Swap Meet...so why am I only buying. Is that really a swap?
Went to a bike swap meet today in Saint Paul. Lot's of yummy goodies and of course our fair share of crap. I come from the sticks so I was expecting something pretty low key, not crowded. When I got there I found there were more than a few like minded individuals around.
So, as I'm scoping things out, my eye catches a Brooks sprung saddle. That would be just the ticket for the Surly, although I have a decent leather saddle on there at the moment. Anyway, it's a Brooks and I'm a sucker for name brand goods and I see the price is $30. As I make my move through the crowd, I see another guy hand over the money and grab the saddle, my saddle! Oh well, that's really half the fun. Everything doesn't work out. I'll get it next time.
So, I move around the table and goods. Too much to take in at one time. I'm sure I've overlooked some good stuff. I do manage to grab a nice Avocet saddle for ten-bucks. Nothing special but it's in good shape and it's nice and firm. I don't like soft saddles. They start to bite after an hour or so.
Go to another table and snatch up a pair of nice pedals. All metal, toe clippable, just my thing. Five-bucks. The best deal I could find online for similar pedals is more like $35. Sure, they're used, but I don't really care. Everything is used five minutes after I buy it anyway.
This really was enough for one day. Found some cool stuff for a fair price. I'm taking my time looking through the bikes, just for fun. I check out a Bianchi Milano, my size, black, internal gear...pretty cool bike that I had never seen up close before. I'm looking a little more closely and some of the parts just strike me as being kind of cheap. Great idea, but I don't think the bike was all that well put together. The price is right, but I decide to pass. I don't need another bike (not that that should stop anyone) and I think it will be pretty much of an impulse buy.
Checked out a lot of other used bikes and frames, some good, some bad, but nothing all that tempting. I have passed by a Tommasini road bike (80's, 90's, I really don't know) a number of times. A hot Italian number. The sort of bike I don't even bother to check out on eBay since they go for big bucks, at least by my definition of big bucks.
Everytime I pass the Tommasini there is someone there checking it out, touching it, talking to the seller. Lots of interest. It is a sharp bike, well tended. Sort of a Burgundy color with mostly yellow graphics. I figure it's going to be sold. That's ok as I'm not here to buy a bike. I browse around and make a final pass. The bike is still there so I stop to talk to the owner. He's had it since the early 90's and bought it just after he finished college. Believes that he's the second owner. He bought it as a frame and built it up with Shimano 105 and 600 components. It likely had Campy originally so everything is not original. It is a nicely detailed bike with a lugged Columbus tubing.
To be continued. Be well.
So, as I'm scoping things out, my eye catches a Brooks sprung saddle. That would be just the ticket for the Surly, although I have a decent leather saddle on there at the moment. Anyway, it's a Brooks and I'm a sucker for name brand goods and I see the price is $30. As I make my move through the crowd, I see another guy hand over the money and grab the saddle, my saddle! Oh well, that's really half the fun. Everything doesn't work out. I'll get it next time.
So, I move around the table and goods. Too much to take in at one time. I'm sure I've overlooked some good stuff. I do manage to grab a nice Avocet saddle for ten-bucks. Nothing special but it's in good shape and it's nice and firm. I don't like soft saddles. They start to bite after an hour or so.
Go to another table and snatch up a pair of nice pedals. All metal, toe clippable, just my thing. Five-bucks. The best deal I could find online for similar pedals is more like $35. Sure, they're used, but I don't really care. Everything is used five minutes after I buy it anyway.
This really was enough for one day. Found some cool stuff for a fair price. I'm taking my time looking through the bikes, just for fun. I check out a Bianchi Milano, my size, black, internal gear...pretty cool bike that I had never seen up close before. I'm looking a little more closely and some of the parts just strike me as being kind of cheap. Great idea, but I don't think the bike was all that well put together. The price is right, but I decide to pass. I don't need another bike (not that that should stop anyone) and I think it will be pretty much of an impulse buy.
Checked out a lot of other used bikes and frames, some good, some bad, but nothing all that tempting. I have passed by a Tommasini road bike (80's, 90's, I really don't know) a number of times. A hot Italian number. The sort of bike I don't even bother to check out on eBay since they go for big bucks, at least by my definition of big bucks.
Everytime I pass the Tommasini there is someone there checking it out, touching it, talking to the seller. Lots of interest. It is a sharp bike, well tended. Sort of a Burgundy color with mostly yellow graphics. I figure it's going to be sold. That's ok as I'm not here to buy a bike. I browse around and make a final pass. The bike is still there so I stop to talk to the owner. He's had it since the early 90's and bought it just after he finished college. Believes that he's the second owner. He bought it as a frame and built it up with Shimano 105 and 600 components. It likely had Campy originally so everything is not original. It is a nicely detailed bike with a lugged Columbus tubing.
To be continued. Be well.
posted by Jim at Sunday, February 26, 2006
1 Comments:
To be continued? You can't leave us hangin' out here! Jim, are you the new owner of that bike?
Post a Comment
<< Home