Cavaet Emptor! I have several suggestions that I have used: 1) Get an email communication going early in the bidding. Ask for more pics of locations on the bike of normal ware areas (like chainstays). 2) Ask the questions you need to so you can get some Ideas about the item. 3) If you are serious you can ask the bike owner to take the bike to a reputable shop for an inspection. Do this afterwards if you are skeptical and get a phone number of a number of shops in the local of the seller and have the seller ship from that location...call the shop and get the comments of the mechanic before you send the money. If I am spending more than $250 I use the methods above. You, the buyer, bear some responsibility once you bid...and win. You can refuse to pay if you detect outright fraud and report it to eBay. You may have to "suffer" a negative feedback, but if your experience is like mine this doesn't happen often...never in my case. DKeenan
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Don Keenan
730 Grandview Meadows Dr
Apt O-203
Longmont, CO 80503
don-keenan@att.net
don_keenan@yahoo.com
Voice: 303-776-9977
Cell: 720-771-1077
> I need some opinions on an Ebay deal gone wild...
>
> I won a bike on ebay. Reynolds 531 frameset, nicely lugged.
> The size was somewhat inaccurate in the posting and inaccurate in an email I
> received. It turned out to be grossly large. Next, it arrived with what I can
> barely even describe as minimal packing. Foam on both sides of the BB and taped.
> A fork protector in between that was taped in place. Great. Nothing in the rear
> dropouts. The box itself was horrible and flexy from being cut down. There was
> NO other packing inside. It was just floating around the box getting tossed. So,
> I am upset. I believe I have the right to be upset in this case. The seller
> agrees on the 21st to refund shipping. I still haven't seen that come back but
> at this point....? I highly doubt he will make good on this.
>
> So last evening, I am settled down enough to go and look at this bike and see
> what I can do. I put it up for sale on the list and was going to wipe it off and
> clean it up. I remove the kickstand to find the rear crimped and crushed under
> the kickstand. Caveat Emptor? Am I just stuck with this lemon? This isn't even
> remotely worth the funds I paid for it now and I am really irritated. First,
> besides ruining the bike cosmetically, it needs a repaint anyway...I would have
> described the paint and beat up and well used...not as "the usual scratches and
> blemishes!". Is this frame structurally sound being crimped in that area?
>
> What leg do I have to stand on with this bike? any? any advice appreciated.
>
> Walt Skrzypek
> Falls Creek, Pa