Drillium Dude 

Exactly. I had no seller's remorse, and wouldn't begrudge someone getting more than me if they plan on flipping it - I just don't care for liars.

DD

noglider 

I would be frustrated if that happened to me, for sure. But sales are always a time/money tradeoff. You sold it ostensibly because you wanted to sell it then and were willing to take that price then. You could wait another year or two and get more, but you didn't want to. And maybe that's this guy's plan.

Cyclist3098765

True. I actually only sold it because it was too small for me. I still think I got a fair price for it, the current price is way outta line.
I accept it's his and he can ask whatever he wants for it.

Michael Angelo 

I've dealt with a few scum bags that come by and get "Free Stuff ". Onlyto turn around that same day and post it for sale. Lowest of the low...

Kilroy1988 

I like to assume that people who are willing to tell lies or take advantage of friendly offers in order to make a profit have some other issues to deal with, whether the troubles are manifested in their daily life or perhaps simply in the mind. It seems better to feel pity than anger towards them. 'Tis rather like people who cut in lines or are generally rude to others - clearly their lives are lacking in some way or another.

I've personally never purchased a bicycle specifically to sell, though I often consider the fact that if I don't care for the bike or it doesn't end up working for me, that I might be able to turn a profit when it comes time to sell. Usually I'm only right about half the time, so I call that fair - especially since I have fun cleaning, tuning, and riding them in the meantime.

-Gregory

iab

People making some assumptions. Dude coulda been hit by a bus and had some unscheduled expenses, or something.

**** happens.

Or he's lying scum. I don't know.

Cyclist3098765

I currently have a bike for sale on CL.
Got an email this morning with what I considered a lowball offer, didn't think to much about it.
Writing this post got me to thinking and sure enough, it was the same guy.
I told him I want $600 for my $160 bike. Made me feel better.

prairiepedaler

Here is an entry in a thread of a couple of Dr. Flippenteins operating locally.

Murray Missile 

A good friend did it to me many years ago. Had a car part he claimed he needed really bad so I cut him a really good deal, he turned around and sold it for 4 times what he gave me within an hour of getting it. In fact he already had the buyer lined up. He bragged about it to a couple other friends who let him have it in no uncertain terms. He has since made amends and then some but he'll never get any more "great deals" from me.

Kilroy1988 

Exactly so. Of course it's wrong to lie or attempt to cheat someone in whatever case, but there is a lot of gray area concerning how guilty someone might really be for such behavior. I consider myself and most people I know to be rather good generally, but I know few (if anyone) who hasn't done something shady or underhanded to stay afloat during times of trouble!

A few people in this world do bad things simply for the hell of it, and are probably the sort to do so repeatedly. Many more people do bad things rarely and under pressure, and often without truly wanting to cause offense or harm.

-Gregory

Cyclist3098765

Considering he emailed this morning looking to buy another bike from me, I feel safe in assuming he wasn't hit by a bus or has fallen on hard times.

Cyclist3098765

I can't say he cheated me, we agreed on a price and I willingly sold it. I will not sell him another bike at a sweetheart price though.

Cyclist3098765

That stinks, but I believe you handled the situation correctly.

r0ckh0und 

At the end of the day we'd all feel better knowing we sold our used stuff to the end user.............but quite honestly, I believe about 50% +/- is being resold or at least bought with that intention. Sometimes your the windshield and sometimes your the bug. It's the nature of the free market.

nlerner

I had a guy buy a bike from me, and while standing in my driveway, tell me how much more he was going to flip it for. Whatever--he paid me my asking price.

Oddly enough, I've also seen a couple of times bikes I've sold show up on CL a couple of days later for LESS than what I sold them for. Wtf?! Guess they had really bad juju.

Murray Missile 

I like to think I did, that was 30 some years ago and we're still friends. A couple years ago I traded him and old 1/4 midget in really rough shape for a rifle I had sold him 20 years ago. It was the first gun I ever fired and had nostalgic value as did the midget as it had belonged to a friend when he was very young and had passed away. I finally relaized I was never going to do anything with the midget, it was collecting dust and rust in the back of my garage and I would get more use from the rifle. He sold the 1/4 midget a few weeks later for what I thought was an INSANE profit and proceeded to share the profits with me equally. The best part is the buyer was into vintage go karts and 1/4 midgets and was going to restore it EXACTLY the way it looked when our friend raced it in the early 60's even keeping his name on it. The guy had already done 2 others for his 2 oldest boys and this one was for his youngest, yes they race them! The other 2 had also been restored back to their original racing condition with the last known owner's paint scheme, number and all lettering so it went to a good home. I'm fairly certain our late friend and his Dad would be pleased.

Narhay

I may be completely wrong but wasnt serial #1 regularly stamped in a few makers' bikes? It may not be as special as he thinks.

On the flipping side...sometimes you get a good deal. Sometimes you sell a good deal. Once you have sold it the buyer can do what they like.

Cyclist3098765

Oh yeah, this might be first of that model but definitely not the first Ritchey.
Pretty sure it's an Ultra not Ascent as he has listed, I found conflicting info regarding the serial number when I looked it up. Either way, far from the top of the line and nowhere near as desirable as a fillet brazed model.

rseeker

Sounds like he learned something about the value of friendship. Good for you both.

Insidious C. 

I sold this Raleigh just last week for $60. It's a Japanese double-blue that i partially repainted, just for fun, to evoke the 70s Grand Sport appearance. Failed experiment. This guy's trying to get $180.

Also sold 5 other bikes within last week to clear space in garage. Maybe they will pop up also?

gear64

It's painful for buyers that only want to be riders as well. It sucks to see what you consider a good value suddenly disappear and reappear for 3x cost with no additional work. I forget about that one and look another day.

Cycle Tourist

I can dig it but I have to agree that you need to let it go figuratively as well as actually. I have resisted parting out bikes because I hate the idea of dismantling a bike that, with a small investment could be someone's cherished possession but I've put new tape on a bike and photographed it well and made $100. Many times the profitable thing to do was part a bike out and sell the frame. My last flip netted $25 for two weeks work. It was a beautiful bike that the owner loved so I was good with it. If he had parted out all my careful work and made a large profit, (possible), I'd be disappointed but who knows. Maybe all the parts would wind up on a even better resortation and the upgraded frame end up remade back to it's original configuration. Matter can never be created or distroyed.

Last ride 76 

Yep...

Is it very to different from going to a yard sale and buying an underpriced bike and reselling it? I think the main difference is that we think we "know" what its worth when we sell it to a "flipper". DD's case is different. i understand being willing to get less than top dollar for something one has "created" if the belief is that it will be apprciated as such by the buyer. But 2nd time round... "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, uh...won't get fooled again." At least the guy had the sense not to stick aroud and argue.

SurferRosa

Mic drop.

KonAaron Snake 

I’ve seen arbitrage between a local sales market and eBay plenty of times. Once or twice, I’ve seen someone try to flip a bike I’ve sold - if I got what I wanted, I’m ok with that...and I’ve flipped a bike or two.

The one that pissed me off was this kid who gave me a sob story about needing a frame to build up for his girlfriend..,I sold him one at what I paid, maybe less, and far below market value. It was a favor/good deed. Sure enough - a week later it’s on CL at 4x asking price. I gave him crap for it at a bike thing a few months later, and he denied it/acted like a jerk. Snotty little bugger, but I trust karma to address it.

I’ve bought bikes at low asking prices and have said it’s for my collection when it wasn’t...I just saw it as not rubbing it in. It’s never something I’d use as a negotiation ploy, or volunteer without being asked. If someone wants to get rid of a bike at discount that they didn’t want to research, I don’t think they need to know the buyer is profiting.