# Any demand for an early 80's Dawes Atlantis ?



## dfallon (Apr 21, 2008)

I bought a Dawes Atlantis back between 1980-84 IIRC as a dumb teenager with some paper route money burning a hole in my pocket. A friend who was trying out racing bought a new Atlantis and I talked myself into a "last years model" for less money. His was the sunburst red with the white seat; mine was the two-tone blue if that helps anyone identify it. Here's a link to an old ad:
https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/Dawes-84/04_racing_Atlantis.jpg

Anyway, while my friend was actually a competent racer, I was a skinny 125-pounder with chicken legs who couldn't pedal a racing bike up the slightest incline ... I actually managed a 60-mile ride with another friend, but mostly just rode around town in a way that would have been well served with a $60 Huffy from KMart. 

Then came college and then work and the bike has basically been sitting for 20 years. I bought a used comfort bike that's much more practical for getting a little exercise and figured it's time to get the old ten-speed out of the basement. There are few references to them (Dawes) online; a handful of Reynolds 531 frames on eBay ... and basically I don't know what it's worth or where I should try to sell it (here on classifieds or on eBay). 

If anyone is willing to take a few minutes to advise me on value ... the bike likely needs a good cleaning, tuneup & tires, new handlebar tape, etc. May have a couple scratches, but otherwise good shape; original leather seat is in good condition (minus maybe a harmless scrape). At the end of my 60-mile ride, back in town, I rode into a parked car and bent the forks (I think you'll all agree by this point that it's a good thing for me to sell this bike and stay off the road  - the bike shop that sold me the Atlantis got me a set of replacements from Dawes but they're bright chrome; they do not match the original two-tone blue. 

Thanks for any advice !

- Dennis


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## fast951 (Jan 8, 2005)

*Value*

The 531 frame is worth around $ 100.00, the wheels are worthless. I would say $ 150.00 if you can find the right buyer. Ebay is good but charge enough for shipping, aleast $75.00


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

fast951 said:


> The 531 frame is worth around $ 100.00, the wheels are worthless. I would say $ 150.00 if you can find the right buyer. Ebay is good but charge enough for shipping, aleast $75.00




charging $75 for shipping is going to keep many people from bidding


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## fast951 (Jan 8, 2005)

*75.00 my be low*

UPS is giong to charge you an oversize fee to start with. I sold many bikes and $ 75.00 seems about. The sellers charging 100.00-150.00 are crazy.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

fast951 said:


> UPS is giong to charge you an oversize fee to start with. I sold many bikes and $ 75.00 seems about. The sellers charging 100.00-150.00 are crazy.




it's different when the shipping charge is almost as much as the bike itself


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## lakes road sheep (Mar 19, 2007)

I always wanted one of those two tone blue Dawes when I was a kid. Great looking paint jobs back in the day. It would be nice to find a mint one. If you hit a car hard enough to bend the forks I am suprised there was no damage to the top tube and downtube. 
Good luck with the sale.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

lakes road sheep said:


> I always wanted one of those two tone blue Dawes when I was a kid. Great looking paint jobs back in the day. It would be nice to find a mint one. If you hit a car hard enough to bend the forks I am suprised there was no damage to the top tube and downtube.
> Good luck with the sale.




yeah, needs a new fork too, further reducing the value... so the cost of shipping is equal to or more than the value of the bike. I sure hope he's gonna disclose that crashed/bent fork to the poor sap that buys it


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Give it to a local bike shop charity program.


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## dfallon (Apr 21, 2008)

Thx all. Yeah - I'd disclose that the fork is a replacements due to originals being bent, but given the outlook, I think I'll try to sell locally for anything I can get first. 

Funny, I didn't hit the car too hard - I was at the end of my 60-mile ride, on my own street and looking back to a friend saying "I did it !" (because 60 miles was a big deal to me) and that was my payback for a moment of pride. The tire hit the bumper square on and I was amazed that the fork bent and not the wheel. The car was something like a Pacer with that flat rear window. The back end of the bike went up and I swear I was in slow motion ... my chin hit the window and got a nice bruise ... but that was the end of it. I was pretty distressed that I couldn't get the fork in original paint. 

Anyway, I have a friend looking for a road bike for a 10-mile leg of a triathlon (he's doing it for fun and has a mountain bike he doesn't want to ride). I might just offer him the bike if he's willing to pay for new tires & tune it up. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't getting rid of a "vintage treasure" first.

So ... thanks again & happy cycling


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