JB Froke commented :- Things have been too calm the past few days... This was a topic a week ago; and I imagine has been oft in the past: What is the real purpose of outing bikes etc bike stuff seen on ebay?
Members would perhaps be interested to know that since collecting frames,complete machines, period parts for my London bike collection over the last 10 years I have never once purchased on E.Bay. I have never needed cycle jumbles or auctions for my proposed restoration projects. They always come either , by word of mouth , contacts in the Veteran -Cycle - Club or advertisments in the local or national magazines. Most of these contacts are private people selling there goods for various reasons other than a business or making money. Like many ventures unfortunately this method of buying the disappointments outweigh the successful purchase of the most sought after bicycle accessories.
To me this has been the most convenient way of purchasing the goods one requires and gives me the satisfaction of having dealt with persons like myself who frequently has surplus to requirements to pass on to each other without the uncertainty whether the purchased goods are genuine or not. I also accept that folk in the USA are in a different position to us in the UK where spares appear to be harder to obtain especially entering in to any proposed transaction when taking into consideration the distance and the size of our two countries.
Finally the listing messages which draw our attention to the goods on E.Bay are they not on many occasions out of the time line as is the Holdsworth mentioned today , in my opinion it is without doubt a least 1987 if not later.
Happy bidding or buying whatever!
Doug Smith
North Dorset
UK