This Campagnolo equipped anniversary model (1987) went for $879; in my opinion a fair price. In monitoring eBay sales recently it seems the going rate for an FR1 model (Complete bike.) is around $500, and for a Lux model $800.
The extra 79 bucks paid for this one was well justified because it seems to be in near perfect condition and it is a 30th Anniversary model which makes it a little more special. The new owner can rest assured that there are many years of riding left in this bike and they may even show a profit should they decide to sell in a few years.
Incidentally another 57cm. Fuso, an FRX, failed to reach the reserve price when the sale ended and the highest bid was at $510. My advice, for what it is worth, is as follows:
If you are selling and you can live with the prices mentioned above. If you no longer ride the bike, look on it as passing the bike on to someone who will ride it and cherish it. If you put a reserve price about the price mentioned above, your bike may not sell. But put a reserve $200 or $300 less than that and the bike will probably go for the price you want. If you want more for the bike then don’t sell yet. Hang on to it.
If you are buying a lot depends on the size you are looking for. I built just under 3,000 Fuso frames between 1984 and 1993. Add to this about 200 John Howard frames, and about 150 Recherche frames. The most popular sizes and therefore the most built were 56, 57, 58, and 59. Sizes 53, 54, and 55 plus 60, 61, and 62 were the next most popular sizes. The sizes below 53cm. and above 62cm. there were even fewer built, but on the other hand there will be less people looking for these sizes.
If a bike comes up for sale in a popular size there are bound to be more than one person biding for it. But if you are not successful there will be others for sale probably quite soon. If you are on the look out for one of the least popular sizes, there may only be one or two bidding on it so you may get it for a bargain price. But if you really want that particular bike you might be prepared to bid a little higher because the chances of this particular size coming up for sale again soon is less likely.
I would like to stress that I have no financial interest in any bikes that sell anywhere. I do not own a single bike or frame that I built. But I am interested because I built them; I just don’t want to see anyone get screwed, be they buyer or seller.
Anyone buying or selling a frame I built can find more information on my website including frame number info and dates frames were built. You may also contact me if you have a specific question.
4 comments:
I have to agree with Dave about selling if you no longer use it.
I just had a wheelset built with Mavic SSC rims, Campy 28 hole hubs, and put an Everest AL 13-21 freewheel on it, all never-used NOS components. I was considering hanging them as art pieces, but how many people would see them, much less know what they were looking at?
It was like such fine things are best in the element in which they were designed-ridden with everything you have.
Only then do they come 'alive'.
There is art the artist intended to be gazed upon, and other art best seen in motion. In both cases, the possessor (and their knowledge) decides which is best.
Hi Patrick,
All the Fuso were built with the heavier gauge SP or SPX chainstays making for a stiffer rear triangle and a more responsive frame. As the chainstay is an almost horizontal tube it does not affect the ride quality, or make it too harsh in other words.
Larger frames, 60cm. and over were built with a SP or SPX down tube. Larger frames tend to be more flexible because the tubes are longer; increasing the thickness of the down tube helped offset this.
Some nostalgia from me. I bought a Fuso LUX frame ($1500) from you at Steady Pedaler bike shop in Riverside California when I was a graduate student at UC Riverside. I think the year was 1987 and it was a 60 cm frame. I had it painted entirely black with blue Fuso decals and just loved it. I raced the hell out of the bike for at least 3 years but eventually decided to move on to a lighter frameset. I moved around with the bike for many years until 2001 when with great regret I sold the complete bike to a fellow racer Alex Smith. Alex said he would use it as a commuter in Davis CA. I like to think it is still rolling around out there.
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