Get Up, Stand Up, Step Away From The Credit Card: Ebay Danger

Oh it’s so pretty, and so rare, and so unused, and we know we shouldn’t buy it but LOOK AT IT. It’s for sale on eBay. We’re trying really hard not to want it. But we do. There’s so much trouble in this world, it’s nice to just sit and look at something so lovely.

With so many colours, it would go with every bike we could ever own and so it really would be good value for money, wouldn’t it? Even if your bike is all black, it would still lively up your ride. £1,400 isn’t that much, really, is it? It’s practically Art, and Art is priceless, transcending little issues like money, right?

Either the seller is lost for words, or they’re letting this thing of beauty speak for itself:

You are looking at a vintage NOS Rasta Paul Components mid cage rear derailleur. Once in a lifetime find. ~20 year old time capsule that never touched a bike frame. Hand made in USA. Amazing.

Look at those screws, never sullied by the head of a screwdriver, nor stripped by a multitool. Lovely. Imagine the wailing if you broke it though. Probably best not to race it. Or ride it. Or even attach it to your bike. Maybe just keep it in a velvet lined oak box away from direct sunlight. Or is that wrong? Do these things want to be used? Imagine that first ride with it, the sun is shining, you pedal out the concrete jungle, into the fields, the wheels are turning, three little birds are singing, the gears are shifting – ther-lick, chunk. Smooth. Picture it. Pure retro love.

Ach. Ok, we admit, we can’t justify buying this. We’ll just have to satisfy our souls with looking. Or maybe someone will buy it for us – though there we might be waiting in vain. Oh go on you lot, join in…

All images taken from the eBay listing. Please get in touch if you do buy this thing – we’d love to see what you do with it.

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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