Ask This Old Bike: Klein Kunundrum

Dear Ask This Old Bike,

Do you know of anybody that would be interested in this bike?  It is (my brother’s) Klein and was bought new for $2000. I could be wrong but thought he said it was a 60 inch frame.  I could get more info from him if you want.

Hugs & Kisses,

Your #1 Fan Forever

Dear #1 Fan Forever,

I can ask around and let you know.  You’d be looking for someone just getting into cycling…a really tall guy on a budget getting into cycling, like maybe one of the college basketball players whose NBA dreams were crushed in the NCAA tourney last week.  This is a 60cm frame.  If it was 60 inches, you might have to sell it to Godzilla.  Although I can’t see the model name on the top tube, Klien is/was a nice brand.   This is a road bike, with time trial bolt-on bar extensions.  I’ll guess it’s probably 10-12 years old, judging from the brake/shifters, quill stem, and standardish spoked alloy wheels.  Even though it was a relatively decent bike in its day, it shows it’s age and is missing a few parts that could be important to riding a bike, like, uh, pedals and a saddle. 

On the plus side: it has middle tier Shimano 105 components, appears to have newer tires, is clean and white (which is very “in” right now like Lady Gaga.)  I’d suggest buying a saddle and pedals, even used.  Most bike shops have used saddle and pedal bins where you might be able to pick up something cheap.  Also, I’d get a bike shop to put some new handlebar tape on it.  That faded pink speckled bar tape, although nicely done, is Ugly Betty and very personal.  I’d suggest white, black or blue tape (to match the tires).  Switching bar tape and finding some used pedals and a saddle is very inexpensive and the money invested would result in a quicker sale and higher price.   Lastly, I’d suggest taking the TT bars and elbow cups off.  They’ll have no impact on the bottom line sale of the bike and you might get a few extra bucks selling them separately.   

I’d guess you might be able to get $325-450 for it.  That’s $325 as-is but WITH some sort of a saddle.  It’s acceptable to sell road bikes without pedals.  I think $450 is possible if you follow my suggestions, find a racer-ish saddle, some decent clipless pedals, clean up the bike, take great photos of it and provide a full list of components and specs to buyers on ebay.  In the meantime, I’ll throw it to the sharks.  I mean I’ll ask our readers on Facebook and see what they say.

John  is the Ridgid Shop Vac included?

Brett fixie project?

Fred First generation 105 8s STI. Wouldn't ask much for it.  If it's in reliable shape, $400-$450. (less if components are rough.)

Jaden (I know someone who) would probably pay $50 for the crazy bar tape, even used.

Dave Reflectors still intact.  I'll guess 1995.  Shifters are worth a surprising bit. $250 complete. Parts could fetch 400.

Jason‎ 150-200, tops. You guys should have noticed that it is missing the saddle.

Kevin no pedals?? Now how are going to ride a bike without pedals or seat. ;) 

Corey…it appears to be a threaded steerer with a quill stem.  Wait...is that a Thomson seatpost? That would increase my bid by $40.

Zach ‎$10,000. it's a Klein, not made anymore, so very collectible. And it's got collectible Scott Neon Lay down bars.  Total bonus.

Rick I did have that bar tape on my bike about 15 years ago.

Andrew Looks like someone made the mistake of locking their bike up by the saddle.

Tom you need to take it Iowa and have Mike and Frank at Antique Archaeology apraise it, it looks farm fresh so it it good pickens:)

If interested, message us on Facebook by clicking here

In The Tour De France Mind Of Columbia HTC's Bradley Wiggins

I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. Ya know, Bert Grabsh really looks like a tube of braunschweiger in his rainbow skinsuit. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m coo-coo for Weetabix. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I heard Boonen was racing. Where the heck is he? I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. Maybe I should’ve went with the blue shades. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I am soo sick of looking at Kloden’s butt. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris. I’m taking it day by day till Paris.

Facebook Friday: What's THAT In Your Jersey Pocket?

It’s Facebook Friday on The Best Bike Blog Ever*. Every Thursday Facebook friends answer a burning cycling related question and every Friday the answers are posted here. If you’d like to join the fun, send a friend request with a note about “Facebook Friday” via the facebook link on the right side-bar. Today’s question is:

It's not a tool, money, ID or key...What is the oddball thing that you must carry on your ride?

ERIC:

My sarcastic wit

MARTY:

I rode Mohican with my recently deceased cat’s picture mounted to my handlebar! Moe-hican I called it...

BRIDGET:

Wet naps.

SHANNON:

Don't know about oddball, but I carry a very tattered photo of me and my daughter from when she was about three months old. It's a talisman.

KATE:

Chapstick and Tums.

SUSAN:

An old short pencil wrapped with 3-4 feet of duck tape. Ya never know. Usually I use a piece of it at least twice for something on a ride every year. In 98 we used it in W. Virginny to stabilize my friend's dislocated shoulder and ride (slowly) back to the car.

RYAN:

A pen and a little note pad so I can write down license plate numbers on the fly, Would carry a 9mm, but then I'd be in jail.

JAMES:

A Holga camera — it's lightweight and makes everything you shoot look 30 years old.

Getting Shlecked A Letter To The Best Bike Blog Ever About The Shleck Brothers

To: The Best Bike Blog Ever

Fr: Adam (a die hard fan of The Best Bike Blog Ever*)

Re: Getting Shlecked

02/27/09

I'm giving this question to you because of your abilities as a wordsmith. If some said, "That rider just got Schlecked," what would that mean to you? It sounds kind of slanderous and humiliating. I like the sound of it.

For real,

Adam

(Frank & Andy Shleck on Alpe d'Huez)

Dearest Adam,

For real and fo shizzle, getting Shlecked is a real adverb and/or verb and it is humiliating.  There are two Shleck brothers in the pro peloton that ride for Saxo Bank, Frank and Andy.  Getting Shlecked actually dates back to the mid 1960’s.  It's a little know fact that Frank and Andy Shleck’s father, Johnny Schleck rode the Tour de France and Vuelta a España between 1965 and 1974.  While I’m not too sure on father Johnny, Frank and Andy are skinny mean climbing beasts with the ability to turn the screws on a climb till you're crying for mama between bouts of the pukes.  To get Schlecked would be to get left a quivering humiliated jello legged mess feeling like you're rolling backwards on a climb while a noodle armed Schleck rides out of sight around the next switchback without even looking back to see if you're still there.  Getting Shlecked could only be considered slanderous if one of the Shleck brothers would happen to drop the other.

The phrase "Getting Shlecked" can apply outside of the Schleck brothers as long it involves someone getting dropped by a skinny mean climbing beast that's so confident in thier climbing abilities that they wouldn't even worry if someone's on their wheel.  However, there arent many riders like the Shleck brothers that I know, especially since most riders in the US are of the beefy sort.  But, say for example I lost a ton of weight and suddenly had pasta arms, weighed 130 in a wet skinsuit, and dropped you like a stone on a long unforgiving climb.  I could say I totally Shlecked you and you could say you totally got Shlecked by that guy who writes The Best Bike Blog Ever.

Steven G Prepare For Doom

Dear Two Johns Podcast,

It’s Joe, the author of The Best Bike Blog Ever* and the proud owner of a new set of Two John’s Podcast socks. 

I’d like to throw one of my readers into the snarling pit of Two Johns Podcast Fans. Yesterday I wrote an entry titled “Versus Gets Down With Down Under” about how I was excited to see that The Tour Down Under has been picked up by Versus, which will kick off the 2009 TV cycling season here in the states. 

Here is the first comment I received:

StevenG said...
Somebody needs to tell Versus to put some real bike racing on! Perhaps Cross Worlds and then maybe I'll watch. I did see the Tour of Flanders last year that was pretty cool(if I was a road racer that would be my race), and I enjoy the mountain stages, but other than that road racing = boring.

It’s like he called my children ugly. I want to berate him and cleverly set him straight, but I can’t even muster a coherent thought. Since I am incapacitated, I’m hoping that someone else can set this fellow straight. Please help. 

I invite you to use this as fodder for your podcast/blog and/or invite your readers to post comments to my blog. 

See ya on the roads,

The Best Bike Blog Ever*