[CR] Why buy a sued leather saddle? some thoughts on buyibng (and selling)

(Example: Events:Eroica)

From: Tom Sanders <tesanders@comcast.net>
To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:24:01 -0400
Thread-Index: AcnvX6Oa1BKcvJi8TeWrpOYc3v0gxw==
Subject: [CR] Why buy a sued leather saddle? some thoughts on buyibng (and selling)


Easy, cheaper, broken in, a patina you're unlikely to find on a new one. They'll form to you (eventually) and maybe even get more comfortable. To me a well patinated Brooks saddle is a thing of beauty. A new one is merely a nice saddle.

So many things seem better bought used or at least old. When dealing antiques we used to have a saying "buy in the sunlight, sell in the dark". Lest you be scandalized too much by that, bear in mind the Estate Sellers'e credo "Steal the best, sell the rest".

For vintage cyclists I have modified the above sayings to "Buy a bike upside down, sell it right side up". Perhaps some other broad rules come into effect here. If so, please trot them out. One that has come to the fore for me of late is that there is no substitute for being able to place your hands on the tubing to check for bulges, dents, etc. Such things often don't show up in photos and some honest but ignorant sellers on places like E-Bay may not understand the importance of doing this.

Tom Sanders

Lansing, MI USA