merziac

1981 Merz touring sold on ebay, $2400

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vtg-Ji...rdt=true&rt=nc

Kilroy1988 

Must have been someone's grail bike... Or perhaps even their old bike!

Andy_K 

I’d love to have one, but at that pric I’d still be looking and wishing. This may be one of those bikes that I just never get because I’m you cheap.

deux jambes

Sure would be a prize! But $2400? I mean, I get it, but then again I don’t.

The one and only Merz frame I’ve had the pleasure of viewing, was hanging in the back of an LBS for some repair. Similar vintage. I don’t know that I’ve personally seen a finer frame. The lugwork, and other treatments throughout were simply beautiful!

Who knows what the buyers motivation for this eBay find was exactly, but twice, I’ve paid more for a bike or frame than I normally would just because of the regional origin of the bike. Well, and the handcrafted quality too. So I can kind of understand from that point of view.

Still, the price of my Eisentraut built up, shouldn’t exceed a third of that of the Merz. Not saying the Merz isn’t worth it, but I can’t see risking a couple grand on the road, or locked up to a public rack.

Anyhow, as a side note, that’s gotta be one of the greatest headbadges ever!

merziac

That and they can be hard to find in the correct size, let alone at a price that can make sense.

Jim seems to be the main conduit for them as he posts them on his FB page, this one lasted 1 day.

I would encourage you to keep an eye on it, there have been several that were far more reasonable than this one.

Sellwood cycle is where 3 of mine came from and they weren't cheap but they were way less than this one.

If I had known you might want one, I would have alerted you before now and will from here on.

They are almost never cheap, but if you want one and find one then you may have to bite down hard.

Again, $2400

merziac

I'm glad my first one wasn't priced like that, I would have paid it, gladly and been happy, then sorry later probably. I was so ready by the time I found it that I'm not sure how much would have stopped me, glad I didn't have to find out.

I know of a couple others in my size that I would like to have but the ask is way up and having several in hand already makes them unlikely but you never know. My luck has been good finally, only took forty years to get here. My two "best" ones were about the cost of this one.

jethin

If your you is me then you’re a cheap bastard indeed.

Andy_K 

Well, my ‘you’ was supposed to be ‘too’ but either way works.

since6

To me such purchases have the blessing of a functional piece of art to be enjoyed in both the riding or just having it near to light up the day. It's hopefully a purchase of passion and will give a life time of enjoyment.

Now this is opposed to the current range of $7,000+ toilets with remote controls:


And $1,000+ remote controlled toilet seats:


All I can think of when I see this kind of techno excess where the toilet becomes an anthropomorphic creature which lights up when you enter the bathroom at night and then opens its lid like a monster, think the Flower from "Little Shop of Horrors" , and begins to play music, vibrate, etc. is that this is a real good way for my grandchildren to NEVER enter a bathroom again let alone be potty trained.

Though one feature of the remote is of note, after a domestic dispute if she is still not content with the outcome:"Hmmmm, a remote, ah yes he's on the throne, let's see, cue up "Death Metal", "Volcano Vibration" Oh and yes, "Max Bidet Super Pulser".....Engage!"

jethin

You and me can mints words all day @Andy_K, but even if your you could've been too it's still true that maybe you and me too are cheap. And I don't appreciate your you or too making me call me cheap too.

squirtdad

thanks for the headache

merziac

We're all cheap b******s for the most part. When it comes to something like this you have to decide if you can put that aside for a moment. The very nature of being cheap, thrifty, frugal or whatever should mean you can go outside or way outside your comfort zone from time to time if you want.

rccardr 

That's a crazy price, with crazy shipping cost as well. Seller obviously not a bike person but an estate sale cruiser.

Unless we know who actually bought it, would not be surprised to see it relisted by the original seller in the near future.

deux jambes

It’s definitely possible that there is no buyer for that sale, or that if there is, the transaction may not be made to completion.

I’ve noticed lots of eBay “completed sales” come back up to market again by the original seller. Often multiple times.

Also, with 94% positive feedback, and a not so very detailed description of the bike, I’m skeptical anyone would put that much money out. But who knows? Maybe there’s more to the story than meets the eye, and it involves someone with whom money is not too much of an object.

merziac

Agreed, still interesting to see what goes on, very well could/should be in the wacky thread.

clubman 

+1

Also, seller has a poor feedback with a small sample of random sales of flotsam and jetsam. Wouldn't trust him to pack the bike.

rccardr 

fify