1977 Fred Williams - worth anything?

Gizmodo

This is my brother's Fred Williams aluminium bike from about 1977. He is thinking of putting it up for sale but we don't have any idea of what it might be worth. Anyone any ideas?

super_prestige

Try over on Retro Bike

Gizmodo

Super Prestige wrote:

Try over on Retro Bike

Thanks, I assume (after a Google search) that you are referring to http://www.retrobike.co.uk/

Pseudonym

only the fork is possibly aluminium - difficult to tell without a closer look. The rest looks like good ol lugged steel tubing...

Giraffoto

Pseudonym wrote:

. . . looks like good ol lugged steel tubing...

I agree, there's a certain ferrous quality to the way it's gone rusty where the paint on the chainstay has worn off. The rims also look like chrome-plated steel, too - I wouldn't go riding it in the wet unless you're used to their lack of braking or you like unpleasant surprises. That said, if anything can coax some braking out of them those old centre-pulls will. The poor man's cantilever, back when I were a lad. Are they Weinmann?

By the way - the derailleur's on wrong. That little bolt in the hanger plate is meant to fit in the slot in the drop out, with an appropriate nut on the other end (shaped a bit like a flattened cowboy hat) holding it in place. Then the axle goes in the slot and you can get a wheel on or off without the derailleur coming off. The rear derailleur is the good old Huret Eco, which cost about a fiver back in 1988, and the pedals look like Lyotard cages which were about the same price

Worth anything? It's worth cleaning, and you'll have a nice old bike there. It's also worth checking if the fork really is aluminium, and if it is, examining it very closely for cracks and corrosion after all this time and road salt

Gizmodo

It doesn't sound like I'm going to be able to retire on the commission from any sale

I've told him to take it to the bike shop, see if they want to do it up and hang it on their wall as an antique.

ajmitchell

8 speed with 4 on the cassette wow! That says it all. Guessing I'd say £50 without a clean up, £150 with good clean up or with re-spray. I sold a 1985 Parker Thompson Orbit gold Medal for £175 this year in fairly good condition.

Pseudonym

ajmitchell wrote:

8 speed with 4 on the cassette wow!

10 speed - with 5 on the rear. Count the sprockets..

Velonutter

Call Steve, Mike or John at Fred's and they will tell you about the Frame 01902-428407