i just dont get it (literally)…..
ive got a wtd ad in classifieds, and one similar on pinkbike. im after a mk1 cotic soul or similar quality 26″ medium twangy steel hardtail. i figured theyre not ‘fashionable’ these days so therell be a few at the back of garages or being sold for rad 29ers with plenty more bounce.
ive had no takers tho, and narrowly missed out on a full build for £400 which was a bargain.

regular page refreshes on pinkbike and earlier this week i suddenly spot a new ad, a full build soda for £700. yes im in!
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2844972/

contacted seller, said id have it, asked a few questions, hes from bristol, we’re going down to stratford for a couple of days tomorrow and he agreed to meet up there for the sale.

then nothing. no reply to emails, texts, phone calls never answered. i then notice the bike is listed as sold. could it be cos ive bought it? hmmmm….feeling a little uneasy tho. then its removed (the link above is only cos ive still got it open on my pc).

i sent a nice email along the lines of “come on mate, i dont bite, just be honest with me if youve sold it elsewhere, just talk to me”. no reply.

ive only tried ringing once or twice a day at different times, im certainly not pestering, but my phone now goes straight to answerphone, so im guessing hes blocked me.

id have loved that bike, right up my street, so apologies, im a bit grumpy and moany now…..

why? why cant people just play nice and be honest?

People are dicks.

contacted seller, said id have it, asked a few questions, hes from bristol, we’re going down to stratford for a couple of days tomorrow and he agreed to meet up there for the sale.

Did you pay a deposit ? If not I he has no need to speak to you again.

He’s probably sold it already

Yes its not polite or courteous but appears to be how a lot of folk are these days.

Selling can be a pain so it’s understandable that people like to keep their options open. Driving from Bristol to Stratford sounds like a lot if effort so I wouldn’t be surprised if he changed his mind if a local buyer turned up. Would be nice if he told you though. Funnily enough I’ve just bought a 26″ steel frame. The seller said he had loads of interest and could’ve sold it many times over.

Personally I wouldnt be looking to buy any bike at the minute.

ad says sold

Misleading communication is prickish but there are a lot of people trying to buy a basic all-purpose hardtail currently.

Did you pay a deposit ?

nope, im not out of pocket, just mardy cos i was excited about buying it and now im not :-/

ad says sold

yep, he changed it to sold a couple of days ago.

Driving from Bristol to Stratford sounds like a lot if effort so I wouldn’t be surprised if he changed his mind if a local buyer turned up. Would be nice if he told you though.

could be then but if he thought that id have been happy to meet closer to his home, its just the lack of courtesy that grates.

People are dicks.

youre certainly correct, i just dont get it tho, why be a dick when you dont have to be?

why be a dick when you dont have to be?

This will still be a question long after the origins of the universe / world peace / infinite ecologically sound free energy all are solved.

Not mine, but this the sort of thing you’re after..?

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/297599507959547/

Maybe you were one of many who promised to buy it….

I once had someone who promised to buy a frame, then ghosted me for weeks. Was really put out that I’d sold it to someone else when they tried to arrange collection after weeks of radio silence.

Money talks.

No wonder you were gutted, that Soda looks lovely. What a git.
Something will turn up .. not all people are dicks 🙂

There’s one just up the road from more, quite pricey though @£900! That’s more than I sold my Yeti for!
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/734182240475291/

People are dicks.

This is my thesis too, problem is, I only have anecdotes, not structured evidence. I am keeping a mental notebook of people being dicks though, so in about 20 year’s time, I should be able to write a PhD dissertation on the subject.

Maybe you were one of many who promised to buy it….

I once had someone who promised to buy a frame, then ghosted me for weeks. Was really put out that I’d sold it to someone else when they tried to arrange collection after weeks of radio silence.

yeah, at that price im sure there was a bit of interest. like i said tho, id understand him taking a better offer, just bloody explain it to me, dont blank me!

There’s one just up the road from more, quite pricey though @£900! That’s more than I sold my Yeti for!
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/734182240475291/

thought that was going to be a link for a soda dez, but i spose its a newer model so probably worth the money. im after the mk1, before CEN regs dulled that steel twang 🙂

Not mine, but this the sort of thing you’re after..?

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/297599507959547/

looks nice that, must admit. dont know much about brodie, do you know anything about them? is chromoly a heavier, stiffer tube? im after that lively, springy steel feel.

Somebody on here probably bought it, expect it to be relisted with new photos for at least £900. It’s a seller’s market with the current bike shortage.

I sold a frame on pinkbike. The number of times I went through through a whole q&a and price negotiation just to have the buyer change their mind became disappointing. Especially as the person who bought it simply asked if I’d take $x then paid the money when I agreed.

Chances are he’d had enough of folk “wasting” his time. Doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be polite. Personally, I’d have let you know what was going on, because you never know if the deal will fall through.
Probably another symptom of dealing with folk in a faceless environment.

I suppose the lesson learned is that people selling on website listings don’t always see buyers as customers and if you don’t get a reply to your emails, let it go.

edit: if that sounds pompous, not my intention. Very frustrating when you are ignored.

Just rude….how long would it take to write “Sorry mate, now sold”? Probably not much longer than the time it takes to block someone. You have my sympathies, good luck on your hunt

You’ve never heard of Brodie Bikes..!?

“About Brodie Bicycles

Brodie Bicycles was founded in 1986 by mountain Bike Hall of fame welder and artist Paul Brodie, whose work has been featured in museums such as the Guggenheim. Over the past 20 years the company has quietly revolutionized off road bicycle design and influenced the drawing boards of the larger, better known companies in the industry. Design and testing for Brodie Bicycles is done the world over and is still coordinated through the company’s international headquarters based in Vancouver, BC.”

Yes, they’re good. All decent steel is chromoly steel BTW – it means it’s alloyed with chromium and molybdenum.

You’ve never heard of Brodie Bikes..!?

heard of them yes, never really known much about them. thanks for the info.

Cool – sorry, I didn’t mean my post to sound condescending at all! Keep an eye out for the last of the Voodoo steel models as well; I have a sliding dropout Wanga and it’s great.

Edit: like this one https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/295016101555418/

sorry, I didn’t mean my post to sound condescending at all!

didnt take it that way mate 🙂

Keep an eye out for the last of the Voodoo steel models as well;

problem is ive been so close to a mk 1 soul for £400, and that soda for £700, anything inferior to those deals will feel like a fail now. i want to be excited about what i buy, so other bikes im looking for are moon on a stick jobbies such as soulcraft, dekerf and the like…..
im not going to get one am i 😀

I have an old charge duster I could maybe be persuaded to part with? Its tange prestige I think steel and is a pretty lovely thing. Full bikes a bit if a hodgepodge build with carbon rigids.

id certainly cast an inquisitive eye over it WH, thanks. id be wanting sus forks and 1x chainring on eventually but ill certainly have a look at the bike and parts if you can chuck a few photos over to my username at gmail dot com?

thank you.

i messaged you @WildHunter2009 but havent had a reply and not sure how reliable the messaging is these days so just trying the @username method…..

Ah sorry mate, been working away plus total brain fart. Will dig out some pics of the current build plus frame only.

now that we’re both back from holidays (i assume you are), @mikeclarke could you email me some pics please?

Hi sorry iv been super busy and not had a chance. I. Away in Scotland in a few days so I’ll try n get them to you afterwards now as have a shed load if stuff to arrange.

If it makes you feel better OP, I messaged someone on pink bike about a fork for sale, asking if they’d clarify if it was 29er as per the listing details or 650b per the listing title.

Took them 5 days to reply to say pretty much “ffs, it’s 29er, like the ad says”

3 hours later I replied back “cheers, I’m sorted now anyhow”

Twenty minutes after that I got a message to the effect I was a complete time waster for not waiting nearly a week for them to reply.

Some people are just a pita, equally I’m generally glad I don’t have to deal with them further.

Had the same thing 3 times now with trying to buy new wheels for the van, agree to have them get to the meet sorting stage then silence. Its bloody annoying, FB marketplace is full of it both buying and selling, usually advertise stuff for sod all just to get it sold quick and avoid the hassle.

OP, a large I know but thought worth sharing in case could work (not mine by the way)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164385087390

thanks for the thought mate. i think that may be have been offered to me by someone on here already, but too big, plus its a mk2. cy told me that its only the mk1 that was pre-CEN.

he also said that a mk1 solaris would also be fairly twangy even tho it was post-CEN, so id consider one of them if it came along too.

thanks