Yuhoshi

So I just snatched this frame for my first fixed gear bike: https://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=220081591013

I'm suffering from some PBSD as usual.. Do you think the frame is worth the price? I've been looking for a frame about a month now and haven't really seen too many frames that pleased me for my budget (around 200€ max) Obviously in my case shipping costs and import taxes pretty much rule out way too many options. Oh well, hopefully it'll turns out to be good!

yellowjeep

looks like you got a pretty sweet deal to me, i mean with out knowing anything about the frame at all, it looks pretty nice.

mattface 

I couldn't say. It looks nice for sure, but difficult to judge the value not knowing who made it or out of what. Given that the price seems a bit steep.

I like how the seller presumes to tell perspective buyers what kind of bars they should use. I'd be like "dude you've got your money, I've got the frame, and I'll put apehangers on it if I want."

Yuhoshi

Yeah I guess it's a pretty blind buy, not knowing the maker or tubing and all.

Briareos

Too bad you couldn't get those superfly wheels with it too.

taken67

The lug work looks nice, hell you could have a hand built frame on your hands.

Dave Hickey

LOL, I just bought a 50cm lugged frame from the same guy a couple of minutes ago...

Yuhoshi

Yeah that guy put a bucketload of frames up couple of hours ago. At least compared to the amount that is usually available in european markets.

Surferbruce

steel? check
lugged? check
fork ends? check
sans brake holes? check
i think you're set man. enjoy that thing and don't look back...

Yuhoshi

Yeah I think I'm already getting over the initial panic after pushing the button, looking forward to actually laying my hands on the thing!

Suburbia

looks like a nice buy to me. havent got a clue who made it (although i bet there'll be someone on here who can somehow tell in a matter of seconds), but the fact that it isn't drilled for brakes, has track angles, and track ends makes me think it's probably a serious racing machine. do let us know how she rides!

Yuhoshi

Once I get it here to see in person I'll start digging around to get some clue where it's from. And sure I'll post about how it rides too, even though that might take a few months considering Finnish winter and all...

marqueemoon

"Meant to be ridden using steel deep drop bars *not* risers."

mander

Looks like you paid a lot to me, but it's a nice looking frame and definitely way sexier than whatever you could get new for that price. You might have done better but i don't think you got hosed at all. Email the seller and find out if alu drops will be ok.

Fantomas

I like the tightness of the geometry... seems like a fair price to me.

nayr497

I didn't even know that this PBSD was a disorder, but as we like to diagnose most things these days, I'm all for it. I have definitely felt it and as soon as I'm done picking up a few new parts, I'm going auction-free for a solid month. I feel like I'm living in an alternate reality when I'm watching a few things at a time on the Bay.

Seggybop

Looking at this image, 3rd down, it looks like the lug may have been slightly overheated during construction and melted a bit. Kind of suggests that it may have been someone's framebuilding-training project.

Yuhoshi

Me neither (I may have just invented the term) but I certainly seem to suffer from it quite often when I buy things..

I see what you mean. Oh well what's done is done, I'll just have to wait and see.

Momentum

Nonw of the other shorelines look like they've been overheated. Overheated joints often have a small bump in the tubing just next to the edge of the lug. However, a damaged lug like that probably means that it's not a super high end frame. Although the rest of the lugwork makes it look like a decent handbuilt frame.

By the way, I know the seller and most of the stuff he's got is pretty nice so I'm sure this frame is good. Last time I saw him I had risers on my eddy merckx track frame

markdago

My brief game theory studies would suggest that PBSD might be a symptom of the winner's curse, especially since information in this particular case was so incomplete. I haven't yet made up my mind on it though.

techone

The frame is a Gitane. Has the same lugs (particularly looking at the headtube lugs), forkcrown, blades and ends as mine and a friend of mine's and every Gitane track frame I've ever seen. Only thing different from mine is the seatstay caps.
I'd say it's worth 200 EUR (130 quid) on ebay and Roberto is a good guy who knows the market value of his gear.
Enjoy!

mattface 

Wouldn't a Gitane have Froggy threading? The auction states British threads.

Dave Hickey

Gitane made frames in both English and French threading. In the mid 80's they switched to all English threading

Yuhoshi

There most certainly is a connection between those two.

Thanks for helping, now that I have looked up some photos the frame most certainly seems like a Gitane to me! Any guesses on year?

I'm placing it somewhere in early 80s based on a couple of photos:
https://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/jan/held.htm (same lugs and similar frame, different fork)

These two are actually pretty close to a full match:
https://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005...avidMiller.htm
https://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/d/jon.htm
some differences on chainstays and upper end of seatstays but otherwise seems to be pretty similar.

Anyways I'm happy

mattface 

I've always found it somewhat ironic that on ebay the person who agrees to pay more for an item than anyone else would is called the "winner". I believe P.T. Barnum would have called them winners too. At least to their face.

Sure I know that occasionally there are good deals to be had on ebay, but more often than not the "winner" pays too much.

BTW I think the official term for PBSD is actually buyers remorse. Not to worry though in your case even if you DID overpay for that frame, you didn't overpay by that much, it's a good frame and it'll treat you well long after the price paid is forgotten.