Litespeed Mountain - Value? Early 1990's

[MuchAlohaNui]

This is the current state of the bike. I don't know the year or serial number. Pretty tattered. Like all of us, I would prefer to not overpay! I honestly don't know much about these bikes and am curious where you would price this thing? I think...that is the original titanium fork, but not the cool BOI looking one that maybe came out in 1992 or 1993? There is rust coming from rotten old components on the bars and what looks like the bearings in the headset and areas of the cable housings. Tattered, but from what I can see the frame is straight and dent free.

Thoughts on value? Thank you!

 

[ishaw]

There are a few things that would worry me about the frame that I'd check and be sure about before I contemplated parting with money.

1. Head tube. Why on earth is the headset cup like that and why does it have a zip tie around the part that should be in the lower head tube?

2. Seat tube. Looks like previous owner has used tape as a post shim. Has this caused any issues with the seat tube itself?

I'm not sure the forks are ti, there's rust spots by the looks of it but could be wrong.

I can't help on value, but parts look pretty much scrap, bars and crank arms look to be the only good parts , maybe the brake levers as well. Can't work out if wheels are any good. Seat post skewer is a ringle and worth a few pennies.

 

[troje]

Headset and seatpost tube indeed look very worrying, as @ishaw indicated. These are normally shimmed. Worth checking. I would not buy it unless having a very good inspection. Worth hard to say. Don’t think this is an original Litespeed fork. Rest is tat.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Thank you all for the replies and keen vision. I suppose most everything on this frame is suspect, frame included! What price would get you out of bed to drive three hours and pick up this bike?

 

[ishaw]

For me to take a 3 hour drive for that, it would need to be an absolute bargain or absolutely mint. As it's the former, I'd be staying home for anything more than £200 just because most of it is tip worthy and the frame could be too. Unless you can get some close ups of the potentially suspect areas, and places like chain stays to see chain suck and tyre rub, plus BB and other welds in advance.

 

[Tootyred]

I wouldn't worry about the headset, cable tie is for computer cable and it looks like somebody is just making up space on forks with too long a steerer.....obviously couldn't be bothered with a hacksaw......but then they couldn't be bothered to find the right sized post either! Which is indeed a worry....

 

[ishaw]

On the headset, it doesn't look like the cup is in the head tube and cable tie is around the excess. Has it been ovalised or misshapen?

 

[warrior4life]

£250 max. Just what I'd pay.

 

[troje]

200 would be upper for me. Needs TLC and new decals too.

 

[Oldtat]

Has the lower rivnut thing been drilled out on the seat tube?