eBay Creativity (again.)

fatbee · June 2007

Now I love a bit of creative writing me. But why bother with the Man Booker or the Nobel prize when eBay is free :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :middle:uk

"solid 80s racing frame" ...
that'll be the solid 18 80s presumably, and a "racing frame" with clearances for tractor tyres and no rear mech hanger. Hmmmm. Also didn't know that "80s racing frame"s were built for single-chainring operation, how ahead-of-it's-time.

"cutting edge Raleigh Ti tubing" ...
how's that for avant-garde urban-chic? Constructed from titanium but made to look like gas-pipe.

Oh hang on, turns out I'm wrong, it's not Ti in the sense of titanium, it actually means the winning bidder will ...
"get 531 main tubes with some alloy welds and fixtures."
What a pity there's no decal confirming the presence of "531 main tubes". Still, at least it's less likely to be stolen. And talking of theft ...

"original Raleigh spanner bolt, so no nicked seat" yes bike designers were just more semsible back then weren't they? Before the advent of floating saddles and unfixed seatpins. And it's lucky no bicycle thief ever carries a spanner isn't it? Fort knox on wheels basically.

"I find one brake is adequate" ...
Do you now, that won't be "adequate" in the sense of safe or legal then?

And some poor *** is proposing to give him œ50 for it! I must look in the next skip I'm passing to see if there's fifty sovs-worth of "very nice, solid, nippy bike" for me to offload online.

peterbr · June 2007

Blimey, the Arena was the basic Raleigh road bike that nearly every kid owned when they outgrew their Chopper or Grifter. This was before BMX changed everything. No way it's 531, it's gaspipe.

<hr noshade size="1">
Elephants and Ivory go together in perfect harmony. Oh Lord, why can't we?

rjsmith · June 2007

Wasn't Raleigh Ti meant to be Raleigh 'Trust It' or something. It was then confused later on with Titanium.

monty_dogcp · June 2007

But at least it's got a decent saddle.....

Hmmm - steelie rims and a single front brake - never mind the legality, it's the quality of the stopping power that would concern me.

jonnywilkinson · June 2007

that has cracked me up. and i have one just like it that i will most likely be flogging soon, albeit with a rear brake still attached - might try and compete with him for the Man Booker...

Jonny
FGG #2545 & #2983

peterbr · June 2007

Ti = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tube_Investments

Trust it was an advertising slogan used in the 1980s on Raleigh bikes, Creda washing machines etc.

<hr noshade size="1">
Elephants and Ivory go together in perfect harmony. Oh Lord, why can't we?

Rob James · June 2007

œ50? Up to over œ90 now!

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I hope life isn't a big joke... because I don't get it

campagman · June 2007

Ti Raleigh stood for Tube Investments. Raleigh belonged to the Ti group of companies.

remember to keep pedalling in circles.

palinurus · June 2007

œ90! Jeez.

Unknown · June 2007

œ96.88 now - that was more than a Raleigh Arena cost new!

fatbee · June 2007

FSA-me! 10 bids and œ97 (all but.)

Anyone care to bet how much it'll finally go for?

Still, it'll be a bargain however much, what with those quarter inch wheels (all 27 of them) and "some alloy welds and fixtures" never go amiss do they?

At least he's not trying to charge postage on top.

I just hope the winning bidder collects the thing in the dark.

Tom753 · June 2007

What pees me off are sellers who use spam words in their auctions, like "for your Colnago", who describe road hubs, frames etc as "track", who misuse the term "nos", there's one seller who puts "track, fixed, pista" in the title of nearly all their auctions.

<div align="right"> My fixed bike </div id="right">

fatbee · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Monty Dog

But at least it's got a decent saddle.....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Indeed yes MD, but it is at least an appropriately solied/damaged unit (I've heard of people painting their own frames before, but never painting a saddle?) And notice the vendor is kindly offering to replace the Flite with an altogether crappier model, just to keep the whole package consistent and maintain that "racing" vibe.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Hmmm - steelie rims and a single front brake - never mind the legality, it's the quality of the stopping power that would concern me.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Who cares about stopping a "racing" bike? If I owned it I wouldn't want to stop until well out of sight of anyone at all really.

GaryGkn · June 2007

The problem is that these optimists always get their buck. Something that is perhaps worth about œ25 will often fetch œ250 don't be surprised if this chap gets over a œ100. It is a mystery but their talk and belief works like magic!

JonBurns · June 2007

Ok which one of you told him it might not be 531 tubing? He's adde a bit more to the listing.

The Raucous AUK · June 2007

Good luck to him I say. The fixed/single-speed things adds œœœœœ's! I saw Mirage brakes on eBay for œ10 (brand new - buy it now) but someone had a used front only with a bid for œ26 because he'd advertised it as suitable for fixed.

Unknown · June 2007

My favourite ever ebay listing was for this bike:

http://www.barq.org/15734dm-90.jpg

__________________________________________
http://barq.org/

fatbee · June 2007

Yes, he's added to his listing :

"...the tubes used in this frame may not definitely be 531"

Well they may not definitely be 24carat gold either, but given that the "original pearlescent blue with original decals and Raleigh badge" don't seem to feature the numbers five, three and one anywhere very much, I know where I'd put my money - and it wouldn't be in the trouser-pouch of Mr. camoflag.

Bless 'im.

peterbr · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by barq

My favourite ever ebay listing was for this bike:

http://www.barq.org/15734dm-90.jpg

__________________________________________
http://barq.org/
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think that has to be about the most hideous thing I've ever seen on two wheels. What 20, 22kg?

<hr noshade size="1">
Elephants and Ivory go together in perfect harmony. Oh Lord, why can't we?

Major Hugh Jampton · June 2007

I don't believe it.

I stuck my absolutely mint Raleigh Record Sprint on ebay and no b*gger even bid on it!!!

It had Mavic wheels as well (well.... Mavic rims).

I would have been happy to get œ40 for it!!!

The name's Jampton, Major Hugh Jampton

Tom753 · June 2007

I think you forgot to add "courier bike, fixed, track" :-)

<div align="right"> My fixed bike </div id="right">

Tom753 · June 2007

Or the magic word "pista"!

<div align="right"> My fixed bike </div id="right">

Nivacrom · June 2007

" The forks are also original - but in chrome rather than blue."
Hnmm, original they maybe but not in combination with that particular frame.[:D]

Pink Panther · June 2007

When I a teenager in the early eighties I had a Falcon Panther that went through several sets of forks that looked just like those, usually required in the aftermath of me going over the handlebars yet again! Think they usually came from halfords and or the local cheapo bike shop and you had to spend the rest of Saturday cutting them down with your own blunt junior hacksaw.

Current high bidder has a feedback of 3, maybe they'll come to their senses and abandon their account, register again and look for a cheap real 531 frame to build their own pista/track/courier/whatever bike.

Probably not though!

bianchi 1 · June 2007

Sold for œ142.00!! Im off down the skip to make my fortune.

Unknown · June 2007

Funniest thread I've read in ages!!!! [:D]

fatbee · June 2007

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO POUNDS !!!!!!!

(is that shouty enough?)

For a skip-special with some of the bits missing.

I would take my hat off to the vendor, if I didn't feel the need to lend it to the "winning" bidder to put all his soggy kleenex in when he first sees and rides his purchase.

fatbee · June 2007

'ere's another one missus

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... osi_widget

no problem with the description this time, and that chain doofer's probably worth a tenner, but without the genius sales pitch and advertising copy, I wonder what it'll fetch?

Garybee · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fatbee

"I find one brake is adequate" ...
Do you now, that won't be "adequate" in the sense of safe or legal then?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Nothing illegal about it, it's a fixie, only needs a front brake.

Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

hubgearfreak · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Garybee

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fatbee

"I find one brake is adequate" ...
Do you now, that won't be "adequate" in the sense of safe or legal then?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Nothing illegal about it, it's a fixie, only needs a front brake.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

you have read the description? here's an extract you may have missed
Please note that this is singlespeed with a freehub

fatbee · June 2007

"Nothing illegal about it, it's a fixie, only needs a front brake."

Yeah right Gazza.

That'll be "it's a fixie" in the sense of "it's not a fixie", "only needs a front brake" in the sense of "only needs a front brake provided it already has a rear brake", and "nothing illegal about it" in the sense of "nothing illegal about it apart from the fact that it's illegal".

You're not, by any chance, related to him are you?

eBay Creativity (again.)

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