I've recently been selling my old GT XCR and listed it on ebay and agreed an off ebay sale from a bloke near Nottingham. He offered the low end of what I wanted for it but he collected the frame, paid cash, it was all nice and easy so was happy with what I got for it.
The frame and parts then appeared on ebay the next day. Not that odd, I realise I could have got more for it by breaking it down but couldn't be bothered. I've no problem with someone doing that - it was now his bike after all.
What was particularly odd was the stories he told me. When the guy came, he stood and chatted for a good half hour telling me some detailed stories of his duties in the army, how he'd just come back from Afghanistan and was due to return in a couple of weeks. He explained how the frame was to replace one he had recently broken when his bike rack fell off the back of the car, bending the frame. Cycling wasn't really his thing apparently, he preferred fishing.
Looking at his feedback on ebay, he clearly has a little side business stripping bikes and selling them on (good for him if they're all legit) but I would imagine it's hard to do this from deepest, darkest Helmand. I also assume that the frame wasn't a swap for a broken one given it was up and listed the very next day.
All of this is would be fine if I'd pressed him for answers of what he did and what he wanted the frame for, leaving him uncomfortable saying he was going to strip it and sell it for more. However, he stood and offered all of these tales - I'd have been equally happy with a "Hello / Here's the frame / thanks for the cash / goodbye" transaction.
Odd. Very odd.
The frame and parts then appeared on ebay the next day. Not that odd, I realise I could have got more for it by breaking it down but couldn't be bothered. I've no problem with someone doing that - it was now his bike after all.
What was particularly odd was the stories he told me. When the guy came, he stood and chatted for a good half hour telling me some detailed stories of his duties in the army, how he'd just come back from Afghanistan and was due to return in a couple of weeks. He explained how the frame was to replace one he had recently broken when his bike rack fell off the back of the car, bending the frame. Cycling wasn't really his thing apparently, he preferred fishing.
Looking at his feedback on ebay, he clearly has a little side business stripping bikes and selling them on (good for him if they're all legit) but I would imagine it's hard to do this from deepest, darkest Helmand. I also assume that the frame wasn't a swap for a broken one given it was up and listed the very next day.
All of this is would be fine if I'd pressed him for answers of what he did and what he wanted the frame for, leaving him uncomfortable saying he was going to strip it and sell it for more. However, he stood and offered all of these tales - I'd have been equally happy with a "Hello / Here's the frame / thanks for the cash / goodbye" transaction.
Odd. Very odd.
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