personally, i think the response ads that expose dishonest sellers online are good for the integrity of the online marketplace in general, good for the cycling community in this specific case, and good for promoting a culture of integrity and decency, as much as something so insignificant as a re: post on CL can contribute to something so grandiose. "Outing" someone for subjective stuff isn't exactly cool; if a seller touts something as "super-rare" or a "future collectible", you can't really call him/her on it. After all, your definition of rare may be different from the seller's or the buyers', and no one can accurately speculate on the future. But, if a seller is outright lying about an item's original msrp, or things about the items condition, i applaud folks who'd take the time to politely correct it. If the downtube's bent, but the ad says perfect condition, go ahead and out it. If the ad states "all original", but components or finish are modified, go ahead and out it. I don't think we're obligated to do so, but it is certainly within our rights.

If you're a cyclist, and you're into old bikes and CL and helping poor schmucks who just bought a super-rare varsity for $400, it *is* your business to keep your hobby clean, no?

-rob