[CR]To Part or Not To Part

(Example: Framebuilders:Dario Pegoretti)

To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Ben Kamenjas" <bici_pimp@mac.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 19:26:00 +1100
Subject: [CR]To Part or Not To Part

Hey Vox Populi de Biciccleta Amore e Lavore,

I can see why parting up a bike can make some start issuing Fatwa's and I can see why it also passes without the batting an eyelid of others.

Me ...... I dunno as I generally buy bikes with incorrect parts or just parts so to cover my own habit by selling on. Keep the bits I like and pimp off the bits I don't need. Some here and where Im not sure what to $'s to ask for or unwilling to solicit an opinion of it's worth, off to ebay it goes. It's not a perfect world and in part, perhaps some of the nay-sayers of parting bikes up don't have to use ebay as a main source for the majority of their bike & parts purchases or sales. There's truth in that too.

Sometime ago, I offered a beautiful Pinarello Montello (slx) here and on other lists, that was freshly built with new wheels/tires, hubs/spokes, fresh out of box S/record parts ca. 85 (non fluted cranks) and new bars/stem/cables/post/saddle/freewheel etc etc. Cool color, perfect condition, unblemished parts (20 miles tops), popular size, looked right ... had it all. The Price crept down from $900 to $600 (middle of summer mind you) and still no takers. I couldn't bear to part it up and sell it as it was perfect, pristine and just assembled yet it was the only way I would have got anything close to my money back or what I thought a fair price. Ebay wasn't an option as I didn't have the time to list, ship and follow through and preferred to put it in good hands that I thought would enjoy it's beauty as a whole and appreciate it's new status. Being that I was due to move here to Oz and already had my quota's of bikes I could bring with me and my pride f-ing with me I left it with a friend with instruction to ride it and should he ever sell it to fwd me the $'s. Once bit, twice shy.

Can I now issue a Fatwa to those people not willing to pay a fair price for a bike that stays assembled? Certainly not. I have seen many bikes here sold for peanuts too, all original right down to the cable housing and I ask how many people have sold such whole bikes to the list where the buyer has insisted on paying a higher price due to it being left intact?

I have also seen bikes and stuff offered here on the list that nobody took on and then recognized listmembers ebay ID's bidding higher for it on ebay later - that really has me scratching my head. Let's be honest, when we can sell each other a bottle cage or headset for 1/10 (or more) of the price that the whole bike would sell for who hasn't thought about parting it up (or done so). I have swung the other way and spotted bikes, bought them and shipped them for some list members and refused a penny more than it cost me but I can't do that every day as time is precious too. Ive sent list members gaslo bar plugs as a treat for hooking me up and sold 'em for $250 a pop too. I help where I can and make a buck where I can too - it's all good and I think everything evens out in the long run.

Who hasn't bought a bike or parts at a garage sale, bike shop or swap meet, and walked away knowing it's worth a lot more - why no shame or question or morals there?

My take is "do what thou whilst shall be the whole of the law" and if it's your stuff (or your money) then only you can make the call as to what's right and suits you. It's too much a grey area for anyone to make sweeping statements about wrong or right. Yes, it's nice that a historically important bike is offered as a whole but in truth how many bikes are of historical importance and implicitly valued higher for being all intact? Anything saved from landfill and offered on to those wishing to buy it is a bonus IMO, whether it be a skewer or a whole bike and Im not awake at night wondering if some ebay sellers can pay their rent or feed their kids, nor dreading the world to come if they choose to make a bigger slice of pie. It is what it is and I think there are graver things to worry about.

I think it reasonable that some peep's cut the chase and say "I loathe and detest ebay" which I think is perhaps the core of the issue. I can only quote Nelson Algren from The Man With The Golden Arm and say "some cats just swing like that".

ciao

Ben Kamenjas
Sydney, Australia