Originally Posted by
Peloton44
...He says he always ships his bikes the same way and has not had any problems. However, we both agree that rather than waiting for USPS or Canada Post to decide whose fault it is, that he will compensate me a reasonable amount for my troubles. So I am looking for some advise. Worst case scenario, the frame is bent and the dropout is cracked and needs to be repaired. Since my local bike shops are not able to do this work, and I won't be able to get to the city for some time, does anybody have any ideas about how much this type of work might cost? Thanks.
Not having previous problems is not the point, and neither is whose fault it is. The point is that it is not your fault, so waiting for an insurance claim should not be in the cards at all. You received something that was not what you purchased, so you are due compensation. Again, it's crazy to ship a bike and not protect the most vulnerable area, and most people have the sense to ship a bike with the rear wheel mounted anyway.
I would think it a pretty safe bet that the dropout is not cracked. That leaves the hanger, dropout alignment, and rear triangle. If indeed none of the local shops have dropout and hanger alignment gauges/tools then you are in a hard position. I would see 2 choices.
1. Return the frame for a full refund. I know the listing says no returns but the damage takes this into "Item not as described" which does allow for that option. This one depends on whether you had your heart set on a 1985 Schwinn Peleton. There are always more bikes out there.
2. Obtain a written agreement from the seller that he will pay a given amount of costs to repair any damage to the rear area. How much it will cost can vary greatly, both dependent on the work required and particular shop rates. But if you want a figure I'll give it a shot. With wheels already off checking/aligning dropouts should be not much more than about $10, as it's a couple minute job. Aligning the hanger takes a bit more time and effort, more like $15-20. Aligning a rear triangle (doubtful that any shipping damage would have done that) would be more like $30-40 additional. I would ask for something as well for the time you took to research and perform the fix for the crushed dropout opening.
You can't go too high or the seller may just offer you a refund and ask that you return the bike, with you typicall paying return shipping. eBay would likely accept that and you will have no choice. I don't know what you paid for the bike but I'm thinking it may be this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Schwinn...item2a1eb5ff3a
Even if it's not, Let's say you paid $525 with shipping. Given the costs I mentioned above and the time/trouble to go to the city shops, plus the need to reinstall and adjust wheels, brakes, rear derailleur. I would say $60 - $90 might be reasonable. But it depends on the two of you agreeing. You are protected by eBay Buyer Protection if the seller does not work with you.