<<<well folks.. the woodrup is wonderful... and the motobecane is great for my housemate.. but the stevens currently listed on ebay is calling to me
item number 1850782475
is there any reason why i should not be spending my life savings on this bike>
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Dude!
Relax!
Chill!
In my opinion, you need to figure out a theme to what you want to accumulate. Spend some more time learning about bikes, spend some more time riding the Woodrup, which is a very fine bike. Spend some more time figuring out what interests you, and why. Shiny isn't enough, and more is not necessarily better.
I say this because you were all fired up abut a Shimano-equipped Alan Sport, just a few weeks ago, and you had no idea, really, what it was.
I can understand getting excited, but first, get some miles in, pay some psychic dues. Put five or ten thousand miles on the Woodrup, and meditate patiently on what it is that really draws you to bikes. Otherwise, your impulse purchase will arrive at your door, you'll assemble it and ride it around the block a couple of times, and you'll wonder what other shiny bike on ebay is next. (Side note: ebay is addictive. Be careful.)
Life savings? No. If you had cash to burn, heck, yeah, buy anything you feel like buying, and if you sell it later at a loss, who cares?
My usual caveat: I may have no idea what I'm talking about; I may be totally FOS.
Identify a theme or themes for your collecting, and then chase those themes patiently. Go to some big swap meets, with no money in your pocket -- just look at everything. Talk to people. Breathe.
Now, if this Stevens has some specific, identified, special meaning for you, everything I've said is inapplicable. I have to admit, I've never heard of Stevens, though I once owned an early Fisher Hoo-Koo with seat stays that looked a lot like this bike. That was a lively bike. Wish I still had it.
An opinion worth what you paid for it. By the way, I've written all these things with sympathy. I can understand being bitten by a bug.
Cheers,
Peter "I can quit any time I want to" Bridge Denver CO