Life was so simple - until I saw the darned Spade in the seatstay cap on a Confente of my favorite color - so much for my French bike lust this month.
In order to put downward pressure on the Confente market (for perhaps my own selfish reasons in case I bid), I thought I would provide some firm market data on Confente bike sales of the past few years.
About 4 years ago, repainted but gorgeous 58cm (had braze-on added) full bike very clean.......about 2K if I remember correctly.
Purchased about 4-5 years ago never built! 57cm Confente frame - second to last ever produced for 2.4K
Sold about 3-4 years ago 56cm Confente full bike gorgeous - very light tubing - another mistake.........actually wheels were not included as I think of it.....2.6K
Sold this year very clean but not perfect 56cm full bike with some very nice parts for about 3.3K (we had it on our website - sold very fast)
Friend bought larger Confente frame in drop-dead gorgeous perfect condition about 4-5 years ago for low 2K range
Friend about 5 years ago bought a repainted (by Brian Baylis) Confente frame in great condition for 1.5K
Friend bought Confente larger track frame (not stellar condtion) for 1.8K or so I believe.
Turned down like a fool a Confente track bike last month for 2.5K - made deal for 2.3K with seller and then seller backed out, posted bike on ebay, it went to over 3K and then seller pulled it off ebay - no idea where it landed.
Was offered a nice but not perfect Confente full bike in larger size earlier this year for 3K but passed.
All this past sale prices mean nothing if a few people with large wallets want the bike. As had been said before, compared to cars or art or even some new modern bikes, the very best of vintage bikes are quite inexpensive. As can be discerned from the above listings, many transactions have occured and the range has been the mid 2 to mid 3 range - but one in a prime size has never come up in auction.
As an aside, there has been comparison between Ron Cooper and Confente on this site. This morning I had the pleasure of riding both - a Bates build by Cooper on my daily constitutional into the hills of Boulder, and a Confente. I love both - they each are among the finest bikes I've ridden - but there is something magical about the Confente - I've said it before, it really the defining statement of the Italian frame paradigm of the late 60's to late 70's.
I hope these random ramblings prove entertaining during "The 9 days of Confente". And people thought "Survivor" was fun!
Mike "why didn't I stick a couple of Confente's on ebay?" Kone