Re: [CR]ebay outing: gios super record..sad

(Example: Bike Shops:R.E.W. Reynolds)

From: "C. Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com>
To: <brianbaylis@juno.com>
References: <20041228.201535.25428.95087@webmail25.lax.untd.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]ebay outing: gios super record..sad
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 09:39:23 -0800
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

Just to clarify a couple of things. It does appear that this Gios was not built up with exactly period-correct parts. I should have checked that first. The fact that it was built from a frame, and the parts are not totally correct/original to the period does reduce the charm-factor somewhat, so I stand corrected on this particular bike. I myself may well part-out a very nice bike in the next month or so, but I don't have much problem doing it, because it started life as a frame/fork only, and the parts aren't really quite right for the vintage of the frame. Close, but not perfect. In a case like that, I don't have much trouble parting something out. And the Gios on ebay is probably closer to that example.

The general principle remains, though.

For instance, imagine a 1963 nervex-lugged Masi Special. You find it in someone's garage, and it's perfect. I mean perfect. And every part on it is clearly original to a 1963 build-date, whether at Masi, or in the shop that imported the frame. Everything's original to the bike. Parting that out would be gauche, to say the least.

Or take a more tempting example, a late 50s/early 60s Peugeot PX-10. Candy blue with yellow lugs. With that incredibly rare Simplex rear derailleur (JUY 60? I forget the number now...a couple have sold on ebay for well over a grand in the last couple of years)...this Peugeot is absolutely mint, with all the right parts. *Nothing* has been replaced, or altered from the day they opened the box. Would you part that one out? It'd be tempting, from a purely financial point-of-view. But I wouldn't do it. How many here would?

Or, you could just remove the derailleur, and replace it with something cheaper, but equally plausible to the period and the bike? Would you do it? I wouldn't. It'd be like drawing a moustache on Botticelli's Venus.

Oh, both the Masi and the Peugeot are in the 58cm-60cm c-t range. In any case, a size that does not fit you, and/or a size less likely to command a top-price as a full bike.

Charles Andrews
SoCal


----- Original Message -----
From: brianbaylis@juno.com
To: richardsachs@juno.com
Cc: chasds@mindspring.com


<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 8:15 PM Subject: Re: [CR]ebay outing: gios super record..sad


>
> Richie,
>
> In this case, it's blood money. Why not be a hitman? What's wrong with that? I'm sure the hitman feels the same way. "Hey, a guy's got to make a living, right?" I guess it is just as hard for me to understand how someone than think that way as it is for others to understand why I feel the way I do.
>
> Brian Baylis
> La Mesa, CA
>
>
>
>
> -- "richardsachs@juno.com" <richardsachs@juno.com> wrote:
>
> chas-
> what is wrong with (the seller) making money?
> e-RICHIE
> chester, ct
>
>
> -- chasds@mindspring.com wrote:
> Note that the seller parted this out from
> a fully original, complete bike:
>
> http://ebay.com/<blah>
>
> That seems wrong to me. I know it's his bike. I know he can do whatever he wants with it. But I think it's wrong to part out a bike like that. I know why he did it. Maximize profit. Still seems wrong to me.
>
> Charles Andrews
> Socal