Art Smith asked "What's involved and expected as appropriate disclosure when buying and selling vintage bikes[?] I operate under the idea that as a buyer, it's my responsiblity to check, inspect, ask appropriate questions, etc. about a bike before I buy it. If I miss something, mismatched parts, dings, etc. it seems that I can't blame the seller. If I ask a specific question I expect an honest answer. I'm pretty clear about what it takes from a buyer's perspective. The seller's position is not as clear to me..."
I have bought and sold and traded on this list. Because it is a hobby I value my reputation in this "community" more than my bank balance, I have tried to be completely upfront about things I offer. It hasn't been perfect, so I've tried to remember to offer to "unwind" any deal that wasn't satisfactory on inspection, and to check afterwards that everything was ok.
To me, the goal of the whole exercise is to have more good experiences with vintage bikes, and to make it a positive sum game rather than a zero sum. I just haven't been quite as sure of the ebay community...
just my 2c -- encouraging commerce within our group.
harvey sachs
mclean va