so i picked up this fantastic, almost all original (no tires) 1985 schwinn peloton.
columbus SL and SP mix, suntour PRO dropouts, full suntour superbe pro with the exception of the brakes which are royal gran comp, top of the lineup bike (excluding the paramount).
all the components are in amazing condition, crankset and front derailleur will look new when cleaned up, rear derailleur has a small scuff, MKS pedals and clips are in great shape as are the brake calipers. on the other hand, 1 lever has a small hairline crack in the side where the metal folds over the back side of the lever.
the frame has its share of scrapes and chips in the paint, and the heartbreaking part... a ding in the top tube near the seat cluster.
can anyone say if the ding makes the frame "unsafe" to ride?
in the pic i placed the back side of a hacksaw blade along the top tube to show the depth of the ding, less than 1/16th of an inch, probably closer to 1/8th, and only 1 inch from the furthest points left and right, where it moves off the straight edge.
needless to say i was pretty furious as i asked the seller on the phone BEFORE making the 3.5 hour drive in HORRIBLE traffic, "aside from the paint scratches... are there any dings or dents on the frame itself?" she said "nope, none".
she was asking $400, the bike had been listed for over a month, i told her the frame is almost worthless from a collectors standpoint and
might not be safe to ride. she told me some story about how it was her late fiancee's bike, who passed 4 years ago and it's just been sitting around, and although she has no use for it, she felt some sentimental attachment. her lowest price, $250. i didn't realllllly want to pay that, but after the drive i didn't want to leave empty handed, and considering the condition of the components (what i was really after) i went for it.
can anyway say what the frame/fork might be worth considering the ding? one just like it sold (frame and fork only) on ebay just this month for $270 in pretty good condition, and no ding.
http://cgi.ebay.com/SCHWINN-PELOTON-...item564105827b
here are more pics, no time to clean it up yet...
it actually makes my stomach hurt... it's such a beautiful frame and amazingly light. oh well i guess.