What was I Thinking
 

I need another bike like I need another whole in my head. But for some reason, I decided to bid on a 1974 Hetchins Italia (no curly stays) I saw on Ebay. To my surprise, I "won" it. Now I have 4 bikes, not counting my kids 3 bikes. I am out of room. I have really fallen in love with my 1989 Centurion. I need my Trek 5000 for longer, hilly rides because of the triple and my bad knees. I guess that means I will have to put the Pinarello up for sale on Craigslist. I hate to part with it. It used to be my primary ride. But I haven't ridden it in about 3 months. Hopefully it will go to someone who will use it. Here is a picture of the Hetchins off Ebay. I finally have a real C&V bike.
http://i17.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/b0/90/62f8_1.JPG

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do...but you do have a C & V bike!

East Hill

Congratulations! A beautiful classic! May as well start near the top if you are going C&V. I was the bidder who tried to snipe you with 3 seconds left. Like you I wasn't sure if I needed another bike. One question; how much were you willing to pay? If you prefer you can PM me with your response. Thanks and enjoy your Hetchins.

The truth will only make you feel bad, so let's pretend I had $100 in reserve.

Great response. My usual bidding tactic is to go $300 over the highest bid with about 3-5 seconds remaining. That's how I got my 1974 Motobecane Le Champion in showroom condition. Today I used a lighter touch. I had only discovered the Hetchins some 30 minutes prior to bid time and I really want to land an early to mid- 1970's Raleigh Professional. So now you know the story. The gods were with you. Again, congratulations.

I am sure I will get over the buyer's remorse when I actually get the bike. I actually thought it was going to sell for closer to $1000. I guess it is getting near the end of the season up North, so interest in bikes is waning. Down here, the season is just getting cranked up after a long wet summer.

Congratulations. I'd been watching the Hetchins for a couple of days, but just couldn't pull the trigger. I'm just getting back into this after about a 15 year lapse and don't need to go wild on building a collection of bikes before I know if it's going to stick this time.

One more request from the runner-up. Can you post some good quality pictures of your Hetchins? The eBay shots left a lot to be desired. Thanks.

Yes, please post better pics of that fantastic Hetchins when you have time!

Congrats on your win!

(fainting) you what???

Let me clarify. For the sake of brevity I didn't explain completely. If I really want a particular vintage bike and all of my requirements have been met I'll punch in the big $$$. It's not something I do impulsively. I study the seller's pictures, ask questions about the bike and may even request additional pictures. I also do a bit of research on the particular bike to get a feel for its value. Prior to eBay implementing its anonymous bidder program I even studied bidding habits of my competitors for a particular bike or component. I tend to stay away from the crazies who get locked into a bidding war. There are also a few bidders with really deep pockets who insist upon paying outrageous prices for bikes and components. They are harder to identify now with the concealed identities. For that matter so are the shill bidders but that's a topic for another day.

I haven't actually seen the bike yet, therefore, the low key title. When I get it, there will be a post more properly announcing it's arrival. I already picked up a Brooks saddle to go on it. It just wouldn't seem right to put my Aliante on a Hetchins.

geez that was a steal.

very nice bike indeed, while not a curly stay model I really like it.
Shame that every Hetchins I see is not my size.

detailed pics would be a good thing (hint)

marty

How about I send you my 1974 Brooks Professional saddle so I can claim partial ownership?

I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall. When I looked at the auction with 5 minutes to go and it was still at $400, I assumed there were a bunch of people lined up to snipe it. I entered my bid on Ezsniper and turned off my computer. When I got the email that my bid was good, I started searching the forums to make sure there wasn't some post about this being a scam or a fake. I had done some fairly significant work beforehand, but I assumed I had missed something. Now that you have blessed it, I feel better.
I have already set up a sub-album on Photobucket. I promise to post a bunch of pictures, when it arrives.
I also promise not to plug my austin.craigslist ad for my Pinarello.

you just did ! :D (and thats fine with me).

Glad we made you feel better. To be honest I think the Italia is a
very underrated bike. Most folks go for the Curly's and ignore the straight
stayed Hetchins and they are still excellent bikes. Hetchins is one a few
bikes on my want list.
I'm not that far from you (Frisco) so might just have to take a look
at it at one of these organized rides or Texas BF get togethers (hmm, maybe
a weekend between DFW and Austin. .)

Marty

hehehe

A new member just signed up in Austin...he's looking for a road bike...should I plug the Pin for you?

I would have to label myself as a shameless hussy then, though, even though the Pin's worth it :p .

East Hill

hey, there'll be no shamelessness on this particular forum!

My kind of woman!

Great looking bike. I like your thinking! (pretty big though!)

This is one of the few in my size! It seems to me that the UK builders made far fewer bikes in large sizes especially in the early years (up till the mid 1970s). But the 1980s 25 inch frames seems to become more common place. I have seen maybe one curly stay hetchins that would have fit me and I think it was only 24.5. to top.

CK, Nice buy! Under $1000 seems pretty good to me!

I need to get up to Big D and try one of those flatlander rides. I haven't ridden my bike up there since I graduated from Berkner. That was when Berkner was in the country. I'll let you know.

That Hetchins is gorgeous. I have seen a private collection of 24 Hetchins bikes, representing a number of model years, and all of them were very impressive, even the one with the reverse-threaded(!) bottom bracket, with the adjustable cup on the drive side. (The Quality Assurance department must have had the day off.) :)