Robin Williams' bike collection is up for auction (charity)

[Muleski]

Just checked the current bids on the auction. With a week to go, people are bidding some serious money. It you haven't checked back in, take a look. My hunch is that this auction is reaching the right people and will raise a bundle. When we see the top end bikes creep up a bit more, I bet current prices will more than double on the lower priced bikes.
Interesting. Star power.

 

[Philpug]

You and me both, and the proof is: I now have a 531 frame that looks built from a '78-'79 Proteus kit.

Not much has the feel of a Reynolds 531..or a Columbus SL.

 

[markojp]

I've had SLX, MS, EL-OS... My current carbon frame rides better than any of them.

 

[cantunamunch]

.
Interesting. Star power.

I know - and with a week to go. I am not at all sure fleabay could have done as well.

 

[Philpug]

I've had SLX, MS, EL-OS... My current carbon frame rides better than any of them.

I am sure they do but there is still a feel steel has, like an album on a turntable.

 

[markojp]

"I'd rather be in the powder, not on the powder."

(Just kidding! Classic steel bikes are just plain old pretty.)

 

[scott43]

When we see the top end bikes creep up a bit more, I bet current prices will more than double on the lower priced bikes.
Interesting. Star power.

Well that's it. It's not like a police auction where you're bidding on a POS that got stolen from Pizza Pizza. It's kinda like a signed jersey. Something that, arguably, an artistic genius owned AND rode. So you can't really look at it as a plain bike..you can get those on ebay from a bunch of nobodies for much cheaper.

 

[Lorenzzo]

There's a large Silicon Valley cycling mad crowd. If the auction is on their radar, and I imagine it is, things ought to get fairly pricy.

 

[Muleski]

Well that's it. It's not like a police auction where you're bidding on a POS that got stolen from Pizza Pizza. It's kinda like a signed jersey. Something that, arguably, an artistic genius owned AND rode. So you can't really look at it as a plain bike..you can get those on ebay from a bunch of nobodies for much cheaper.

Of course not. I was thinking of some of the earlier commentary about how doing this on EBay with the help of a top end shop might yield more. Don't think so. This thing is all over the mainstream press, and certainly among those who get excited about it.

My daughter and I know two bidders. Bike nuts, with deep pockets. The guy I know rode with him a few times a year, and it sounds like his favorite was at least one of RW's favorites. This guy is going to have hair on fire fever. We'll see. He claimed he would not. I doubt it!

My daughter's friend is equally irrational. Super successful entrepreneur, many times over. Sounds like a few bikes might be on that list.

My gut tells me that there's going to be a lot of money paid. Then again, I've seen some really stupid money paid for skis at various charity auctions. Once, the auctioneer says "let's start the bidding at $500" First bid is $5K. The sell to that guy for over $10K. DH skis to have in the corner of the ski house. From a good owner.....

It's all way past me!

 

[scott43]

It's all way past me!

Me too!! Of course, MY stuff will be worth thousands when they auction it off because I'm THAT guy..

 

[Philpug]

It is interesting to see where the bids are at compared to the estmates.

 

[JeffB]

The difference between high estimate and actual price paid (assuming it's higher) is tax deductible. If the stars align, that presumably could cover the +20% winning bidder premium. On some of those bikes, the plus 20% alone would buy a pretty damn nice bike.

 

[markojp]

If I were loaded, I'd buy the Merlin that I mentioned early... it's too small, but it' attached to a very cool memory! Lance's bikes are pretty much exactly the right size, stem/tt length, saddle height and all, but Lance isn't Robin Williams.

 

[cantunamunch]

I am sure they do but there is still a feel steel has, like an album on a turntable.

It's getting a Campy Chorus transport. Haven't decided on a 27" or 700c 'cartridge' yet; with 27" it can clear a 38mm tire, with 700c it might be able to clear 44mm. If it does well on the gravel between here and PGH I'll have to see about ratios for the D2R2 @Bill Talbot was talking about.

 

[Muleski]

If I were loaded, I'd buy the Merlin that I mentioned early... it's too small, but it' attached to a very cool memory! Lance's bikes are pretty much exactly the right size, stem/tt length, saddle height and all, but Lance isn't Robin Williams.

Yeah, about Lance's sense of humor.......

 

[cantunamunch]

Yeah, about Lance's sense of humor.......

You know something about the whole One Zero cancellation thing?

 

[Muleski]

You know something about the whole One Zero cancellation thing?

No more than what is in today's news. Not a good move. Would love to hear some of the details of the "legal advice." I have a number of friends who have more than just crossed paths with Lance over the years. From his teen years on. People in Austin, now people in Aspen{I will say that the Aspen people seem to like the guy.} People who have had a lot of money into his bike career, as investors. People who rode with him as pros. A lot of elite athletes have an edge to them, but he's from another planet. After all that he's been through, you'd think he'd change and soften a bit. Today's news is not good.

This has zero to do with the juicing, the PED's, the HGH, etc. The guy is not a good person as far as I can tell. Not surprised that he stiffed One Zero at the eleventh hour. I had posted the lack of sense of humor crack before I knew about backing out of One Zero.

I was thinking of a buddy telling me how he suffered through cocktails and dinner with him. My buddy has a great sense of humor, and he said that Lance was "awkwardly intense" in a setting where he should have been chuckling a bit. My friend's conclusion is that he only laughs or smiles when the photo opp is there. But then again, friends in Aspen say that's not the case. Maybe he gets to be a bit more out of the public lens there?

Was a fan of his riding. Not of the guy. Dumping his wife and kids to hang with Sheryl Crow was poor form, too.

 

[cantunamunch]

. My friend's conclusion is that he only laughs or smiles when the photo opp is there. But then again, friends in Aspen say that's not the case. Maybe he gets to be a bit more out of the public lens there?.

Hah, that reminds me of the Emma O'Reilly interview where she said she would only trust Lance if what he said was off camera and out of public view.

As to the bikes, it seems like it was standard practice to get a whole stable of team bikes from the sponsor, then sell them off in favored bike shops to provide for a team slush fund? So having a team bike in a 54cm is not even remotely absurd.

 

[Muleski]

Hah, that reminds me of the Emma O'Reilly interview where she said she would only trust Lance if what he said was off camera and out of public view.

Sounds very similar. The guy is/was ultra competitive. Yes, he beat very aggressive cancer. But he seems, based on everything that I have every heard, read, observed that he would run over anybody that felt was in his way. Seemed to love his mother and immediate family, and had a remarkably small circle of real friends. Sounds like he has blown up so many friendships along the way. Or so, I hear......I have to admit that the RW and Lance friendship has always struck me as odd.

But then again, not like I have any real insight about RW. They guy I know who's in the hunt for one of the bikes probably ride 10 times with him, and saw him at some Bay Area bike stuff. Not like he was flying to Europe on RW's plane.

Sometimes friendships form in really "different circumstances."

 

[JeffB]

Well, I'm almost out. Paddle8 is interesting to put it mildly. You put in a max bid (which you can't later reduce even if unused) and then the site automatically bids up to that max amount as necessary to keep you winning when competing bidders enter a bid - that's pretty normal. But then the site will tell competing bidders what they need to bid to be in the lead if they bid more than once on an item and haven't yet bid enough to take the lead. So, I've been bidding on two steel bikes and over the last couple days have had a few people test the waters to see my max, which the site then bids for me. I can increase my max, but then people can see it again, so the process repeats. I think it's pretty clear people are just positioning with a plan to swoop in with a minute or two left and win the item.

That's all well and good I suppose as it's for a good cause. But once you consider the +20% buyer's premium and mandatory $350 for shipping, a 4k winning bid results in a total cost of $5150. For that kind of money, I can get go get my own custom Waterford or Independent Fab and build it up the way I actually want it.

Again, it's for a good cause and I never expected a used price deal. It would be cool to have one of RW's bikes, especially since they were are not garage queens and he's one of my favorite actors. But the way Paddle8 deals your cards face up is a bit disappointing and pricing has now reached the point that it doesn't make much sense unless you are buying as a fan and/or using some of your annual tax deductible charitable contribution budget to stay competitive.

Oh well. It's been fun. I'm still leading on one bike, but my max has been revealed again. I'm not going to increase again no matter how much bourbon I drink tonight.