Hi Mark,
It is sometimes intentional for a ebay seller to "hide the goods" to obscure problems with a bike frame by not putting in clear or supersize pics that reveal real problems. Take for example the following current ebay auction for a Raleigh Super Course 531 frame in the ebay Cycling section.. The seller exclaims "Bike is in excellent condition and retains many of the original components." He later says "This Raleigh bicycle was rated as one of the best values in a mid-range priced market." I wonder which 1973-74 Raleigh Super Course article he refers to? Is this puffery? However a close look at the pics reveals a different set of problems...
This is not an excellect condition bike as claimed by the owner. The rear section of the top tube is sharply discolored from the brown paint and shows the frame likely had a repair performed that torched the top tube paint. My guess is that the rear cable mount was probably removed with a torch and the owner simply gave up on completing a repaint. Raleigh metallic brown colors are not easy to match for touch-up!
Why would the seller not declare this paint finish problem? I emailed him about these concerns and his "best value" article quote where he has not responded at all in the past three days. My guess is that he is a kid trying to pull a fast one on an unsuspecting buyer. The Super Course frame seems to be loaded with a mismash of non-standard original parts which are likely surplus from his parts bin. I am sorry to see that a seller's apparently deceptive sales tactics require a potential buyer to purchase a 21" monitor like mine to see the subtle details he hopes another will fool other buyers with his misrepresentations...
The bottom line is E CAVEAT EMPTOR - some vintage bike sellers will try to play you for a fool with bad pics! I even came across one bad seller once selling a Raleigh Pro he described in "excellent shape" that actually needed a complete repaint and was in no way "excellent condition for its age". Hard to believe that he is a CR former member, but maybe it is better he quit!
Regards, Steve Neago Cincinnati, OH
"Classic Rendezvous" <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 9:57 PM Subject: Re: [CR]Ebay sales trends
> And why don't folks spend the extra 75 cents to supersize their photos? I
can see why is they don't want us to see detail. I learned something from
Wendy's and applied it to my ebay sales.
>
> Mark Poore wanting it supersized
> Slatyfork, WV
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