Dumb thing posted by a bike shop in craigslist ad
 

Can you find the really stupid statement in this Craigslist Ad:

Nearly new Catrike 700 trike in purple. Ridden less than 100 miles on test rides. Very lightweight, fast and LOW. 700c (road) rear wheel, 16" front wheels .Schwalbe tires. Large frame size, but boom can be shortened (with a hacksaw- by you after you buy it). Deore LX rear derailleur; bar end shifters; FSA Gossamer crankset; clipless pedals; headrest; mirror; bottle cage; flag. This is a really fun trike to ride.

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/bid/3561585140.html

Don't see much of a problem. The "boom can be shortened after you buy it" prevents buyer's and seller's remorse for buying the wrong size trike.

I thought you could buy a shorter boom, but the thought of taking a hacksaw to it?

Don't see the problem. If it's too long, a hacksaw will shorten it irreversibly. I've been working on bikes for 40 years, and successfully used hacksaws and drills to make them work for nearly that long.

No, that's exactly what you do, and what IS done by Cat dealers. Catrike has a long boom and the standard boom. For the shortest riders, the standard boom is still too long, so you take a few inches off of it as required. With a hacksaw (ideally using a guide), or as an alternative to the hacksaw, you can use a large sized tubing cutter. Both require a little work with a file afterwards.

It's ironic because you didn't mention the one thing in that ad that actually IS a little dumb, which is the statement that this trike is the large-sized frame. Big Cat only makes a single size 700 frame (i.e there is no large, medium, small, etc. frame).

I've hack sawed many a boom, at least three on Catrikes and several two wheelers.

A 32 teeth per inch blade should do it,,,