If you want to buy this overpriced bike, don't bother me about it

 This happens periodically - someone emails me with a long list of detailed questions about a 2nd hand bike on the Pro's Closet.

Here's the thing - while I have nothing against TPC (it was started by an old friend and racing buddy of mine), it's a pretty hideous middleman in terms of pricing. And that overpricing reflects me personally receiving...zero dollars. 

This bike that just popped up on some targeted ad is a great example. It's a used hardtail that's a few years old, with entry (Z2 fork)/enthusiast (Notubes alloy wheels) level parts. It's not built custom for you. It's got no warranty.

Brand new, from me, this bike would cost at most $4500, and probably quite a bit less (I'm too lazy to dig into the entire parts spec). It would be built specifically for you, in your favorite color, with exactly the parts you want, with a warranty. And I would... make a profit for my hard work!

TPC originally priced it at a hilarious $4000, and has now marked it down to a mere $3400 or so (plus taxes and shipping of course). 

But that's not the subject of my rant. My rant is about people emailing *me* asking for advice about how the bike will fit them, how many miles are on it, etc, etc. 

Guys, I'm not the one selling the bike. I make zero dollars from anyone buying it. I don't get paid to answer questions about used bikes, and this is my job (or, well, retirement job at least). Want more information about the bike? Call TPC, not me.