Many sales are made outside Ebay-happens all the time. An item doesn't sell, no bids or doesn't reach reserve.So industrious types will contact the seller and offer to buy it for maybe 85% of what shipping + the minimum was.Seller says ok-deal made, but even Ebay makes some money since buy is made with Paypal.

Were Ebay regs violated-who cares-not even Ebay cares since they made some $$?Buyer= WIN Seller= WIN Ebay= WIN This is why Ebay doesn't attempt to pursue folks who do this(that and it would be tough to prove- waste of time and effort when there are true scammers working Ebay))

This is all for fun/hobby like the Sciencemonster says.I (the mystery buyer) get to play with another bike for another month or two, the eventual buyer gets a bike that has been spiffed up/repaired made usable again.The bikes usually don't sell on Ebay initially because something is "broken" in some way.It-they- wasn't/weren't immediately ride able, but it/they had some feature I liked-usually a Chrome Moly frame that made it worth my effort.www. Most buyers CL and Ebay-don't make enough $$ to consider it real money.It is fun-a hobby

This is a typical buy, but just an outright ebay buy, not a backdoor buy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I'll fix it up, but how much will I make paying $113 for it?? Maybe it will sell-in March-for $145. Strictly for fun,I like bikes.This one has a Chrome Moly frame and 700c wheels that can take wide maybe 38mm tires, so it is a good do anything bike.Shame for it to sit in a garage.

Who Dat
Charlie