Banana Brain
#26
winning magazine junkie

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 518
Likes: 2
From: spfld ill
Bikes: top end gitanes and some funky ones too
always have had a great expierience with brain a little slow to ship but probably does a bulk ship all at once tho. how many trips a day to the post offie would he have to make?not to get the topic off track but vintage - bike from france has great stuff also. quick turnaround time from euro too.
#27
I was a being a little harsh, and I realize it now. I've never dealt with him personally. If all you guys have had good experiences, then it can't be all bad I guess. If the slowness has truly ceased to be a problem, then I will consider ordering from them. Still pricey in my eyes, but that is compared to how I usually find my bikes. Complete bikes for $10-$50. Hey we could be quibbling over vintage BMX stuff, which is scarcer
and sometimes even more ridiculous. $300-$500 stems, etc.,,,,BD
and sometimes even more ridiculous. $300-$500 stems, etc.,,,,BD
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So many bikes, so little dime.
So many bikes, so little dime.
#28
Speak of the devil, he just popped up on my daily 'Helicomatic' automatic search. He's got a pair of Helicomatic rear/Normandy front/Matrix 27" rim touring wheels for sale (230199722533). $76.00 BIN, opening bid, untaken, of $9.99. First I've seen of him in months. No frames this time, just three wheel sets.
#30
Senior Member


Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 21,804
Likes: 3,704
vintage-bike was mentioned, also happy experiences.
the Sultan is a character but effecient, glad I did not have an audience with the type of newspaper packing being used, escort adverts. Is the message, don't waste your time with bicycles...?
Banana brain, I have now relegated to visit the shop purchases, thankfully near the zoo, but coin toss regarding hours.
the Sultan is a character but effecient, glad I did not have an audience with the type of newspaper packing being used, escort adverts. Is the message, don't waste your time with bicycles...?
Banana brain, I have now relegated to visit the shop purchases, thankfully near the zoo, but coin toss regarding hours.
#31
Bottecchia fan

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,520
Likes: 12
From: Colorado Springs, CO
Bikes: 1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo (frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame), 1974 Peugeot UO-8
I've only ordered once or twice from bananabrain but had no problems.
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1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
#33
#34
Thread Starter
juneeaa memba!


Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,631
Likes: 5
From: boogled up in...Idaho!
Bikes: Crap. The box is not big enough...
#35
I too have had only bad experience with Bananabrain. Not only exceedingly slow shipping, but broken promises galore and missed shipping. His solution to all problems is to throw parts that I have no use for at me. If I order something, it is because I need that part, not some other items that he wants to shift. I don't care whether what he ships me is worth much more than the item that I wanted. Many of my friends have had equally bad experience that I only learned about after I told them about my own bad experience. In all honesty, I have yet to find anybody who has had completely satisfactory dealings with him. Most people deal with him because he frequently makes 'special offers' at crazy low prices or offers things that nobody else can apparently find.
#36
#37
What fix are they in? They're bicycle parts business can't be doing too badly if they can afford to set up a brick and mortar store in Santa Barbara. That's some of the most expensive real estate in California.
Doesn't it bother anyone else that the Sultan's first eBay listing after all this time is for a wheelset with a cheesey Normandy freewheel hub that is described as a freehub and even comes with a cassette? After reading the last sentence in the description, where he says that the wheelset is good for cyclocross or touring because you don't have to worry about broken axles, I sent a message to him asking what's up because I know he knows better. I haven't received a reply.
The spokes don't look like stainless to me, either.
Doesn't it bother anyone else that the Sultan's first eBay listing after all this time is for a wheelset with a cheesey Normandy freewheel hub that is described as a freehub and even comes with a cassette? After reading the last sentence in the description, where he says that the wheelset is good for cyclocross or touring because you don't have to worry about broken axles, I sent a message to him asking what's up because I know he knows better. I haven't received a reply.
The spokes don't look like stainless to me, either.
Last edited by Grand Bois; 12-06-07 at 09:31 PM.
#38
Senior Member


Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 21,804
Likes: 3,704
The other thing which Baron has mentioned, is the small orders from private parties are to be frank, lots of trouble for the revenue collected. Those I know who spent big dollars got good service, a revenue approach to business.






