Is there any reason I should not buy this bike?

[jrenaut]

I’ve been lusting after one of these for a while, and suddenly here one is on ebay.

My Bianchi is a 57, this is a 58. Would I ride the same size on a fixed gear as I do on my commuter? Is it typical to size up or down?

Anyway, unless there’s a crazy bidding war I’ll probably buy it no matter what you all say, but I do cherish your opinions.

Topic

[mstone]

@hozn 95566 wrote:

I’m sure everyone here would agree that other things held constant a fluorescent bike + rider (or reflective bike when dark) is going to be more visible than the all-black bike. Presumably increased visibility has an impact on safety. Does it make as big an impact as wearing fluorescent clothing? No — but no one is suggesting that it would.

I’d argue that the effect is so small as to be negligible. There’s just not enough surface area for the bike frame to be the thing someone sees. (Consider a driver approaching from the back: he sees your back, your legs, your tire, the seat post, and a little tiny bit of frame at the seat stays.) The only case where I think this could actually make a difference is with one of those fully reflective bike frame, as that’s a much larger area than normal reflectors/tape. But that’s not exactly a common option. Most importantly, all things aren’t constant, and there are much better ways to be visible. Note that there’s also a certain selection bias going on here–you’re hanging out on a bike forum where people are always staring at other people’s bikes; it turns out that in society at large that’s somewhat less common.

If you want to get a bike with bright colors, do it because you like colors. If you want to hate on black frames, do it because black frames are the tilapia of the bike world. Just don’t do it because of safety.

Oh, and for really good visibility, especially from the side, choose bright panniers!

[PotomacCyclist]

The effect of bike frame visibility isn’t negligible from the side. This comes into play at intersections.

But I’d say that reflective tape or lights or cords (like BikeGlow) would have even more of an effect than frame color. Of course, if you cover the frame in tape or BikeGlow, the color of the frame doesn’t matter as much, aesthetically, because it’s going to be (partially) obscured.

[mstone]

@PotomacCyclist 95577 wrote:

The effect of bike frame visibility isn’t negligible from the side. This comes into play at intersections.

If a motorist at an intersection doesn’t notice you until side-on visibility comes into play, it probably doesn’t matter if that side glows with the light of a thousand suns…

But in the general case, yeah, being enormously reflective is nice. The tires with the reflective sidewalls are good for that.

[hozn]

[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6708&stc=1[/IMG]

[cyclingfool]

@hozn 95580 wrote:

[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6708&stc=1[/IMG]

That’s a nice black folding bike!

[vvill]

As long as you are sure the fit will work, I’d say go for it. I would generally say it’s easier to fit on a bike that’s a bit too small than one that’s a bit too big, especially if you are riding in more aggressive positions.

The main thing I noticed with fixed gear riding is I need a more comfortable saddle, and I also run 25+ mm tires. As far as frame size goes I use roughly the same as my road bike. With 0 bids you might be able to snag it!

[americancyclo]

@vvill 95583 wrote:

With 0 bids you might be able to snag it!

1 bid now. 3 hrs to go

[jrenaut]

@americancyclo 95593 wrote:

1 bid now. 3 hrs to go

Yeah, that one is me.

[cyclingfool]

Good luck. I may keep an eye on this auction just for fun. It’ll be like those car auction shows where gasholes drone on for hours about big block engine muscle cars, restored this, original that, YAWN, just without the annoying commentary or the chatter of an auctioneer in the background, and only item is involved.

I trust you’ve set up automatic bidding to try to keep anyone from swooping in last minute and getting it for $10 more, assuming you’re willing to escalate a couple bids? In any case, like I said, good luck!

[jrenaut]

I think I’ve bid the max I want to pay. If it gets a ton higher, I’d rather just get a new one locally. If someone swoops in, so be it. Unless it’s DIckie, then I’ll have to fight him for it.

[Steve]

@jrenaut 95611 wrote:

I think I’ve bid the max I want to pay. If it gets a ton higher, I’d rather just get a new one locally. If someone swoops in, so be it. Unless it’s DIckie, then I’ll have to fight him for it.

Toward the end of the bidding time, I’d start calling Dickie’s shop with rush orders to occupy him.

[americancyclo]

@jrenaut 95611 wrote:

I think I’ve bid the max I want to pay. If it gets a ton higher, I’d rather just get a new one locally. If someone swoops in, so be it. Unless it’s DIckie, then I’ll have to fight him for it.

Bike Jousting?

[dplasters]

I am so invested into jrenaut winning this auction. I literally have it open in a tab watching the clock tick down.

I have no idea why. I only do this when trying to get a deal on a driver. I haven’t purchased a club off ebay in like a year. So maybe i’m just addicted to watching the countdown.

[jrenaut]

New bike!

[cyclingfool]

SOLD to the gentleman from DC.

Congrats!

[Author]

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