okay, so online cycle stores are having inventory clearout sales at this time of year, right? i happened to find a decent price on a 2008 GT Avalanche 1.0 online, so i bought it and had it delivered to the local store for pick up since the store was sold out of that model and size. everything was fine and dandy when i picked the bike up, and i ended up putting the bike in storage for a few days until the new pedals i ordered online arrived. then when the pedals arrived, and i was putting them on the bike, i noticed that one of the decals on the chainstay was actually upside down. i missed this during pick-up. by this time, the online sale no longer included that sized bike, so apparently, i got the last one they had in that size, and exchange probably wasn't an option. when i mentioned the upside down decal to one of the local store employees, he said that the bike was probably a collectible because of the decal error.

the bottom line is, the store no longer has this size, and the bike rides just fine and has no other issues. so how would you all handle this situation? and what do you think about a factory error making a bike more or less collectible? i'm just curious about what action i could have taken or should have taken. thanks.

Do you have a drooling, bug-eyed buyer pounding on your door? The one wearing the aluminum-foil helmet? No? I doubt you'll find one very easily. Ride your new bike. A "collectible?" More likely a conversation piece.

Unfortunately, an out of spec product sneaking past QA doesn't usually equate with collectible (except maybe for postage stamps).

Enjoy your new ride by riding it.

Some places call equipment with upside down decals a second. It is better as the others have said ride it till the wheels fall off.

You'd return a bike for no other reason than an upside down label? And then believe that might make it a collectible?

well, if you paid good money for anything, wouldn't you want what you PAID for, and not a factory "second" or an aesthetically "different" item??!! and if you had your choice between two identical bikes, except one had an upside down decal and one didn't, which one would you choose??!! besides, i never said it was a "collectible", the store employee used that term, i was simply asking if anyone here thought it might be a collectible since i'm not familiar with collectible bikes.

as for whether or not i would return the bike IF that WERE an option,...well it depends. the fact that the decal slipped through quality control would lead me to believe that perhaps something "else" got by them too. however, as i mentioned, other than the decal, the bike is in perfectly good working order. if the bike had shown some other mechanical defect or other finish issue, then...YES...i probably would return it for an exchange or another model. wouldn't you, smart guy?!

Don't get yer panties in a bunch. Nothing GT makes these days is collectible; maybe some of the bikes from the original company, but not the current one. An upside down label is not similar to an upside down stamp printing (which is probably where the idea came from); I think the store employee successfully deflected your consternation, though. Would I return a bicycle for an upside down sticker?
No, I'd think it kinda funny. I'm not much a fan of stickers in any case, though, nor do I consider their placement on the same level as a properly assembled bicycle with properly functioning components (which I'd check over very carefully at that price point). If it really bothers you and the shop is committed to your satisfaction, maybe you could work something else out...

I'd choose the one with the upside down decal I'm like that! (wouldn't pay extra for it though).

so, the results are in, most of you say: not any kind of collectible. some of you say: quirky and a neat conversation item. and one of you doesn't like decals but likes his panties nice and neat!...lol...i guess that about covers the topic...'nuff sed!

Just think, hanging upside down in the shed or garage you can still read the Decal. However I once placed a Nine Inch Nails decal my son gave up upside down on the back window of my car.

Funny thing is NIN looks the same to me.

If you had bought it through a local dealer you could probably get a $25.00 or so rebate for the cosmetic defect. On line I'm not so sure.

I am also a stamp-collector and dealer of all-things-Philatelic. If you have a stamp with an upside-down airplane, let me know.

Ride the bike.