In a message dated 4/6/2006 2:34:29 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:
Marty, here is a follow up on one of my tips. That eRichie MASI GC can be found by searching this way.
I always go to the Key word or item number search screen found off of the Advance search link at the right hand top of each ebay page.
Once there type in, masi bicycle, and search through from one to three pages of stuff that is found using this method. You can see eRichey's masi bike there. I also always check, masi bike, and you will find some things are common to both areas while other things are not. You generally find more in masi bike than masi bicycle. This is one of those rare occassions where the word bicycle was used in the auction and the word bike was not. Rarely does the entire name, masi gran criterium, get used. I like to search using common themes that people will use when they write up a posting. Oh, and I always check the box that says "Search titles and descriptions". That gives you the best penetration into the auction text itself.
Good luck Ray Homiski Elizabeth, NJ
Ray;
As we discussed off-list, I usually was in the habit of searching "masi", then filtered to the sporting goods category, but as you pointed out (thanks!) I was missing the stuff that was posted in "collectables", like Richard's bike. But I still think using "bike" or bicycle" as a filter is a mistake because you are going to miss most bare frames as well as the accessories like water bottles, jerseys, pantoe'd components, etc.
So here's a good search for Masi (that I already sent you offline, this is for the other Masi nuts on the list) that will eliminate most of the junk but not miss any bikes, frames or parts:
masi -paolo -alex -phil
The negative operators eliminate the handbags (paolo) the musician (alex) and the baseball player cards (phil). This reduces the results from 330 to about 30 (about half of which are bike-related).
Seems to work pretty well so far, lots better than the way I was doing it before.
Bob Hovey
Columbus, GA