[ November 08, 2006, 07:07 PM: Message edited by: Dave Muggleston ]
Full Version: Shipping-damaged Hoffman Condor - what a shame
If you're about to ship a bike, please protect the paint and decals and use cable ties to strap the wheels to the frame. Because here's what happens when an axle rubs against a down tube for 1100 miles. Decal and paint are toast, and the top tube got it pretty bad too. This was an eBay buy, and I'll still keep it (my total out-of-pocket for the complete bike was only $125) but man, it bums me out to know that a dollar worth of cable ties and scrap cardboard would have prevented the damage entirely.
[ November 08, 2006, 07:07 PM: Message edited by: Dave Muggleston ]
[ November 08, 2006, 07:07 PM: Message edited by: Dave Muggleston ]
Better yet: pay another $10 in shipping and have them ship the pedals, seat, front wheel etc. in a seperate box.
quote:Not necessary if the bike is packed correctly. I've never heard of a new Haro or Redline arriving at a shop in two boxes. Besides, shipping for this was $50--that should be plenty to get it to me safely. The seller just hadn't ever shipped a bike before, so he made a common mistake.
Better yet: pay another $10 in shipping and have them ship the pedals, seat, front wheel etc. in a seperate box.
No Haro and Redline ever arrived in two boxes is a true statement, though many showed up scratched up like your Condor.
what a bummer. still a cool ride but a bummer none the less.
quote:I will second that. Id say 15% of the bikes we get have damage that I would say makes me unwilling to sell them as a new bike. One company in particular, and I won't name names, seems to have a habit of crushing forks. Like 1 out of 10 come with toasted forks. We always get free replacements for tweaked forks, but scratches can't be replaced. You're a kid buying a new bike, you want it to be perfect (for the first day at least). /Rant.
No Haro and Redline ever arrived in two boxes is a true statement, though many showed up scratched up like your Condor.
That being said, I pack the hell out of a bike. I cover ever tube, every edge, etc. Taking the packing inserts from a a couple of new bikes and you can really cover a bike well in a bike box.
I've posted complete bikes before and the easiest way I've found to protect against damage is go to your local bike shop and get the entire packaging from what the new bikes are packed with. Cardboard, bits of bubblewrap and then using string, tie the wheels to the frame but wrap cardboard around the axles and any sharp parts. Tape bubblewrap to as much as possible then once secured in the box, Tape it up and it's ready to be posted.
That sux, in our collecting world the decals are so important to us.
Also put something between wheels when shipping wheelsets! I got a set of wheels built with NOS Phil Wood hubs and one of the hubs has a huge gash in the side of it because the axle from the other wheel was rubbing against it...
When packing something, be mindful of the fact that it will land on every side, tumble and get dropped.
I can not count how many poorly packed shipments I have received that had "Please do not lay flat" or "This side up" on them and they were upside down or laying flat on my porch... the delivery people do not have time to read directions!
Pack it like it is going to get thrown around by an angry gorilla!
When packing something, be mindful of the fact that it will land on every side, tumble and get dropped.
I can not count how many poorly packed shipments I have received that had "Please do not lay flat" or "This side up" on them and they were upside down or laying flat on my porch... the delivery people do not have time to read directions!
Pack it like it is going to get thrown around by an angry gorilla!
have you contacted hoffman bikes to see,if by slim chance, they have a replacement sticker or set available?
Photo of the whole bike? Early Condors were wild.
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