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From: wca@ut-ngp.UUCP (William C. Anderson)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Another tip on buying used bikes...
Message-ID: <1252@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 29-Jan-85 02:22:13 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.1252
Posted: Tue Jan 29 02:22:13 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 31-Jan-85 06:46:24 EST
Organization: U.Texas Computation Center, Austin, Texas
Lines: 33

Be sure to inspect the frame when considering a used bike.  Most frame
damage is obvious ( bent fork, stays, etc. ), but a frame which has
experienced a front-end collision may have had its fork replaced and
still be out of alignment.  There is a simple inspection to determine
whether or not a frame has been bent in this manner.

                        /    
                       /     /  *
                      /     /-----------
                     /     /            <--Top Tube
       Head Tube--> /     /-------------
                   /     /  *
                  /     /
                 /     /\ *
                /     /   \
               /     /\     \ <-- Down Tube
                    / * \     \
                          \     \
                            \

The important places to visually inspect are just behind where the top and
down tubes meet the head tube ( the stars are in the above diagram ). Look
for small wrinkles in the metal, small cracks in the paint, or the tubing
pulling away from the lug ( in a lugged frame ).  Any of these symptoms
indicate that the frame has been in a front-ender.  Needless to say, stay
away from bent frames!  There are plenty of used bikes out there which are
undamaged.

Happy trails,

Willie Anderson

"I had a lease on an Oedipus complex back in '81" -- Zippy