# Crappy Trimble frame sold on Ebay for $1,525!



## Arran (Jan 27, 2006)

Check this out. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7215451213&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

I saw this Trimble frame (minus paint!) when there was just over a day to go until the end of the auction and decided to watch it. If it was looking like going cheaply I thought I might as well chuck on a bid or 2 but as you can see in the bidding history in the link above there were a couple of people who wanted it far more than I did!

Is this the going rate (considering it's a half finished project) or did someone get carried away?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Arran said:


> Check this out. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7215451213&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1
> 
> I saw this Trimble frame (minus paint!) when there was just over a day to go until the end of the auction and decided to watch it. If it was looking like going cheaply I thought I might as well chuck on a bid or 2 but as you can see in the bidding history in the link above there were a couple of people who wanted it far more than I did!
> 
> Is this the going rate (considering it's a half finished project) or did someone get carried away?


I think it's a total fluke.

When Moonhead was up and running, they had some of Trimbles new old stock for sale for between $1200 and $1700. Brand new. Full ugly paint.

To pay that much for a well worn Trimble that's had a sander taken to it!? Doen't seem that wise a move to me.


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## Arran (Jan 27, 2006)

That's good to hear. Good to know it's not just me being a stooge!

How often do Trimble frames come up for sale and what is the current going rate?


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## weps (Feb 2, 2006)

Rumpfy said:


> I think it's a total fluke.
> 
> To pay that much for a well worn Trimble that's had a sander taken to it!? Doen't seem that wise a move to me.


that was my thought too. i saw the auction when it was around 150.00 and thought i might be interested in playig with it for a few hundred bucks. good chance to do some carbon fiber refinishing work. granted, i dont know much about trimble bikes, but i do a fair amount of paint work and without seeing the frame in person, i thought there was a lot of risk for the bidder. the pictures showed an odd, irregular sanding pattern. who knows what this guy could have done structurally and aesthetically. i thought it could take a goods amount of time and effort, or additional money, to get a suitable finish.

another thought was if there was a place that reproduces the decals for these bikes.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Arran said:


> That's good to hear. Good to know it's not just me being a stooge!
> 
> How often do Trimble frames come up for sale and what is the current going rate?


A complete one sold...uh...several years ago for about $700 IIRC.

Rumor has it FSP's Trimble is due to go up on the chopping block soon. It's in pristine shape, so keep an eye out for it. If that one reaches $1500, it'd be worth it.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

weps said:


> that was my thought too. i saw the auction when it was around 150.00 and thought i might be interested in playig with it for a few hundred bucks. good chance to do some carbon fiber refinishing work. granted, i dont know much about trimble bikes, but i do a fair amount of paint work and without seeing the frame in person, i thought there was a lot of risk for the bidder. the pictures showed an odd, irregular sanding pattern. who knows what this guy could have done structurally and aesthetically. i thought it could take a goods amount of time and effort, or additional money, to get a suitable finish.
> 
> another thought was if there was a place that reproduces the decals for these bikes.


Exactly.

Bottom bracked area looked munched to me too.


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2006)

Rumpfy said:


> A complete one sold...uh...several years ago for about $700 IIRC.
> 
> Rumor has it FSP's Trimble is due to go up on the chopping block soon. It's in pristine shape, so keep an eye out for it. If that one reaches $1500, it'd be worth it.


hmmm. it either sold already or he changed his mind (hopefully)

click

Carsten


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## Rody (Sep 10, 2005)

Carsten said:


> hmmm. it either sold already or he changed his mind (hopefully)
> 
> click
> 
> Carsten


No kidding, FSP is a worse tease than some of the girls I knew in high school 

rody


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Carsten said:


> hmmm. it either sold already or he changed his mind (hopefully)
> 
> click
> 
> Carsten


Error in start time. I'm pretty sure he'll be going though with the sale this time.


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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

speaking of crappy trimbles, does anybody know the repairability of cracks in these things? i had a nice sized crack develop at the rear 'fork' to seat mast area - most likeley propigated by a brake cable rub induced groove in the seat mast thing. the frame has been sitting around for years now, but recently kindled nostalgia (thanks in part to this thread) has me pondering the feasibility of restoring the old thing.


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## mwr (Jul 17, 2004)

Yeah having that cable loop sawing through both sides of the 'seat tube' is a problem. If yours really has a nice sized crack it doesn't sound like there's anything left to restore, except as wall art.


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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

i assumed as much. though i had contemplated taking taking a fiberglass repair kit to it. i once talked to a guy out here who had had several trimbles & successfully repaired ones that he broke (he was a pro trials guy). he even went as far as somehow grafting suspension onto the rear of one.


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## Lloyd395 (Dec 14, 2004)

Ask FSP he might be better able to tell you if it can be repaired or have access to brent?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Lloyd395 said:


> Ask FSP he might be better able to tell you if it can be repaired or have access to brent?


I'm not sure anyone has access to Brent these days. Some bad juju has befallen the Trimble camp and he's ducked off the radar.


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## balcs (Apr 6, 2005)

If Trimble used any kind of reasonably standard epoxy resin to build these things, it should be no problem to repair structurally -- just sand out into the first layer of glass or fiber a ways past the edge of the crack, then lay in a couple layers of replacement carbon fiber bedded in a quality structural-type epoxy like System 3. Add a couple top coats of epoxy after the bedding coat cures to give a nice sanding surface. Making it look beautiful will be harder -- a good repair from the structural point of view will almost certainly be above the original surface level -- best option is to make it relatively large so you can feather the edges and have a smooth bump. Basically, just like repairing a boat. If you actually plan to do this and you haven't done epoxy work before, take the time to read up on it -- most of the epoxy makers web sites (like systemthree.com) have extremely comprehensive instructions and tech documents. There is some finicky stuff about temperature, cure times, etc. which is important.

Sheldon Brown has a neat article on how to build a Trimble-like carbon fiber frame in your basement --

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/howibuil.htm

good luck,


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## imridingmybike (Jan 16, 2005)

balcs said:


> If Trimble used any kind of reasonably standard epoxy resin to build these things, it should be no problem to repair structurally -- just sand out into the first layer of glass or fiber a ways past the edge of the crack, then lay in a couple layers of replacement carbon fiber bedded in a quality structural-type epoxy like System 3. Add a couple top coats of epoxy after the bedding coat cures to give a nice sanding surface. Making it look beautiful will be harder -- a good repair from the structural point of view will almost certainly be above the original surface level -- best option is to make it relatively large so you can feather the edges and have a smooth bump. Basically, just like repairing a boat. If you actually plan to do this and you haven't done epoxy work before, take the time to read up on it -- most of the epoxy makers web sites (like systemthree.com) have extremely comprehensive instructions and tech documents. There is some finicky stuff about temperature, cure times, etc. which is important.
> 
> Sheldon Brown has a neat article on how to build a Trimble-like carbon fiber frame in your basement --
> 
> ...


Not certain how that home-built carbon bike is trimble-like - but you gotta give that guy props!

F'ing cool...


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