have all played a part in the British cycling epic.

Campagnolo housing stop

Record crankset

Campy bar-end shifters

Bob Jackson bicycles started rolling in 1935 when J. Robert. Jackson opened “J.R.J. Cycles”. There was a short gap in the company history as Bob served in the Royal Air Force during WWII, and then his brand really developed in the post war years with bikes labeled as “Merlins” and “JRJ Cycles”. These bikes were well crafted, as fine as anything an amateur cyclist could have ridden from the continent. Bob Jackson’s work came in a few different guises. If you ride an old Hetchins frame you may be enjoying some of Bob’s handiwork as he did some contract constuction for Hetchins as well as other British brands.

“Il Primo Extra Giro di Sicilia”

Record calipers

What else? A Nuovo Record derailleur

This is a custom Bob Jackson from around 1980. Like most enthusiast bikes from the time, this one is outfitted with Campagnolo Nuovo Record parts. British bikes always seem to have a custom touch or two that make them more practical bikes than others. Matching fenders or a custom rack or a light system. This bike has Campagnolo bar-end shifters instead of the standard downtube-mounted options, and it comes with a custom Silca pump.

That saddle looks like it needs to be tightened up a bit

Wood veneer wrapped head tube

Wood veneer wrapped Silca frame pump

Thin wood veneer is wrapped around the pump shaft and around the tall headtube of this bike, lending the bike sophistication not unlike that of a wooden dashboard in a luxury car.

Jeff is selling this 63cm beauty. If you’re tall enough, this Bob Jackson custom can be yours for only $1000

Used Civia Loring i9

Civia Loring $649

The Civia Loring is like a station wagon.

As a kid I bet you swore that you would never drive a mini van or a station wagon.  You resisted utility for years, just stuffing IKEA purchases into the back of your Mazda Miata. Maybe borrowed your neighbor’s pickup.  At some point it became untenable. You had a couple of kids.  Probably got a black lab named “Scooter”.  A gear-intensive job or hobby meant that you had to haul a lot of stuff all over the place, and before you knew it, you became a station wagon owner (well, “sport crossover” or whatever they’re calling them now).  I bet you love that utility vehicle.

The Loring is like a station wagon.  It looks like the bike you swore you’d never own, heck it even has the wood veneer like an ‘80’s Oldsmobile.
But damn is it practical!  An upright riding position, a comfortable saddle and a chainguard means that you can ride it in regular clothes.  It has fenders to keep you clean and dry when the roads are wet.  It comes with a kickstand, so you always have a place to park it.  The luggage racks and basket mean that you can easily carry stuff with you as you ride.  Disc brakes mean that it will stop reliably, and the 9-speed hub shifter lets you pedal comfortably up the hills when hauling groceries. It even has a cup holder for your coffee.

I bet you’ll love this bike.

This one’s a small to medium size, good for someone 5’1” to 5’9” tall. And only $649.

1984 Faggin

1984 Faggin 60cm

Leandro Faggin was an Italian bike racer who died young in 1970. Leandro was notable for being a World Champion on a couple of occasions and for winning gold medals at the 1956 Olympic Games.

The Faggin racing bikes that honor Leandro’s name were fast too.

This is a model from the mid ‘80’s. The styling and component choices are typical for Italian bikes built between ‘75 and ‘85. There is a lot of Campagnolo going on with this bike from the Nuovo Record crankset and seatpost to the Super Record derailleur and the Victory brake calipers.

The frame is silver-brazed into cast lugs and is made (of course) from Italian Columbus tubing. In this case the Columbus pipes are the sweet riding SL cromoly tube set.

Faggin Badge

Fork crown

Eroica ride ready

This is a no-nonsense road bike from the ‘80’s. The handlebars are Cinelli 65’s. The tires are sew-ups which are glued to aero rims for maximum speed. The saddle is a Brooks for maximum comfort. The handlebar tape is cotton cloth. The toe straps are leather. The 2-bolt Campy Nuovo Record seat post is minutely adjustable and maximally annoying to tighten unless you had the Campagnolo dogleg saddle tool on your workbench.

Record crankset

The original “Super Record”

Campy post, Brooks saddle

To have an obscure Italian racing bike in ‘80’s America meant you were part of a secret club. You were part of a club that knew the old world secrets to bike racing that somebody pedaling a Centurion would never know. You knew about riding echelons in crosswinds. You understood the difference between embroication and chamois cream. You belonged to the Francesco Moser fan club and you wore your cycling cap just right.
Sometimes a bike brand isn’t just a bike brand.

If you want to belong to the secret club yourself, this bike is for sale. It’s the perfect choice for the California Eroica ride next April. It’s a 60cm frame, and should work for a rider between 6’ and 6’3” tall quite well. All yours for only $899.

Used Novara Carema road bike

Used Novara Carema $599

A very sporty and versatile road bike. This Novara Carema is a mid-level model, originally around $1500. It’s about 8 years old, and it hasn’t been used very much. You get a light aluminum frame and a Columbus carbon fiber fork.

The components are Shimano Tiagra parts with a compact crankset (20 speeds!), and the bike rolls around on Bontrager Race X Lite wheels and Continental Gatorskin tires.

This is a small to medium size frame, and it will fit a rider between 5’3” and 5’6” the best.  It’s all yours for only $599

1992 Trek 9500 Suspension Mountain Bike

1992 Trek 9500 mountain bike

As of today, mountain bikes have been around for only about thirty-five years.  Design-wise, there has been quite a bit of progress in that short amount of time.

This Trek 9500 from 1992 shows us some great leaps forward as well as some serious stumbles in mountain bike evolution.

Highlights include Shimano’s first edition XTR mountain bike component group.  The engineering was superb, the cold-forged components were built to last for decades, and this group included many fantastic features like rapid-fire trigger shifting that we still use today.

Trek’s DDS3 suspension fork had some nice touches too. It used a schraeder valve to fill the air chambers unlike Rock Shox’s needle valve of the time, and the adjustable air-sprung fork was closer to what we use now than the brief bike industry-wide foray into elastomer bumper forks.

DDS3 suspension fork

The donut stack was temperature sensitive

The first XTR derailleur

We’ll give Trek a small break as we describe the rear suspension design (since it was designed in 1991), but we still need to give the Wisconsin based company some grief. The spring unit attached to the swing arm was made out of urethane donuts… Which was obviously temperature sensitive… Which should have been clear to anyone designing a bike in a place that reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and twenty below zero in the winter. So obviously the rear suspension reacted differently in different weather. Sometimes it felt like a rigid frame (with something seriously wrong) and sometimes it felt like the tires had just gone flat (and wouldn’t spring back).

A long stretch

Front end detail

Trek badge

Overall, the bike bobbed a bit like an inch-worm with little spring rebound control and no suspension isolation from pedaling forces… But it was a decent first attempt.

This bike came from Reliable Cycle, our Classic Cycle satellite store in the Rolling Bay neighborhood on Bainbridge Island.  This bike was part of the regular inventory, and it got folded into the museum collection when the store closed in 1998.

Want to own one of Trek’s more embarrassing designs (with Shimano’s most beautiful XTR component groups on it)? All yours for $1500

Used Trek Shift 3

Used Shift 3 $439

Trek recreation bikes are built to just hop on and go riding.

Trek designed this bike so that It could be ridden comfortably in regular clothing.  The seat has ample cushion, so there is no need for padded bike shorts.  The grips feel right without gloves, and the chainguard keeps your pants from getting snagged in the works.  An upright position and stable handling makes this bike work well for a new bike rider or someone who wants to pay attention to the scenery, not to their aching neck.

The Shift 3 uses bigger cruiser-sized tires (think mountain bike tires, but smoother) to give the bike a soft and stable ride.

A lot of people think that they want a beach cruiser bike for roaming around the neighborhood.  A great idea, but beach cruisers are not ideal for the Puget Sound region.  Beach cruisers typically have a single speed (which makes it tough to climb up hills), swept-back bars (which make the bike hard to control if you get up out of the saddle) and coaster brakes (which don’t offer enough stopping power on hilly terrain or wet streets).  Don’t buy a beach cruiser.  Buy this Shift 3. It’s in nearly new condition, and it’s $220 less than new, only $439.

Used Specialized Tarmac SL4

Used 56cm Tarmac SL4

We could probably call this a new bike and nobody would bat at eye.

It’s a Specialized Tarmac from 7 or 8 years ago.  It’s a large frame (56cm) and should fit someone between 5’9″ and 5’11″ quite well.  The frame is all carbon fiber, as is the stem, handlebars, seatpost and crankset.  Most of the components are Sram Red 22, and the wheels are Mavic Ksyrium SLs.  When this bike was brand new it would have gone for around $7500.

We think that the best thing about this Tarmac is that you don’t have to walk into a Specialized dealer’s bike shop to get it.  You can get it from us.

All yours for only $2499.

Torelli 20th Anniversary bike

20th Anniversary Torelli road bike

It might take an extra second or two, but I’d bet that people who are color blind can still figure out where this racing bike was built.

This is a very Italian Torelli racing bike built in 2002 to commemorate the 20 years that had passed for Torelli in the bicycle design and import business.

Would you believe that Fausto Torelli, a wizened old hermit living in the Dolomite mountains forged the bike frame from spent shell casings left over from World War II?
No? Good. That kind of mythology does nothing to convey the fabulous blend of new technology, refined materials and decades of experience that went into the construction of this bike.

Mondonico steel fork

Torelli badge

Campagnolo Chorus parts

Antonio Mondonico silver-brazed the Columbus EL nivacrom steel tubing into custom lugs following a trip to Torelli dealers in the United States. While on the trip, customers for this limited batch of 100 bikes were sized up, their component preferences were noted, and their tolerance for flashy Italian flag-themed paint jobs was measured.

Antonio’s autograph

20 years, 1981 to 2001

Number 2 of 100

Torelli, an importer dealing with any bike related items that are particularly fantastic, helped with the parts. The drivetrain is all Campy Chorus. The Campagnolo Chorus parts kit eschewed carbon fiber, instead proudly boasting the cold-forged aluminum construction that made the Italian brand so iconic.

Modular hubs

Torelli stem, Cinelli tape

Chorus post, Torelli saddle

The hubs, built in Italy and re-labeled as Torelli, are amazing. Besides spinning smoothly and holding the wheels together like good hubs are supposed to, these things have flanges that screw off so that colors can be changed and spoke counts can be different without buying new parts.

The rest of the parts are a showcase of the great stuff that Bill McGann (the Torelli founder) could source from Italy and other cycling hotbeds. There are Torelli-badged tires (probably made by Vittoria), Torelli saddle (Selle San Marco or Selle Italia), and Cinelli bar tape. The wheels are made with Torelli rims (made by Ambrosio), and a stem that looks an awful lot like a Ritchey to us.

If you’re 5’10” to 6’ tall (this bike has a 58cm frame) you may want to buy this awesome Italian gem. It’s only $2400 now. We may even be able to find the commemorative jersey that goes with it.

Used Colnago CX Zero

Used 52sl (56cm) CX Zero $2899

A Colnago that can handle fenders!

Well, that’s not really all that the CX Zero is about, but it is pretty awesome that you can put fenders on this bike and keep rolling through the winter around here.

The CX Zero was the bike that Ernesto Colnago developed in 2015 for his sponsored racing teams to use in the cobbled springtime classics.  Besides being designed around 28mm wide tires, the frame was built to absorb a tremendous amount of road shock.  The wheelbase is a tiny bit longer than the rest of Colnago’s line, so the ride is even more stable than the usually stellar Colnago design, and the position on the bike is just a little more comfortable with the CX Zero’s short top tube.

If you have always wanted a Colnago but have been afraid that you’d get a bike that is too racy or stiff, fear no more. While it’s true that this bike was designed with racing in mind (and it does handle like a real Colnago), this bike is easy on your body. Call it a racing bike for rough roads and bad backs.

The best thing? That this is a used bike that’s been traded in. the parts are terrific. It’s outfitted with a Sram force component group and Reynolds carbon wheels. The disc brakes are TRP hydraulic versions, and you get a Deda handlebar and stem.  Brand new this bike would have run $5600.  You can buy it now (still in nearly new condition) for $2899.

This is a 56cm size, so it will work best for a rider between 5’8″ and 5’10″ tall.

1988 Eddy Merckx Corsa

1988 Eddy Merckx Corsa

This Eddy Merckx Corsa is the absolute perfect bike for an American racing fan of a certain age. If you happened to be into bike racing in the 1980’s and early ‘90’s you already know why. For everyone else who wants to know, I’ll try to explain.

First of all, Eddy Merckx was the greatest bike racer who ever lived, and upon retiring from the circuit in 1980 Eddy started his eponymous bike brand. Eddy Merckx Cycles quickly became one of the most prestigious labels out there.

Now, if Eddy’s name and reputation wasn’t enough to draw you in, sponsorship of the Panasonic racing team in 1986 and 1987 might be. Panasonic was a Belgian team, true, but the team had Australian Phil Anderson on it, and during Greg LeMond’s 1987 absence from bike racing Phil was likely your guy.

“E” Merckx decals to avoid confusion with other guys named Merck out there

Flat-crown fork

Dura-Ace AX seatpost

It could be that in those years an American bike racing fan would get behind 7-Eleven Team riders Andy Hampsten or Davis Phinney. So what did 7-Eleven ride? You guessed it. 7-Eleven rode Eddy Merckx bikes (bikes that were outfitted with Shimano and Cinelli parts in almost exactly the same way as this one).

7400 front derailleur

Modern Dura-Ace

Dura-Ace 7400 derailleur

Of course, the paint on this bike isn’t 7-Eleven green & red, and it’s not quite Panasonic blue & white. Nope, this one is a patriotic American in red, white & blue (which is almost better).

Skip ahead to 1991 and the 7-Eleven team switches title sponsorship to become the Motorola team. The team bikes are this exact color scheme. Phil Anderson, Andy Hampsten, Davis Phinney and a young Lance Armstrong all ride bikes that look like this one. Perfect!

Cinelli XA stem, #66 bars

Non-aero brake cable option

Single-pivot brakes

Some other awesome things about this bike is of course the parts. It has Shimano Dura-Ace 7400 components that are modern and traditional at the same time. The parts are new enough to give you indexed shifting but the bike’s old enough that the shifters are still on the frame. You get a futuristic “aero” seatpost and the rear hub features the modern “cassette” freewheel option, but the handlebars and stem are classic Cinelli (classic because these models remained available for about 40 continuous years).

Downtube “click” shifting

Look’s original “clipless” pedals

The brake levers have the traditional cable-out-the-top routing, and the tires are sew-ups (the traditional racers’ choice) but the pedals changed the game. They’re the original Look ski-binding style that made toe-clips obsolete and were first introduced by Greg LeMond.

Sure, the frame is the “Corsa”, not the “Corsa Extra” that the more powerful racers used, but that’s alright. It’s built with the flexible Columbus SL tubing instead of the super stout SLX, a distinction that makes pretending you’re a pro all the more comfortable.

I lived and breathed bike racing in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, and this bike would have been the perfect ride had I thought of it back then.

Are you 5’10”-6’ tall and a nostalgic bike racing fan? Buy this bike. You know you want it. Only $1988

Cannondale SR 800 road bike

Used Cannondale SR800 60cm $399

It’s been 25 years since this was the latest and greatest road bike that Cannondale had to offer, but all of those years haven’t diminished what is a fast and fun road bike.

This one is in new condition, with a Shimano 600 Ultegra component group that has almost no wear. You get a fairly light and stiff aluminum frame, and beautiful paint that won’t betray the bike’s age.

60cm size (with a 58cm top tube) Good for a rider who’s over 5’11” tall. $399

Used Scattante Single-Speed

Scattante Americano

Do you like simple choices? Yes or no? How about a bike that goes when you pedal it and stops when you pull on the brake levers. No need to adjust or figure out how to work your shifters. This Scattante Americano is simple and a great reponse to excessive technology.

This bike has a snappy and strong steel frame, road-style handlebars, a new crankset and chain, and a flip-flop rear hub that lets you choose between coasting down hills or pedaling a fixed gear.

It will fit a rider between 5’9” and 6’ tall the best. Only $199

Used Giant Cadex road bike

Used carbon Giant $499

This is a 54cm Giant Cadex 980 road bike from the ’90′s.

The frame is made from lightweight carbon fiber that is bonded into aluminum lugs.   The fork is aluminum, and you get a Shimano 105 component group that is in great condition.  The wheels are in great shape and the tires are basically new.  The saddle, cables, brake pads, bar tape, chain and bottom bracket are in new condition.  The bike rides great, is super-light, and looks cool.

The bike doesn’t have very many miles on it, and was recently traded in for a mountain bike.

This Giant weighs 19 pounds as it sits.  It will ideally fit a rider between 5’5″ and 5’8″ tall and it’s only $499.

Felt Surplus 30

Felt Surplus 30

Given the smarmy nature of the copy on our website I bet you thought that we’d make jokes about this bike being a “plus size model”. No. We’re taking things a different route.

Felt calls this bike the Surplus 30, so we’re going to go with the whole over abundance theme.

Ride on a Felt Surplus model and you’ll have more traction and more stability than you need. You’ll have an excess of comfort and way more fun than anyone can rightfully expect with a mountain bike. No kidding.

Talking about excess? You get a lot extra for your money. There’s a Thomson seatpost, Schwalbe tubeless ready tires, a Raceface single-ring crank, a carbon fiber handlebar, “boost” dimension hubs for a surplus in wheel strength and rigidity, and really great frame tubing that gives you a surprisingly light bike.

This was a demo model for us, so it’s been used a bit and is a now a great deal.  Originally $2200, this medium size bike is available for $1500 

1990 American M-16

1990 American Bicycle Manufacturing (ABM) M-16

American Bicycle Manufacturing was a brand that made beautiful, cutting-edge mountain bikes in St. Cloud, Minnesota from the early ‘80’s through the mid ‘90’s.

ABM was well known in the mountain bike world for coming up with novel ideas and then figuring out how to produce them. They manufactured polished and anodized aluminum bike frames at a time when painted steel was the norm. Their Montanaous model was one of the first modern-era bikes to have adjustable frame angles (change the head angle by changing the headset placement). The modern bike shop parts procurement nightmare, the replaceable derailleur hanger? American was really the first sizable company to incorporate the feature into every model. For a trade show in the early ‘90’s, ABM built a mountain bike frame out of super-light Beryllium tubing.

ODI Mushroom grips

Shiny aluminum

Deore XT Crankset

The 2 pound mountain bike frame never made it into real production as they really couldn’t produce frames out of the dangerously toxic metal for less than $25,000 each.
False starts and misteps aside, American Bicycle Manufacturing was ahead of the curve. 

American was the original sponsor of the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival in nearby Hayward, Wisconson.  The festival today is one of the biggest and oldest off-road races in the world, drawing over 2500 participants into the woods each year.

Aluminum stem with brake cable roller

No suspension this model year

Outfitted with Shimano’s first off-road clipless pedal

Unfortunately, American Bicycle Manufacturing did not survive the mountain bike boom.  As a builder for other manufacturers as well as for their own brand, American sometimes lost market share and intellectual property to their own customers.   In 1993, a deal to produce tandems for Specialized fell through, leaving American with over 200 tandem frames they couldn’t sell.

American head badge

No nonsense design

Early Deore XT, replaceable derailleur hanger

This particular American M-16 features all of 1990’s best mountain bike bits. It has the Shimano Deore XT component group with 21 speed indexed shifting, the new 2-finger XT brake levers, round (not oval) black anodized chainrings, Shimano SPD pedals and black cantilever brakes… And a Hite Rite!
Do you have a dropper seatpost on your new mountain bike? This bike has the original.

Breeze & Angel Hite Rite

Specialized Ground Control tires

A Breeze & Angel Hite Rite seat adjuster is clamped around the Suntour XC seatpost. Just flip the quick release lever, let your weight push the saddle down and then re-tighten the quick release when you had the saddle at the right height. Just be carefull when you want the seat to go back up, the spring shoots the saddle back up pretty quickly…

Want an old-school mountain bike for yourself?  This bike is rare, and we’re reluctant to let it go, but $2000 will make it yours

2003 Klein Palomino Race

2003 Klein Palomino Race

Wild horses couldn’t restrain the forces involved in the development of this bike.

The suspension was designed by Paul Turner, the founder of Rock Shox. Gary Klein lent his signature aluminum tubes and deep sparkly paint to the project. Bicycle behemoth Trek, enjoying the publicity surrounding Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France dominance, made everything come together.

The Klein Palomino featured Paul Turner’s Monolink design. The idea was to get rid of the standard four bar linkage found in most suspension designs without resorting to the old unified rear triangle design. Klein’s big aluminum tubes mated with the rear linkage perfectly, providing wide and stable mounting points for the long Fox shock unit. Trek marketed the bike as a full suspension bike for people (roadies) who didn’t like the looks or added weight of a full suspension design.

Palomino

Turner’s monolink design

Deore XT equipment

The Palomino was not much of a success given the horsepower driving it. Mountain bikers were probably more interested in industrial-looking designs. Klein paint jobs were too pretty to get dirty. Trek, a midwestern company, lacked a bit of credibility for the “mountain” part of mountain biking. Without a suspension lockout, the bike would give up a bit of rider power on uphill trail sections, and the forward ‘90’s style cockpit position lacked some of the high-speed stability mountain bikers were looking for when tackling knarly downhills.

Want this bike in spite of our snarky description?  It’s for sale for only $749.

1998 GT STS DS

1998 GT STS DS

In the old days, bikes were easy.

Bike frames and forks were made out of steel tubing, you had “racing” or “touring” design, and you had maybe a half-dozen component groups to sort through.

This is not an easy bike.

This is an STS DS thermoplastic dual suspension bike from GT Bicycles. It was built in 1998, a time when bikes were made from all kinds of different materials, built for vastly different yet very specific types of riding, and outfitted with bike components that could come from a hundred different sources.

Thermoplastic, not carbon fiber

A lot of machining

Rock Shox Coupe Deluxe

Let’s start by talking about the frame (and handlebar) material. These areas were made out of thermoplastic. Thermoplastic is not the same as carbon fiber. With regular carbon fiber you use glue and pressure and sometimes heat to form it the way you want it, and you can’t really change the structure once it cures. With the kind of thermoplastic used here you can rely on heat more than mold pressure to shape things the way you want them, and if you get it wrong you’re able to heat things up and repeat the process.
Carbon fiber was still looked upon skeptically in 1998 (especially in mountain bikes) so malleable thermoplastic with its hypothetical repairability was an easier frame material to sell.

Rock Shox Judy XL

125 gram Scott thermoplastic handlebar

Ringle Twist skewer

The STS was pretty extreme for a cross country mountain bike in ’98. It had almost 3 inches of suspension travel and a pretty long wheelbase. The dual-crown Rock Shox Judy XL fork was pretty heavy by racing standards and was considered downhill-specific on looks alone. The seat tube was curved on this bike to make room for the rear shock linkage and Rock Shox Coupe Deluxe coil spring.

The cockpit features a long Kore stem and a narrow Scott thermoplastic handlebar. Like every other mountain bike ridden in the 1990′s this one has a pair of Onza bar-ends, grip shifters (X-Ray 800′s) and a colorful Ringle seat post.

GripShift X-Ray 800′s and Oury grips

San Marco-Bontrager saddle

Ringle red anodized “Moby” post

In the ’90′s there were a dozen different American bike component companies that offered cool CNC-machined anodized parts. All purple parts or a rainbow of colors was not uncommon. This bike got a minor red treatment. It has red Paul Components brakes, twist-off (not cam-actuated) Ringle hub skewers, a red Ringle seat post and bottle cage. The red-anodized theme could have gotten out of control with brake levers, hubs and cranks getting in on the craze, but the matte grey Shimano XTR parts put a stop to that.

Shimano M646 DX pedals

Shimano XTR 950 components

There are a few more notable bike bits to point out. The “Sunset” anodized Mavic 217 rims look great as do the gold and red spoke nipples. The Shimano DX pedals gave mountain bikers a bigger platform than Shimano’s cross country models, offering better support for softer shoes and a place to stand when your cleat wasn’t actually clicked in.
The Shimano XTR 950 drivetrain really was a benchmark for reliability and performance, but some of the parts were crazy expensive. This bike omitted the matching XTR shifters and brakes to an otherwise complete group. XTR trigger shifters worked great but were about three times the cost of the Gripshifters, a difference that usually explained the substitution and not an actual preference for twist-shift actuation.

Unusual Paul V-brakes

Red Paul Crosstop III brakes

Lastly, the brakes are fantastic. Here we have Paul Component’s linear pull variation called the Crosstop (III). They stop really well but were kind of hard to figure out when we were setting them up. There is an adjustable lever arm running across the top where the cable and V-brake noodle usually resides, and the cable stop and pinch bolt is down the side instead of on top of the brake arms. Just another thing about this bike that wasn’t so easy…

Have to have it? We understand. We’ll let this one go from our museum collection for $1998 (or $1300 without the Paul brakes)

1979 Cornelo Super

1979 Cornelo Super

You know, you look just like this bicycle I know. Are you related to an Italian bike named Colnago?

Why yes I am. I’m his step-brother.

In the 1970s, a Dutch bike shop owner named Henk Kokke made frequent visits to Italy. On one of his trips he bought a couple of racing frames from Ernesto Colnago. There was one frame for Henk’s son Corné and one for racer Bart van Est. The exotic Colnagos drew quite a bit of attention in the Netherlands and it became apparent that the Italian frames would sell. Henk decided to start his own imported brand. He came up with an Italian-sounding moniker (rooted in the name of his son Corné) and contracted with Ernesto Colnago to build the bikes. As far as we know, Cornelo frames are still available today and they’re built the same way. The frames are still bought in Italy, painted in Belgium and assembled in St. Willebrord, The Netherlands.

Dura-Ace 7200 EX crankset

1978 Dura-Ace brakes

Shimano slant parallelogram derailleur

This particular Cornelo is constructed much like the Colnago Supers of the era. The Colnago club emblems have been omitted, but the Columbus SL tubing, the build precision and the wonderful ride characteristics are all there.

Cornelo head badge

Brooks B17

This bike, being of such international flavor, is a great showcase for the Japanese Dura-Ace 7200 EX group. This Shimano component group is fairly similar to the popular Campagnolo Record of the time but with two notable design improvements. First, the rear derailleur has the slant parallelogram design first invented by Suntour in the 1960′s. This derailleur design keeps the distance between the top derailleur pulley and the freewheel cogs consistent no matter which gear you were in. Shifting with this design meant that the pull on the shift lever was easier. The other neat little design touch was the crank arm bolts that would double as their own crank arm extraction tool, a labor saving touch that mechanics loved.

Like this bike? It can be yours. This 52cm size (good for a rider 5’3″-5’6″ tall) is for sale out of our museum collection for $1200

2002 Moots YBB Mountain Bike

2002 Moots YBB Air

While not the very first mountain bike brand out there, Moots certainly can be called one of the “originals”.
Founded in 1981 by Kent Eriksen, the little Steamboat Springs bike company (that was named after Kent’s alligator-shaped pencil-top eraser Mr. Moots) has always led with great ideas and solid craftsmanship.
Back in the ’80′s, Moots was known as a fun custom shop that specialized in off-road frames, handlebars and stems. In 1983 Steve Tilford raced a Moots mountain bike to victory at the very first NORBA national championship and gave the creative brand instant racing credibility. In 1985 Moots came up with the first set of bar-ends for flat mountain bike handlebars. 1n 1987 Moots unveiled the YBB suspension seen here, and in 1991 they introduced their first titanium bike.

Mr. Moots Alligator head tube badge

The YBB Air soft-tail

This is a Moots YBB mountain bike from 2002.
The YBB (Why Be Beat) design is a signature style for Moots. In the 25 years or so that the YBB has been around the pivotless soft-tail has become one of the most copied suspension designs in the bike world.  This variation, the YBB Air, utilizes a Rock Shox air canister to give the rider control over the spring rate and rebound characteristics of the rear end, managing the admittedly subtle single inch of rear travel.

Custom Sid fork

XTR all around

Joe Breeze designed dropouts

The front end of this bike features a custom Rock Shox Sid World Cup suspension fork.  Hercules Castro, a friend of ours at Rockshox, built this fork out of the random ingredients lying around the office (in one of the Rockshox desx?).  It has a carbon fiber crown and steerer, super light 28mm sliders with an experimental coating, white magnesium lowers and a prototype remote switch.

Shimano would be proud of the components bolted to this Moots.  There are four generations of XTR parts working together.  There ‘s the early generation XTR 950 hubs, the 960 brake levers, the 980 generation drivetrain and the 970 V-brakes that bring everything to a stop.

Like this bike? Gavin is selling it… $4K will make it yours.

Used and Vintage Parts

Trying to restore older bikes with original equipment can be tough. Trust us, we know.

’82 Super Record rear derailleur $100

We have a variety of random old parts here at the store. We’ll show off some of the cooler items here. If you need something but don’t see it here, come in or call. We may have the part tucked away in a box somewhere, or know where you can go to find it.

We have only a couple of rules concerning old equipment: First, there is no warranty. Bike parts typically only have a one year warranty from their manufacturer, and some of the companies involved have been gone for decades. Second, you have to be patient. If we offer to look through our personal stash for you, it takes a bit of time.

While we would prefer to sell these items to you in person, we can also send them to your door. We use U.S. Postal flat rate shipping and will ship only within the United States. Postage for small items run $10, medium size flat-rate boxes run $15 and larger items are $20 and up.

Available parts

175mm Campagnolo Chorus Crankset $150
New old stock Dura-Ace 7700 rear derailleur $100
Bontrager Aeolus 9 carbon rear wheel $300
Zipp 909 carbon front wheel $300
New early ’90′s Timec pedals $100
Assorted vintage freewheels $20-$100
New Cinelli Spinacci clip-on aero bars $40
Assorted Cinelli model 64, 65 and 66 handlebars $20-$80
Assorted Cinelli XA, Grammo titanium and 1A stems $40-$60
New XTR M950 front derailleur 31.8 clamp $95
Used ’87 XT M730 front derailleur 29.8 clamp $50
Used ’92 Shimano 600 (Ultegra) rear derailleur $50
Used ’82 Campy Super Record rear derailleur $100
Used XTR M950 rear derailleur $150
Used XT M739 rear derailleur $40
Used Dura-Ace 7400 29.8 clamp front derailleur $40
Used ’92 Campy Mirage rear derailleur $80
Used XT M750 rear derailleur $50
Used Suntour VX rear derailleur $10
Used Campy Victory rear derailleur $40
Used Campy Victory 29.8 clamp front derailleur $20
Used Campy Mirage braze-on front derailleur $40
Used Campy Victory compact crankset 170mm x 36/50T $100
Used late ‘90’s Campy Record Crankset 172.5mm x 53t x 39t  $120
25.0 Campy Super Record seatpost (vintage 1983) $75
25.0 Campy Chorus aero seatpost (vintage 1988) $75
Used Girvin alloy 1″ quill flex stem $50
Used White Brothers 1 1/8” carbon mountain bike fork $200
27.2mm rare 1980’s Columbus seatpost $100
Used ’89 Campy Record threaded 1″ headset $100
New Bionx PL-350 motor wheels $100 (no warranty)
Used mid ’80′s Shimano 600 brake calipers $40 pair
New Paul components chain guides $30
Used Fox Float R rear suspension can 6.5″ length, 1.5″ travel $90
Used Fox RP23 with boost valve rear suspension can 6.5”  length, 1.5” travel $99
Used Shimano 6400 Ultegra crankset w/b.b. 170mm x 52t x 42t $40

Dura Ace 7700

Aeolus 9

Zipp 909

Cinelli bars and stems

Columbus 27.2 post

New vintage freewheels

N.O.S. Cinelli Spinacci bars

XTR M950 31.8 clamp front der. $95

XTR M950 rear derailleur $125

Deore XT M739 rear derailleur $50

XT M730 29.8 clamp front derailleur $50

Campagnolo Victory 29.8 clamp $20

Paul components chain guides $30

Campy Mirage braze-on der. $40

Campy Mirage 170 53×39 crank $80

Mavic 501 29.8 clamp front derailleur $30

Black ITM 100mm quill stem $40

Dura-Ace 7400 29.8 clamp front der. $40

Fox Float suspension can 6.5 x 1.5 $90

New Bionx PL350 motor wheel $100

Alloy quill Girvin Flexstem $40

Ultegra 6400 crankset 170 52×42 $40

’92 Shimano 600 rear derailleur $50

’91 Campy Chorus 1″ headset $50

Used LeMond tri bike

Used LeMond Limoges

A great deal on a fast tri bike.

This is a LeMond Limoges triathlon bike from around 2004.  A super aerodynamic design that still climbs well, it features a mix of carbon fiber and hydroformed aluminum tubing.

The bike is outfitted with Shimano 105 components, FSA cranks, Vision carbon aero bars, and Bontrager Race X Lite wheels with DT hubs.

This is a medium-sized 54cm frame, and will fit a rider between 5’5″ and 5’10″ really well.  New, this rig would probably run you around $2500.  Buy it now for only $979.

1940′s Colson Flyer

1940′s Colson Flyer

The restoration project.

Everybody loves good before and after photos.  A bicycle restoration project is great at showing the damage that the decades can do, and you get to watch as that damage is erased with fresh paint or new chrome.

A while back, this balloon-tire cruiser came to us as a rusty old relic.  The years were not kind to the old Colson.  While the rust was not deep, it was everywhere.  The owner, a fellow named Gerald Taylor, had a history with the bike and wanted to return the Flyer to its former glory.

Colson Flyer “before”

Gerald’s father had purchased the bike upon returning to the Seattle area from the second World War.  Affordable cars were hard to come by in the months following the end of the war, and Gerald’s father figured he could get around on these two wheels just as well as he could with four.  The bike served as a trusty commuter for a number of years before transitioning to recreational use, and finally retiring to the back of the garage.

The crankset “after”

The crankset “before”

The wheels were beyond repair.  By removing the head badge and the reflectors, we were able to find clean bits of original paint, so the new colors would match.  Parts were stripped off of the frame, and the dents were rolled out of the fenders.

Off to the painter (CycleSmith) went the frame, fork, fenders, and chainguard.

Into the recycling went the chain, pedals, and wheels.

The fenders “after”

The fenders “before”

Rusty bits like the chainring, seatpost, fork struts, handlebars and stem made their way to the chrome shop (Art’s chroming in Bremerton).

Some of the parts that you find on old bikes are still made today.  No problem getting a Wald kickstand, and the reproductions of the pedals and saddle are well worth the price.  Appropriate fasteners are just a quick trip to the hardware store (no allen bolts or torx heads on sixty year old bikes, thank you).

The head tube “after”

The head tube “before”

Jeff, who started collecting balloon-tire bikes decades ago, dug up some great matching wheels and tires from a “donor” bike.  Fresh grease for the hubs and some new spokes made them roll and look just right.

Now, I’d like to say this was a quick project.  But it wasn’t.

Sometimes it takes a while to find the right parts.  You have to get on a painter’s schedule (some have months-long backlogs), and it takes a while to get chrome done (Art’s is actually quite fast).  You may have seen the car and motorcycle restoration shows on television where things move lightning fast.  They use an editor.

The headlight “after”

The headlight “before”

I truly wish we were able to finish this bike sooner, as Gerald missed the opportunity to see his beautiful bike all spruced up.  Gerald fell ill and passed away a few weeks before we were able to finish the project.

The “After” photo is the way this bike would have looked when Gerald’s dad first brought it home.

This bike is for sale from the museum collection.  It can be yours, fully restored, for $2500.

2003 Mondonico Pista

2003 Mondonico track bike

Antonio Mondonico made this bike for us in 2003.  We asked him for a modern track bike that would steal some attention from the antiques on the walls.  He delivered. 

This Italian gem comes from a small workshop just outside of Milan.  Built for sprint distance and mass start track events, it is made of extremely springy nivacrom steel, silver brazed into Mondonico’s custom lugs.  The orange paint is about as subtle as a traffic signal.  A bit of chrome here and there to remind us that this is not a plastic bike.

Aces, Spades, Clubs, and Diamonds

Antonio Mondonico head badge

The machined quill stem matches the fluted seatpost

Custom Selle San Marco Rolls saddle

Columbus EL - OS Nivacrom tubing

The parts are a mix of modern classics.  Paul Components made the gambler’s crankset, with the four card suits machined into the chainring.  A fluted seatpost and machined stem harken back to the 1970s, while the paired-spoke design of the wheels says this is a modern build.

Antonio spent decades building bikes, and many famous Italian racers rode Mondonicos (even if they were painted in another brand’s colors).  Unable to interest his son Mauro in taking over the family business, Antonio retired from bike building in 2007.

This bike is for sale from the museum collection.  It is a 56cm frame, a good fit for a track rider between 5’9″ and 5’11″.  $3000 will buy you this fantastic bit of Italian craftsmanship.

Bike Appraisals

Have an old bike that you’d like to get appraised?

We can help, but we have a few guidelines that we’d like you to understand.

First, we have no idea what your bike is worth without seeing it. We’re just not that smart. Don’t call us and try to describe it over the phone. Serial numbers do not help. Instead, you can send us an email (please use complete sentences, we don’t do well with abbreviated texts) with some pictures attached or bring your bike in to the store.

Take a photo from the “drive side” in front of a neutral background

To make the appraisal more accurate, prepare the bike and take photos like you would if you were going to sell it. Clean the bike, remove any broken or rough-looking accessories and put some air in the tires.
Take pictures straight on in front of a blank background, and take close-up photos of areas that may generate interest (or confusion).

There is no “Blue Book” value for bicycles. Bikes are simply worth what someone else is willing to pay for them. Bicycle values tend to be highest when the weather is warm, in places where it’s pleasant to ride, and wherever there are a lot of people who like bikes.

Badges or labels on the tubes help with identification

Close-ups of the parts tell a lot about your bike

You know more about your bike than we do. If you just bought a bike for $50, you have just established the value of the bicycle (and you are not likely to be able to sell it for $2000 to somebody else). You know when you bought it, so you have a good idea of the age, and you know if it was a high-end racing model or a basic bike from Walmart.

Rarity rarely helps determine value. If you have a one-of-a-kind bicycle, it may mean that no one has ever heard of it and/or nobody is looking for one.

Popularity is no indicator either. Bikes that were sold in large numbers could fall into one of two camps. You could have a bike that will never sell (Schwinn Varsity) because there are still thousands of them out there, or you could have a bike that will cause a bidding war (Bridgestone MB-1) because people rode them into the ground and they want another one.

If what you’re really after is to get rid of an old bike, keep us in mind. While we don’t buy bikes outright, we’ll likely take your old bike as a trade-in for something new….