Classic & Vintage - Frejus on Ebay for $400

I know I probably blowing this for myself if this is a good deal but I'm just not sure if I should bid. The auction ends in 10 hours and has zero bids.

Shedlon Brown's page cites figures from $1,200 to $2K on old Frejus Campy bikes. This particular eBay auction is miscatagorized and not in the 'road bike' section...so I'm thinking not a lot of views (by the right folks).

The bike looks to have lower to medium-end Campy and be in fair shape. Please check this eBay link and tell me what you think:

http://cgi.ebay.com/FREE-SHIP-1960-1970-frejus-bike-VG-condition-RARE-NR_W0QQitemZ7182589937QQcategoryZ2904QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks.

Humm...I'd give it some time, see what kind of traffic it gets, and then bid away!

I can't comment on the bike, but on the posting...

0 feedback.

Says in several places that it is free flat rate shipping, but then buried in the text says that it is $75 to have it shipped, free to pick up. This makes me think SNAKE!

The person has been a member since March, but never did a sale or purchase... I don't know if this is good or bad... I would be concerned about a hacked user account.

At least Willow Street PA does exist... I actually checked Mapquest for that. :)

I don't know where you live, but I was considering offering to check it out in person before you sent funds to the seller if it was closer... but that is a 2+ hour drive each way, and with gas prices I am not likely to do that much for someone I don't know. ;) However, I am adventurous and will offer to take the drive if you decide to bid and win for the cost of gas (24 MPG from WB to the sellers site and back about 240 miles round trip) I am willing to do it for cost only since I would take advantage of the opportunity to cycle in a new area after checking that the person and bike really exist... ;)

Of course, you would have to trust me to ensure the trust of someone else... kind of a circular argument. But a cheap way to get an independent verification is what I offer... I am available to travel any time on Sundays and afternoons on Saturdays (in class until noon).

Good luck!

BTW - for ultimate safety, I think PayPal provides a certain level of protection (I forget their $ limit). You could also pursue the possibility of escrow, but I don't know that process.

The bike's worth the starting price, assuming no dents or crash damage. I can't tell from the picture, but the frame may have the Legnano type seat binder; Frejus and Legnano were probably under the same ownership when that one was made. The bike looks like early to mid '70s. My only concern other than dents/damage, is the 0 feedback issue.

Thanks Dgregory but I live in San Francisco. I know that feedback rating is scary. Maybe I will look into escow or maybe contact the person and get all his vital stats. OR pay him/her when I recieve the bike (I have a really good feedback rating/tenure on eBay). But what about the general value of the bike..anyone know?

...But what about the general value of the bike..anyone know?
If no damage, I'd grab it.... It's no Masi, but 10-15 years before that one was built, Frejus was a BIG name in quality professional grade bikes. At $400, you could sell the parts & have your $$ back.

I just blew up the pic of the whole bike, and it looks as if it may well have the Legnano seat binder (same builder as the mid '70s Legnano). Pretty cool. Build quality was decent, but not art. Probably a great rider though, and worth the $400. A little late to be asking questions about components you can't see, and possible damage.

Oh, the Campagnolo parts that I can see aren't lower end or midrange... That's all Record/Nuovo Record...Super had just come out about then.

Thanks Otherguy..

I'm going to submerge the seller in questions and get a feel for him/her. Hey isn't there some kind of middle-man company for eBay?..i.e: A reputable company takes the merchandise and holds it for the seller until the buyer pays the company? I'll check it out. Thanks for your insight.
-C

I just emailed the seller too (I'm not bidding though; got my Frejus already). I asked about the "free shipping" as well as about components not visible. I doubt I'll get a reply this late though.

Speaking of Frejus, did anyone catch this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7179619481&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

M-theory, from my experience. Paypal is all the middle man you need. If you pay through paypal (which the seller of this auction accepts) and never get your item you can file a claim through paypal. Paypal then contacts the seller and gives him/her a certain amount of time to provide documentation that proves that the package was shipped/delivered. If the seller fails to resolve, you get your money back. Theres much more to it I'm sure. You should read about paypals buyer protection on their site. Good luck!

ORand

Pay via paypal with a credit card; this will give you the added protections of the credit card as well as those of paypal.

I know I probably blowing this for myself if this is a good deal but I'm just not sure if I should bid. The auction ends in 10 hours and has zero bids.

I notice a bid this morning... If it is you, good luck... if not, you have competition.

Buying a bike on e-bay is the only time I got burned. Proceed with extreme caution

Jim

cool bike. I've always like that oddball Legnano/Frejus seatpost
binder bolt arrangement.
I've bought 2 bikes from e-bay, and tons of parts,
never had a problem.
with paypal and credit card payment the only real risk is
that it isn't what it's described to be.
As for the shipping free/$75.00 I'm betting he/she
figured out what it costs and changed text.

marty

Well, someone got it for a good price... $405, and according to the seller (who emailed me back early this morning), it does include shipping! Seller also says handlebars are "Record", which I'm guessing means the stem and bars are ttt, with a Record stem.

In the recent thread 'bout the $853 Raleigh Comp GS, I wrote that for around $350 you can find a better bike if you look... This Frejus was a good example. The frame's as good as the Raleigh's; maybe better, and components are absolutely better. Besides that, there were 10 of those Raleighs made for every one of these Frejus (my wacky guesstimate).

Speaking of Frejus, did anyone catch this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7179619481&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT
John Barron of "Velostuf" got that one. Looks like a nice bike! Wish my Frejus looked like that...

John Barron of "Velostuf" got that one. Looks like a nice bike! Wish my Frejus looked like that...


It looked to be in truly unbelievable condition! The detailed pics have dropped off the page… too bad.

It looked to be in truly unbelievable condition! The detailed pics have dropped off the page… too bad.
that's to avoid some scammer selling the same bike, using the original
auction pictures. Been seeing that one for a while, one went so far
as to use the original description, word for word.

marty

The seller didn't get back to me until after the auction ended (at 6AM my time)....so I didn't bid.. DAMN! He then told me that "Nuovo" and "Record" was stamped "on a lot of parts". Well someone got a great deal (assuming that they'll actually get the bike). I hate the world.

peace out.
-C

I used to volunteer at a youth bicycle group, selling things on eBay to raise some money. One of the items we sold was a Frejus that matched this one exactly, except in a little bit better condition. It went for $650. I thought someone was re-selling it, but then I remembered that it was shipped to TX.

John Barron of "Velostuf" got that one. Looks like a nice bike! Wish my Frejus looked like that...

2 sweet bikes in the same thread, nice...
took me back to my 1st real days of learning about real cycling (whatever that might be) and bikes. Mostly that you could live, eat, breathe bikes & cycling and need hardly anything else.
The oldtimer regulars in Central Park were the 'professors' I studied with. And they mostly rode Frejus, Legnano, Cinelli, Bottechia, Atala and a few PX10s. And the 2 that just struck me as the 'definitve' bikes were the Frejus and Cinellis - no real reason, just the way my head put it together.
nice reminiscense.

M-theory, sorry it didn't work out for you, maybe the next time.
and
'Peace out'

funny day, this is the 2nd time I heard/read it today, 1st, this morning, from a chick I know (dot, who is my age and knows I used to use it all the time).

there are times when you can go back

...there are times when you can go back
...and my old bikes are my time machines...

To this day I still regret leaving my very first 'real' bike frame in the attic of my college off campus house. I had a Legnano with the famous seat binder bolt.

I was kind of fed up with that frame. I did not have the correct size seatpost and the person who gave me the frame filed a campy seatpost to make it fit. I filed that seatpost a little more to get a more custom fit. When I got my first nice frame, I moved all the stuff to it and archived the Legnano in the attic and left it there after I left college. Damn! On the positive note, the weight savings (no seatpost binder bolt and thinner seatpost) allowed me to win several stages in the TDF and the Coors Classic (Red Zinger)... Ha! Good one, eh?

The Legnano that I had did not have any braze ons so I am not sure of the production year. There were no headbadges, stickers, etc on the bike. I think they were removed by the previous owner.

Oh well, live and learn. I still keep an eye out for a Legnano and they are some nice ones in Ebay every now and then