That guide was written by Mike Kone many years ago and published in the long-defunct Vintage Racing Bicycle Newsletter (VRBN). It was a worthy first attempt at pricing.
Since then, the globalization of used bike markets, e-bay and numerous other factors have changed the pricing entirely. You will be hard-pressed to find a top-of-the-line Herse for $ 4000 today, and you'll be equally hard-pressed to sell a nice 1970s Jack Taylor for $ 1000.
Your best bet is keeping an eye out for similar bikes on e-bay. Once you have seen what 3 or 4 go for, you get a feel for prices. Of course, with rare machines, you may have to wait a while... and prices may even change in the mean time! And at the top end of the market, many bikes are sold privately, because there are few interested in spending the money it takes. Most of all, each bike is unique. Condition, parts missing or rare parts may affect the value of two otherwise similar bikes.
Clearly, you don't want to sell a "$2000-bike" for $ 500, nor do you want to buy a "$200-bike" for $ 2000. But in the end, it is worth what it is worth to you. This may mean that you never can sell it, like the gentleman with the rather ordinary "$25,000-René-Herse" I once met. But if it is worth that to you, you'll be happy with it! Even if you paid a fraction too much.
However, maybe somebody who regularly watches e-bay might want to
update the price guide? It would offer some useful guidelines to
those new to the hobby.
--
Jan Heine, Seattle
Editor/Publisher
Vintage Bicycle Quarterly
c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles
140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.mindspring.com/
>
>Jimmy Katynski wrote: Looking to find approx. value of cinelli track
>bike from the early 60's.
>Does the used bike guide i have heard about on the list cover such a
>thing, and if so does somebody have a link to it? Here it is:
>http://www.sheldonbrown.com/vrbn-a-f.html