After looking at the current high bidder's feedback, I find myself wondering why s/he is bidding on this at all. Surely someone who is as familiar with bikes as buycycle911 seems to be would realise that this is a fraud?

East Hill

"The seller ended this listing early to sell to the high bidder(s) at current bid price."

I guess someone got taken for only a little bit: $67.66 + $80 shipping.

I wonder what kind of feedback this will generate for the seller?

East Hill

Something fishy is going on. The same buyer bought another bike from the same seller for the *same price* with the same number of bids, with the same general MO as the Paramount/Jackson scheme, only with a Diamant/track bike switch. Plus he uses the word seldomly.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=110181779219

Well yeah, we've already established that. (sorry, couldn't resist) :D

Maybe the buyer scammed the scammer? The buyer has way too much feedback to be taken in, I hope.

Even more interestingly, the SAME two bidders on both bicycles...'hulamula', and 'buycycle911'.

I did notice that at least one BF member, ticwanos, has had dealings with 'buycycle911', so I'm guessing that 'buycycle911' is reputable.

The plot thickens...

East Hill

According to his eBay member profile Buycycle911 has a bike shop in a city not too far from my work. I'm going to stop by and meet him. He is one of four brothers who sell bikes and parts on eBay. I've met two of the brothers thru eBay purchases. I'll post my findings.

I know I at least will be interested in what you discover :p .

East Hill

I think I'll go "ditto" on the looks too. Other than the lights, that's about what I'd like to have--I should print out that picture and put someplace for reference.

Shill bids?

Perhaps. The first of the two bidders never responded to my warning as to the ad being suspect.

-Kurt

Make sure you let us know what is going on.

Tim

Well, as promised I went by Buycycle's shop. It's out of business, completely empty. Only the exterior sign remains. It was a small shop located in a small strip mall. Opened July 2006 Closed ?? That's it for me. I'm off the case and ready for my next assignment.

Thank you, excellent job!

Scam it is, then.

East Hill

Unless they're selling off the leftover stock from the garage?

If that beautiful Bob Jackson is leftover stock, I would gladly pay $67.66 for it :) .

East Hill

Hijacked account? Or someone who figures they can make more money defrauding folk?

-Kurt

Yeah - I was thinking more parts than a Bob Jackson.

Just this weekend I took part in a small feeding frenzy when a closed bike shop layed out leftover stock at a swap meet. Got some decent swag for dirt cheap - nothing you guys would be interested in, as it was mostly modern "crap". :D

Is this the swap meet to which BlankCrows made reference?

You need to start a thread so we can find out what ya'all made off with :p .

East Hill

Yes, it is.

I got a sack full of NIB Shimano cartridge bottom brackets, a sack full of new cables/housing, a bunch of Easton EA50 stems, and brand new FD's - Campy Record, Chorus, Daytona, and Shimano DuraAce, respectively. Also, an assortment of cablehangers, guides, and such.

The BB's are almost all sold already - I've only two left. The FD's and stems go up on eBay in a day or two. The rest of the stuff - Shop tools, Co2 inflators, multi-tool, etc, I keep for myself. :D

Sounds as if you made out like a bandit :p .

Besides you and BlankCrows, any of the local C & V crowd?

East Hill

AAHHH! The scumbag is back on ebay trying to sell another vintage bike with a similar seller ID. What a piece of s h i t ! I wrote into ebay about him but it looks like he's back...

p.s. I'm the guy who had originally sold the Bob Jackson a while back on ebay and wrote a blog entry about this wack seller...

Language filter fu... err... messes up TheTripleC's blog entry link. Here's another link to the blog addressing this same issue, you can get to the original blog posting via that.

http://cyclingwmd.blogspot.com/2007/...r-on-ebay.html

--J, a Forum Mod

Pics stolen from original Bikecult website here

At least the C & V folks won't be taken in.

Love your blog, by the way :p .

East Hill

Thanks a lot man!

Hmmm,,,Easthill definitely not a "Man".....

Sorry, I say 'man' as slang to everyone...

Well, almost a full day later and the scammer has three bids. If he's successful I think I'll post pictures of Dirtdrop's gems and sell them!

Paramount
 

In light of this scammer, and all the other scammers and dubious deals on ebay, could you bfers recommend a legitimate place to buy a Paramount or P-15 touring bike?

I'd like to get a larger, older frame and do a build, but don't have a clue as to where to shop for a frame other than ebay and garage sales (where I have had no luck).

I'd like to find something from the mid-80s with Columbus tubing around a 60-62 cm, or even a 60s or 70s in good shape.

Thanks for any suggestions.