Which bike? WSD, 700c, Hybrid, Top Tube, 17"

[alicej]

I've arranged to have a look at that Vita Elite on Sunday. How can I tell if it's nicked?

Well, the same contact number corresponds to a Wayne, or a Jude, or a Holly, or an Arron, or a Linzie. What is it? A mobile public telephone booth? Despite the multiplicity of names, all their adverts have similar wording and use of all-capitals.

In the past six weeks alone, they have sold via gumtree a Peugeot renolds [sic] 501 racer, a peugeot lauretet road racer, a claud butler criterium 14 speed road racer, a ladies vintage retro raleigh solitair shopper, a mercurio RA5 road racer, a Vintage Retro Ladies Townsend, a very rare vintage retro claud butler town bike, a vintage retro peugeot unisex road racer, a specialized hardrock sport disc 2010, a vintage retro emelle wayfarer town bike ....sorry, I'm bored now.

Some of these seem to have been bought from e-bay prior to selling them on. The current e-bay ID is feelreal.dude, but was poppy44henrydude. The person/people advertise in loot a lot, too.

Why not ask for the frame number so that you can check it out on the various registers, and also mention in passing that this purchase would be to replace one you had stolen, then see how evasive the seller becomes. Then, if you do proceed, check that the frame number given to you over the phone matches what is actually on the bike?

THANK YOU!
I thought I'd tried Googling the mobile number but I must have messed it up because I didn't find anything. If I try again I get what you did, and it doesn't look good at all, does it? I might try to do a little more checking but I'm now starting to assume this is not going to work out.

[alicej]

Here's another one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0954641728
Would appreciate views on likelihood of it being nicked please, I'm not sure what to make of the seller's feedback. Have sent them a message asking for the serial number and their reason for selling it.

Minefield this, innit?

[CREPELLO]

He could be legit, but would the bike fit? I still think a bike fit session could provide you much information and reassurance. They don't all cost £200 as someone quoted above. Paul Hewitt used to be £50. The knowledge that this would give you and the money saved on replacement stems (or another wrong frame) etc would be worth more in your money and time than winging it on a nice looking bike on the net.

[niggle]

Here's another one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0954641728
Would appreciate views on likelihood of it being nicked please, I'm not sure what to make of the seller's feedback. Have sent them a message asking for the serial number and their reason for selling it.

Minefield this, innit?

Difficult to know for certain, but the last item they sold http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250908663657 looks like they took some time and effort with the description, the photos show defects fairly well, and the buyer feedback was positive without being OTT. OTOH they do have a couple of negative feedbacks, but that could be bad luck, a misunderstanding, etc. I would be asking how come they have an unused, unbuilt 2009 bike to sell in the first place, as well as why they are selling it.

[alicej]

He could be legit, but would the bike fit? I still think a bike fit session could provide you much information and reassurance. They don't all cost £200 as someone quoted above. Paul Hewitt used to be £50. The knowledge that this would give you and the money saved on replacement stems (or another wrong frame) etc would be worth more in your money and time than winging it on a nice looking bike on the net.

You're right of course, and that's probably what I'll do eventually...

But, this size of this bike was one of the ones I sat on in a shop the other day, so I'm pretty sure it'd fit, and at £70 I'm sure I could resell it easily without losing any money if I didn't like it.

Is it cheap because it's nicked though? Hmmm. Do prices of new, boxed bikes really go that low just because they're 2009 stock? I know some things do, but I don't understand the culture of obsolescence enough to know how much it applies to bikes .

I think I'm not going to buy secondhand without a serial number. No legit seller is going to mind me asking, and no thief is going to tell me the number.

I hate bike thieves.

[alicej]

Here's another one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0954641728
Would appreciate views on likelihood of it being nicked please, I'm not sure what to make of the seller's feedback. Have sent them a message asking for the serial number and their reason for selling it.

Minefield this, innit?

Difficult to know for certain, but the last item they sold http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250908663657 looks like they took some time and effort with the description, the photos show defects fairly well, and the buyer feedback was positive without being OTT. OTOH they do have a couple of negative feedbacks, but that could be bad luck, a misunderstanding, etc. I would be asking how come they have an unused, unbuilt 2009 bike to sell in the first place, as well as why they are selling it.

Thanks, yes that's exactly what I've asked them! I also asked for the serial number of the bike as I guess it's possible that a boxed bike could still be nicked, and I guess any retialer which had lost stock would be likely to a) be able to get the serial numbers and b) register them as stolen.

Why's it only £70 though?

[niggle]

Do prices of new, boxed bikes really go that low just because they're 2009 stock? I know some things do, but I don't understand the culture of obsolescence enough to know how much it applies to bikes .

Bear in mind that is the starting price for an auction, the seller will be hoping for more. If a new bike is stolen I suppose we are looking at the 'fallen off the back of a lorry' type scenario, stolen from a shop or warehouse or some such. The seller has been selling under the same ID for 2.5 years, which is a positive, but they do seem to have sold quite a few bikes in that time, which is more worrying.

[LollyKat]

£70 is just the starting price and there are several days to go.

[CREPELLO]

I also asked for the serial number of the bike as I guess it's possible that a boxed bike could still be nicked, and I guess any retialer which had lost stock would be likely to a) be able to get the serial numbers and b) register them as stolen.

Why's it only £70 though?

I once bought a Sony Discman from a catalogue surplus shop. Bargain it was (and actually the first personal compact disc player ever produced). A few years later when I was having trouble with it I took it a Sony Service Centre, who informed me that it was (according to the serial number) an insurance right-off due to a warehouse fire.

So there are some obscure and not always reliable reasons why a 'new' product might become available for sale. And these days ebay is the obvious place to sell these items - legitimate or not.

[alicej]

I also asked for the serial number of the bike as I guess it's possible that a boxed bike could still be nicked, and I guess any retialer which had lost stock would be likely to a) be able to get the serial numbers and b) register them as stolen.

Why's it only £70 though?

I once bought a Sony Discman from a catalogue surplus shop. Bargain it was (and actually the first personal compact disc player ever produced). A few years later when I was having trouble with it I took it a Sony Service Centre, who informed me that it was (according to the serial number) an insurance right-off due to a warehouse fire.

So there are some obscure and not always reliable reasons why a 'new' product might become available for sale. And these days ebay is the obvious place to sell these items - legitimate or not.

That's food for thought. Sounds like asking for the serial number should still work for that sort of thing too though, so looks like that's what I should be asking.

[CREPELLO]

It is a shame that no female forumers have been able to advise you on this thread- their observations may be more succinct. But it may be that your back is the factor that is making it difficult for us to advise you in a straightforward way - at least that's what I'm thinking. A frame fit session should really address this, if they are up to their job. Paul Hewitt certainly has a good reputation in this department (amongst others).

[alicej]

Seller says they'll get back to me with a frame number for this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250954641728? ... 1423.l2649 and says it's from "old bankrupt stock". Any idea what that means? I also emailed two previous buyers of bikes from this seller and one of them got back to me to say they "seemed ok", although they'd never checked their serial number.

[alicej]

Had a very educational trip to Edinburgh Bike Co-op today.

Seeing my current bike side by side with a Specialized Vita, the length of the frame is the same! The Vita has a lower BB though, giving more leg length without raising the saddle, keeping the bars in easier reach.

Still not perfect though, so I tried the Revolution Heritage http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c018345

What a difference! I felt really, truly comfortable on it, didn't have to stretch at all to reach the bars, and my weight was nicely on my seat bones where it's supposed to be. Wow.

So, I may have a bit of a change of plan and start thinking less hybrid, more sit-up-and-beg. Problem I now have is that it seems to be difficult to find 700c wheels and 18 or so gears with this style, maybe because the angle of the seat tube makes it hard to fit a front mech. These bikes also seem to be pretty heavy, but I guess I can't have everything...

[niggle]

Had a very educational trip to Edinburgh Bike Co-op today.

Seeing my current bike side by side with a Specialized Vita, the length of the frame is the same! The Vita has a lower BB though, giving more leg length without raising the saddle, keeping the bars in easier reach.

Still not perfect though, so I tried the Revolution Heritage http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 155c018345

What a difference! I felt really, truly comfortable on it, didn't have to stretch at all to reach the bars, and my weight was nicely on my seat bones where it's supposed to be. Wow.

So, I may have a bit of a change of plan and start thinking less hybrid, more sit-up-and-beg. Problem I now have is that it seems to be difficult to find 700c wheels and 18 or so gears with this style, maybe because the angle of the seat tube makes it hard to fit a front mech. These bikes also seem to be pretty heavy, but I guess I can't have everything...

Another bike from the Revolution range is the Streetfinder Women's, which also has a reasonably upright stance with highish bars, but with 18 speed gears. Worth a look IMO: http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 333c018337 My wife has a Pathfinder Women's with front suspension for trail riding and loves it due to the high bars and upright position, Edinburgh Cycles seem to be quite good at designing what a lot of women like.

One further thing you can try, which worked a treat for my younger daughter when building a bike around an old rigid MTB frame, is to replace straight handlebars with swept back ones, such as the Raleigh Trekking bars: http://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/p-43-r ... ebars.aspx They put your hands in a very natural and comfortable position as well as shortening the reach.

[alicej]

Another bike from the Revolution range is the Streetfinder Women's, which also has a reasonably upright stance with highish bars, but with 18 speed gears. Worth a look IMO: http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 333c018337 My wife has a Pathfinder Women's with front suspension for trail riding and loves it due to the high bars and upright position, Edinburgh Cycles seem to be quite good at designing what a lot of women like.

Yeah that looks interesting, I'll have to see if they have one I could test ride to see if it's as upright as the Heritage.

One further thing you can try, which worked a treat for my younger daughter when building a bike around an old rigid MTB frame, is to replace straight handlebars with swept back ones, such as the Raleigh Trekking bars: http://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/p-43-r ... ebars.aspx They put your hands in a very natural and comfortable position as well as shortening the reach.

I like swept back bars, but at the moment I'm using BMX bars which have a 10cm rise which is probably about the most extra reach I could possibly get from the handlebars alone. When I think I've got the frame right then I'll experiment with different bars though.