Anyone lost a Lafree?

[Tintaglia]

Just thought someone might recognise this:

ELECTRIC BIKE LAFREE BY GIANT ***NO RESERVE*** on eBay, also Electric Battery Powered, Ride-on Cars, Outdoor Toys Activities, Toys Games (end time 30-Sep-08 20:22:05 BST)

We spoke to the guy selling it and he doesn't know much about it and says he is selling it for somebody else

 

[Rad]

Funny how he says 'He' has lost the key when he's selling it for someone else. I wouldn't touch that with a bargepole, he's only got one piece of feedback and that was something that sold for a penny. Looks well shonky!

 

[flecc]

It's stripped in exactly the way the ones on the US market were, no mudguards, wheel lock, lights etc., but it's not one of those since they were badged "Giant" on the downtube and never Lafree.

The seller isn't truthful anyway, for he says that it charges up well but hasn't a key to get the battery out. On these the battery cannot be changed unless it's out!

So yes, steer well clear.
.

 

[keithhazel]

It's stripped in exactly the way the ones on the US market were, no mudguards, wheel lock, lights etc., but it's not one of those since they were badged "Giant" on the downtube and never Lafree.

The seller isn't truthful anyway, for he says that it charges up well but hasn't a key to get the battery out. On these the battery cannot be changed unless it's out!

So yes, steer well clear.
.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

out of curiosity he is also selling "genuine" 1 million pound notes dated 10th august 1948......not being alive then i cant tell if there ever was any of that denomination.....i doubt it but can anyone be more definate ???

 

[flecc]

There have been 1 million pound notes (Giants) and 100 million pound notes (Titans) issued where moving large numbers of smaller denominations would be inconvenient. However, these are not for general circulation but their value is in having the backing and support of the Bank of England. The main Scottish banks have produced these, also with Bank of England backing.
.
​

 

[Blew it]

Look at the seller name! could be he would "shaft" anyone!!

 

[wotwozere]

Tintanglia

He could be a really nice guy that is cleaing out the shed for an old friend, I lost 2 keys already on my izip now a small flat head screwdriver works.

Give the guy a break. Talk about guilty until proven innocent.

thx

Bob

 

[Tintaglia]

Tintanglia

He could be a really nice guy that is cleaing out the shed for an old friend, I lost 2 keys already on my izip now a small flat head screwdriver works.

Give the guy a break. Talk about guilty until proven innocent.

thx

Bob

You might notice I particularly didn't say that he was doing anything wrong, my only reason for posting was that I just thought someone might have lost their Lafree and would recognise it from the listing. I also waited until the auction was nearly finished so as not to scupper his bids, although I doubt if anyone on this forum would be daft enough to bid on such a dodgy looking item.

He may be innocent or guilty - you judge for yourself!!

Tintaglia

 

[frank9755]

It's stripped in exactly the way the ones on the US market were, no mudguards, wheel lock, lights etc., but it's not one of those since they were badged "Giant" on the downtube and never Lafree.

The seller isn't truthful anyway, for he says that it charges up well but hasn't a key to get the battery out. On these the battery cannot be changed unless it's out!

So yes, steer well clear.
.

I think that is a picture grabbed from a web site. I suspect the lucky buyer may find their bike looks a little different...!

 

[flecc]

I think that is a picture grabbed from a web site. I suspect the lucky buyer may find their bike looks a little different...!

Maybe Frank, but there can't be many in greater Europe who would strip a Lafree that completely, so it would take some doing to find one on a website looking like that.

The US ones badged as "Giant" instead of "Lafree" are illustrated of course, including on my own website:

 

[frank9755]

Well I've just typed into google: Lafree picture
This is what I get!

http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/LAfree_Lite_champagne.jpg

 

[flecc]

Wow, that's probably where he got it from, but I bet that was the only one Google turned up looking like that.

Naughty Google, misleading inquirers like that, when all Lafrees were made with very full kit, mudguards, lighting, wheel lock, carrier etc.
.

 

[frank9755]

You can't shoot the messenger!

It's actually a link to an article written by the chap who runs Electric Vehicles North-West in Seattle, who I believe was a Giant dealer and I presume sourced the photo from somewhere

 

[flecc]

Ah that explains it. That chap is Eric Sundin who was the first to introduce the Giant bikes to the USA, and it was he who insisted Giant change the name of the bike and it's specification. That photo would have been of the first mockup of a Lafree for his approval for US sales.

Eric insisted that the name of the bike, Giant Lafree Twist Lite was ridiculous, and suggested just Giant Lite which all the production models for the States were named. He also observed that the US leisure biased e-bike market wouldn't want mudguards, lights carrier etc., hence the way the US supplied Giant Lites looked.
.