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Guys, I need you advice on a recent purchase issue.
I picked up an old (20 years) steel bike a month ago on eBay and paid a considerable amount for it oweing to it being one ive been dead keen to try for a long time.
I didn't get around to giving it a thorough inspection until yesterday owing to work constraints and it being in storage at my parents house (had to hide it from Mrs Slim!)
Having looked at it properly I noticed two things, firstly, the rear drop out appears to have been splayed open by a mm or two, leaving the wheel a bit wobbly when in its drop out with the QR untightened (you now what I mean right?), also, IMO the dropout may be splayed as it appears to have been rewelded or repaired at some point in time.
secondly, I came across a dent toward the rear of the top tube, close to the seat clamp area, which is partially obscured by corrosion, partially by brake cable. Its not huge, (5p sized) but easily noticable when running a finger over it.
Now, the bike was described in detail, and in particular the frames condition was supposedly ''lots of small scrapes & marks - but has absolutely no cracks, dints or deep scrapes''
so, one month in, where do you think I stand?
would you personally ask for a full or partial refund against the damage I have mentioned, or do you think its a case of tough cheese?
I should probably add that having not inspected it until yesterday, I am yet to leave feedback for the purchase.
just ride it
Got any photo's?
one month in I think it's your look out.
unless the damage is clear in the photo's on the ad the seller can say it's happened since you received it.
Got any photo's?
not to hand no. my biggest issue is that the problems are farily minor, and im sure that alot of people wouldnt complain.
But, im a stickler for dints/dents, and probably paid slightly over the odds due to the description of the frame being dent & damage free, and the fact I would probably keep the bike for many years if as described.
one month in on an old frame - difficult I would say but you might win the dispute
unless the damage is clear in the photo's on the ad the seller can say it's happened since you received it.
yes, I figured that. although the surface corrosion on the bare (unpainted) drop out would be hard to replicate in such a short amount of time.
As would the corrosion covering the dent.
but yes, if seller plays hardball I imagine that will be the response
one month in on an old frame - difficult I would say but you might win the dispute
I guess so, but I think im looking at it more from a moral perspective.
[i]should[/i] I complain?
no chance. Second hand stuff needs to be inspected straight away IMO otherwise there is zero comeback. as far as the seller is concerned, how do they know what you've done with it???
As for splayed droputs - don't worry about that, even modern frames aren't necessarily bang on the right dropout width and doing the QR up (even screwing the QR to get it tight) bends the dropouts against the hub.
no chance. Second hand stuff needs to be inspected straight away IMO otherwise there is zero comeback. as far as the seller is concerned, how do they know what you've done with it???
according to eBay I still have two weeks to level a complaint..
Id say to the seller "just got round to checking the frame and (what wrong here) was it like this before you send it and if so why did you not describe it in the listing and how do you suppose we can resolve this issue as im not happy" be polite if he turns nasty ask for a refund thats what the dispute section is for but thats me and i always if poss check everything over as i get to be sure anyway (i know that doesn't help you now though) but yeah ask the seller and see where it goes and good luck 😀
Just ride it. A month is way too long to come back IMO.