Flipper #1 sells bikes as-is, replete with grease and grime, flats and bent cable housings. He makes no assertions as to condition.

Flipper #2 will polish a pig, and assert that it is in "like new condition" when it isn't.

Flipper #3 will clean up a bike to show it to its best advantage, but make full disclosure on every known issue.

Flipper #4 will expend as much time and money as is needed to ensure a bike actually IS in like-new condition.


- Unfortunately, there are a lot of #2 flippers, and even some #2 big businesses as we have seen. It is wrong to confuse what they do with free enterprise or even capitalism. - It's more like giving a AAA-rating to derivatives based on toxic assets.