# A little buyers remorse........Did I over-pay?



## gcamp (Jun 28, 2007)

I just bought this frame on Ebay and am having a bit of buyers remorse. Did I over pay as much as I think I did?

Paid 147.50 + shipping

Item Description:
BOTTECCHIA ITALIAN RACING FRAME

1989 REPLICA OF THE FRAME GREG LEMOND USED TO WIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE

BUILT WITH LUGGED COLOMBUS ALLE TUBING

63CM CENTER TO CENTER SEAT TUBE

60CM TOP TUBE CENTER TO CENTER

ITALIAN THREADED BOTTOM BRACKET

CLAMP ON FRONT DERAILLEUR

27.2 SEATPOST

COMES WITH MATCHING FORK AND CAMPAGNOLO ATHENA HEADSET

YOU CANT BUY STEEL THIS CHEAP ANY MORE. FRAME IS IN GREAT SHAPE WITH VERY
LITTLE KNICKS ON HEADTUBE AND CLEAN STAYS! 

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## loudog (Jul 22, 2008)

what did you pay? regardless, its a nice fame. just enjoy it and ride a lot - that will ensure you get your money's worth.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

aelle was kinda low on the columbus food chain, but it is an ADR replica... but then again, trek fans think Lemond is an arsehole


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## MerckxMad (Jan 22, 2004)

It's two tankfuls of gas. You didn't overpay if you get a few hours of enjoyment building it up and lots more time riding it. I felt similar remorse after paying $500 for an '86 Bottecchia with Aelle tubing and a Campy/Miche mix. After dumping more money into a wheel rebuild and upgrading parts, this bike brings a smile to my face every time I ride it. I had a blast restoring the Bottecchia. It's a super ride. So, relive the '80's and have fun.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Overpay? I think you got a hell of a deal......


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## gcamp (Jun 28, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I initially thought I got a good deal, then I started to do some searching on the internet to find opinions about what I had bought and didn't find much.... I will enjoy building it up and riding it no doubt!


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

now that you've added the price, how much was shipping?


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## gcamp (Jun 28, 2007)

Sorry Not very complete am I? $40 with insurance.
Grand total: $187.50


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2008)

I think you stole it.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

toomanybikes said:


> I think you stole it.




indeed


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## abstrait (Jun 27, 2007)

_I dont know about stole it..._ It's a 63cm frame that's made out of Columbus Aelle so not going to be a ton of takers due to extreme size and tubing. If going Aelle, the Aelle R is one step up. In reality, I think you paid a fair price and will probably have a lot of fun with it, just as many of the previous posters said. I have a Columbus Aelle R Bianchi from the Piaggio era that is one of the most comfortable feeling bikes I own. It absorbs all the road's abnormalities and is one smooth rider, currently in single-speed guise as the beach cruiser extraordinaire. In some ways, it's the most Cadillac like ride of anything I own, but still with some performance in the mix. On the other hand, compared to my 83 De Rosa Professional and 74 Raleigh Professional, it feels more like inert matter and lacks a bit of the soul and feeling/feedback from the better tubing options (many believe the assertion that frame material is less important than build/geometry, though). I think there is a mix in the quotient with build and wheels interacting to play a role as well. Ultimately, I wouldn't feel ripped off and I wouldn't feel like I got the steal, or STEEL, of the century. So goes most deals. Ultimately, I'm betting you wont care when riding something you put together on your own, surely better than a lot of "off the shelf" soulless options currently populating the mass market of oatmeal-esque dream machines.

kh


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## daneil (Jun 25, 2002)

toomanybikes said:


> I think you stole it.


I'd have to agree with tmb here. That's a great price for a really nice frame. Generally people will knock the aelle for being bottom of the barrel Columbus tubing, but it makes a very nice, vertically compliant frame...especially in the larger sizes. You wouldn't want to ride a bike made from 753 in a 60cm size. Don't forget to throw some pics up once it's built!


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## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

I think you got a great deal, nothing wrong with Aelle, especially in larger sizes. I doubt most folks could tell the difference between it and SLX in a blind test.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

Looks like a good deal on a frame made for somebody who's over 6'4" tall. Not many good frames in that size.

You ARE over 6'4" tall, aren't you?


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## kjmunc (Sep 19, 2005)

Others have said it well already but since I'm a fellow 62/63 frame rider I'll chip in my $.02.

As a comparison, look at many of the other classic steel bikes that have sold for $500+ on ebay recently. Granted a Pinarello, De Rosa, Merckx, or Masi is going to bring more cash, but a lot of people wouldn't know Aelle from ELOS and pay through the nose for low-end tubing with a big name. 

I think you got a smokin' deal......plus I'll bet you can ride it for a while and still sell for close to what you paid for it, so it's $180 well spent.


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## orbeamike (Nov 20, 2004)

I would pay that much for an ADR frame in my size in a heart beat.


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## dnalsaam (Dec 6, 2004)

Aelle tubing is in effect very similar to Reynolds 531 tubing. It is not Cro-moly alloy steel but rather a manganese alloy steel. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, especially when used on larger frames. I have heard from many say that Columbus "downgraded" the aelle tubing as a way of downplaying the alloy used by their greatest competitor. It was in fact often specifically chosen by frame builders for the larger frames. The "low-end" aelle frame tubing is the tretubi aelle (since yours uses a 27.2 mm seatpost, you do not have this). Tretubi aelle only has the main triangle made out of straightgauge aelle tubing with high tensile steel stays and forks. You paid a more than fair price for the frame.

Generally speaking those who make a big do about tubing are reasonably ignorant of what makes a good bike. I'll take any frame with aelle tubing built by a master frame builder over any frame with SLX built by an average framebuilder.


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2008)

dnalsaam said:


> Aelle tubing is in effect very similar to Reynolds 531 tubing. It is not Cro-moly alloy steel but rather a manganese alloy steel. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, especially when used on larger frames. I have heard from many say that Columbus "downgraded the aelle tubing as a way of downplaying the alloy used by their greatest competitor. It was in fact often specifically chosen by frame builders for the larger frames. The "low-end" aelle frame tubing is the tretubi aelle (since yours uses a 27.2 mm seatpost, you do not have this). Tretubi aelle only has the main triangle made out of straightgauge aelle tubing with high tensile steel stays and forks. You paid a more than fair price for the frame.
> 
> Generally speaking those who make a big do about tubing are reasonably ignorant of what makes a good bike. I take any frame with aelle tubing built by a master frame builder over any frame with SLX built by an average framebuilder.


Bingo!


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## gcamp (Jun 28, 2007)

Actually I am 6' 4", not over.


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