A little over a year ago, I was admiring one of my club mates bikes. It was a gorgeous Merckx with full DA 7400 groupset. as we rode and talked, I mentioned I used to have a nice Italian steel bike BITD. I told him all about the (since stolen) Ciocc Mockba 80 I bought when I was working at a bike shop while in college. How I loved that bike. Well, he told me that he had seen a Ciocc for sale, so after the ride, I asked him where he had seen it. He said the local CL. i immediately got out my phone, and (after checking Strava), went to CL, found the bike and called the guy. Well, I went to see it on the way home, and bought it the next day.
THAT folks is how it starts!
It was fully kitted with Shimano 600 and a 90s TTT bar and stem, modern CF white water bottle cages, light blue fake cork tape, and a hideous cheap white saddle. So in my mind, I wanted a Nice Italian bike to be all Italian, so the "upgrades" began. Shimano 600 pedals. Full first generation Chorus group minus seat post and hubs. NIB replacement stem, 20mm shorter, same TTT stem. White (I liked the look) Selle Anatomica saddle. White and blue Bennoto ribbon tape. 39 tooth chain rings and 11-30 cheapo free wheel for Eroica CA. I have been looking at tripleizers for next years Eroica CA. I also had a rear deraileur failure in Eroica that made me limp home at the end, so I bought a long cage version to handle the wrap better.
So now I check the C&V for sale thread every day as I sip my first coffee. I also go look at Steel-Vintage.com at least every 2 weeks to see if there is anything worth over paying for there.
So a couple of weeks ago, i see this GORGEOUS Masi 3V Volumetrica posted in the C&V for sale thread. I liked it but I was not a fan of the light aquamarine color. I read about it, and looked at the ad daily for a while. I saw he had mentioned the color, and posted a picture that could be a different bike all together. I liked that color, so I PMed him. he then sent me a couple of pics of the bike in the different light and I loved it. I started a negotiation, and told him the boss had to be IN. He countered, and when I told my better half what I was thinking, she said do what ever makes you happy hon. (and she meant it, not passive aggressive BS from her... those of you that have met her at Eroica, know I punched above my weight class and won with her!).
Bike arrived yesterday, and I was so pleased with everything about it. speed of receipt, packaging, the color was fan-Fing-tastic. Everything looked almost brand new.
So to the original question...
1) what would make me so trusting as to send a weeks pay, electronically, to a person I have never met or spoken to based on a couple of text chats and some pictures of a bike? The pictures looked like it could have been two different bikes.see the ad here I didn't even know his full real name, phone number or any way of communicating with him other than BF.
2) am I now obsessed? this can't be good!

You guys ROCK, and you guys SUCK for ruining my much needed cynicism. I will have to be careful in the real world now!

As received

A peek into the box

Pulled out for the first time

Partial assembly in garage.

On display to be admired until I get to ride her.
I CANNOT stop looking at this bike. the Wife is going to get jealous!

???? I fail to see a problem.

only problem I see is lack of focus.

I love that color..

Nice bike; you are obviously infected now, and one of us.

Good Luck! The prognosis for what is wrong with you is "Poor".

(I posted my attempt at a humourous reply when there were no photos and this was over in the "What's It Worth" or "For Sale" Forum.

I have deleted my previous post.)

I trust Bike Forum members way further than most people and wouldn't hesitate to send money to one. I haven't bought a bike from a member but all the other dealings I have had have exceeded my expectations.
You will be fine no intervention is needed!

Yeah, I had a real problem not letting that first post get away from me, and ramble on. To excuse myself, I was at work, so I couldn't craft the post to be as cogent as I would like... Hard to take too much time when you are stealing from your employer.

Once the family is fed and the roof over the head is paid for, that's a damn fine way to spend a week's pay.

This is also a damn fine community. I bought a Colnago frame from a forumite once. He drove two hours to meet up with me and gave me a Colnago cycling cap to go with it. I met up with another member to sell a frame. He knew I had a Moser and brought a Moser catalog for me. That kind of stuff is par for the course around here.

I had the pleasure of meeting Hugh at Eroica CA. He hooked me up with a device he no longer needed, and saved me a bunch of $ by selling it reasonably to me. if only everyone in the world was as good a person as he, and the bulk of the guys/girls in this online community, all of that crap that fills the news cycle would not ever have happened. when ever i think the decency in the world has disappeared, I am reminded that more people are decent than not!

The finest enablers money can't buy.

Oh, and not a damn thing wrong with you, you're in perfect C+V health.

You like that bike, right? The needle is in your arm. You may need a 12 step program to stop from buying "just one more".

Very nice, and I think at a reasonable price.
I have two, they are nice riding bikes. Surprisingly Stiff considering the weight.

The important thing is: I can only ride one at a time, and i already have 4.5 to 5 bikes in the garage, (not including my wife's 1 bike)
AND this beauty has taken the luster off of the Ciocc, so it may have to go. It looks dumpy in comparison.

CIOCC anyone???

Mildly obsessed, but no problem. It's all GOOD! Don

I don't recommend the 12 step programs. I tried one and ended up with 12 bikes.

It goes beyond that. I'd never met Spaghetti Legs before I spent 3 nights sharing a queen size bed in the back of an RV at Eroica California a couple of seasons ago. And no, there are no pictures, don't even ask!

​​

[MENTION=481251]mgopack42[/MENTION] - With your obvious good taste, you need more bikes. Rumor has it, now is a great time to be acquiring classics. Tell the spouse instead of 1 $12000 superbike, (discs, electronic shifts, 15lbs, etc) you've decided on a dozen vintage classics.

Congratulations on the beautiful new Masi Volumetrica!
I tried to buy that Volumetrica l, but my financial stars just did not line up in time to do so, being just started a new job a couple of weeks ago. I figure it was not meant for me at this time. Like they say, "Look for it and it will come...." At least, that's how my other grail bikes acquisitions worked out to be, so I'm not losing hope of finding another one to buy, in the future.

A $12,000 superbike will get looks at the next club ride or century, but it will be forgotten when the next guy shows up with a newer shiny object. That Masi will keep turning heads and be even cooler as years go by. Great bike, mgopack42

OOOHHH! I like that idea. but i think it wont be for a bike like this, that just struck my fancy, it will be for bikes I always wanted to own from the days of yore, when I lusted after them as a young man.
Oh and i will also have to tone the price point down, because a super bike was never in the cards! but a slight upgrade for my CF Pinarello, might fall in the $8000 range!

"I don't recommend the 12 step programs. I tried one and ended up with 12 bikes."

Haha, that is a good one!

So much truth in this thread - BF C/V is the best support group ever!!

I have acquired a reputation... I went to the LBS I worked at this past summer to order some spokes and they handed me the number of a guy who had an early 80’s Trek 400 in my size for sale. I just happened to be looking for one at that very moment - mine in less than an hour.

I’m saving for a new (but C/V-ish) bike, but after a week or so of trying, I finally could no longer resist my first Motobecane, a Jubilé I have desired for a number of years.

I tell my wife that my mid-life crisis could be babes and booze... she tolerates my habits.

heh. you took it too much to heart. I meant the photo of the bike in front of the fireplace was not in focus...

Dang, there's so much a camera can hide, but that's a big difference IMO