Dear Folks:
Made a rookie thift store bike find mistake. The bike itself was a
honey -- Univega Gran Sprint, lugged steel frame, Suntour Cyclone
derailleurs, front double Lawee Signature crank, rear 6 cog going from
about 13 to 28, Dia-Compe 400 sidepulls. Selle Italia saddle. Stem was
screwed up (like someone had used an English system allen wrench in a
metric allen bolt), but the lovely white handlebar wrap was almost TOO
prestine compared to the faded paint on the top-tube (like someone had
stored in a garage, next to a window). In the thift store, it had just
barely adequate standover. $49. A few weeks later I got around to
project-biking it by riding it (up Juan Street!) for a refit at a NOT
so local bike shop that does a lot of retrofits and refurbs (as opposed
to repairs).
When I arrived, we discovered that it had inadequate standover. What
happened? I'd inflated the tires. Here comes the WORST part: Bike was
too short for everyone else there, too.
Eventually I traded it for store credit at a used bike specialist
(and coffeehouse!) over by 68th and University -- because the quicker
he can move it, the quicker it can get back on the road with a
right-sized rider, where it belongs. Any difference between
prices/opportunity costs I'll chalk up to the expense of education.
Adding insult to injury, the thrift store I got it at has a new
pricer -- who's setting Murrays and Huffys at about $125 to start.
Robert Leone [email hidden]