shelbyfv

I tend to agree with the CL responder. Something tells me OP will not find his happy place here.

iab

What comes around goes around.
Karma.
You reap what you sow.
As you give you recieve.

Those folks were just following the OP's golden rule.

SurferRosa

​​​


"All right, bike, where were you on the night of the 17th? We know you conspired with the Rubik's cube. Talk! This interrogation light is just the beginning..."

cudak888 

"All right, all right! The Rubik's cube was trying to sever the excessively long length of cable on my rear brake yoke! Is that good 'nuff for you, copper?"

-Kurt

SurferRosa

"Don't get cute with me, boy. And if you don't raise the nose of your saddle, I'm going to do it for you. You pull that punk attitude on me, I'll disassemble your ass. We know you got rid of the matching front tire after the hit. We'll find it. That'll be all the evidence we need, and you know it..."

cudak888 

"Disassemble? You know that I'm a firm exception to the rule that a bike in pieces is worth more than its whole!"

-Kurt

brixxton

that is where the "test ride" and transparency comes in. Everyone should get their new bike
given the once over by an impartial dealer and should walk away if you expected to ride away
and that's not happening.

cudak888 

Do buyers have an opportunity have their impartial mechanic give your bikes a once-over before they buy them?

If not, are they supposed to walk away...or fork over $595 and pray really hard to La Madonna del Ghisallo?

At those prices, an honest seller says "ready to ride" when they mean it - not "good luck, sucker, I've got your money."

-Kurt

P.S.: Keep digging that hole, if you insist. It's most amusing.

bargo68 

Sweet Jesus man, SYNTAX!

randyjawa 

When I was shop leader for Bicycles for Humanity, we made a mistake and let a bike go with 1/2 threaded pedals in 9/16 threaded cranks. Needless to say, one pedal failed when the customer had the bike. Yes, the bike had been test ridden by the fellow who worked on the bike but the pedal did not let go then. I should add that no one got hurt - thank goodness.

Once aware of the situation, I implemented a policy of one person build the bike, then pass it on to a second person to check it over for flaws. Then, with the double check done and signed by both guys or gals, it came to me for a final check and I, too, signed the work order. I was tough on my checks and tried to use the system to teach others how to do the build properly. The system is still in place today, I believe, although I am no longer part of it.

I honestly felt that we were doing our best to meet a customer's needs and ensure safety. If something did go wrong, I felt confident that we could prove "due diligence" to a judge, if we had to. Since then B4H has sold a lot of bikes without a single mishap occurring.

repechage

Oh dear.
Wow.

3alarmer 

xiaoman1 

Charliekeet

Yeah, man, but things like that cable that Kurt noticed going down past the rim... I mean, there's a basic level of expectation a $500+ buyer is gonna have, you know? You're not throwing it up there for a song as a project saying, hey, it's as-is, cheap, have at it - you're asking real money. It's incongruous, and people point out these basic errors - why not learn from it & reset expectations?

Soody

Did he call you the n word or the f word? I want to know who to support here.

3alarmer 

Two 80 year old barn find bicycles and extra wheels

...if I thought about it much, it would make me sad. So I don't.
Many of my really nice bikes came from down in the Bay Area, where $600 used to buy a lot of bicycle.

If I lived closer to San Francisco, I'd probably have ended up with too many bikes sooner than I have.
A Garlatti would not be one of them, but I guess everyone has an idea of what's a treasure.

I think of myself as pretty knowledgeable on buying used bikes, and an experienced mechanic. I still miss stuff occasionally.
But at least I discover it before I hurt myself, when I do the overhaul. Caveat Emptor is not a suitable defense for this OP CL ad. It just isn't.

brixxton

I do appreciate the advice and opinions I've been lucky enough to get, members posting specs and giving history for my latest rescues, randyjawa and juvela gave me invaluable information on the Garletti and I got similair help with my Lotus but not my Bianchi which I thought would have been easier.
i'll remember only to post pictures of the finished project in the future or at least qualify the state of the build so nobody feels obligated to ride their high horse
the majority of people seriously looking for a bike have a pretty good idea of what they want, what they want to spend and will

Unviega Sport upgrade
bring a friend, People spend crazy money on cars at least with a bike you see what you get
at $595 it's not going to sell but people will look at it, didn't think about a storm in the tea cup though


I'm all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
A guaranteed personality

J.Higgins 

I know, right?

It never ceases to amuse and amaze me, how people have a nice bike and take such crappy pictures of it, and don't take the time to orient them properly. Its also "amusing" to see someone selling a fabulous old bike in excellent condition and they can't even take the time to clean up the fuzzy chain and cogs or wipe down the paint. Its hilarious when people do this and then complain that no one wants their bikes, or they don't want to pay the asking price. DUH.

Charliekeet

Hey not sure about most of what you said there, but this part:
- I don't agree with that at all - personally, I love seeing the "before" pictures, the state of dissasembled or unfinished parts and builds. You learn a lot that way in terms of what to expect, what to worry about, etc. As has been covered, that's different than selling that rough project for finished build money.

cudak888 

That's not what started the disagreement.

-Kurt

repechage

I think its time he found a new sandbox.

cudak888 

Let them throw sand first, if they so choose.

-Kurt

repechage

plenty of that, much directed at his own wares, better repack the bearings.
The other images of his bikes, including his "keeper" show a tremendous lack of understanding of sound mechanics.

beyond that, there is Sidney Powell logic at work in the defense.

cudak888 

As I said, let them throw sand first.

-Kurt

due ruote 

You know, you can always post your bikes here at C&V, in any state of build/disrepair, and folks will look at them, and nobody will bat an eyelash. Many will even offer useful advice.
I really think it's the faux sales thing that is putting people off.