An Appeal for Help
Mon, January 25, 2016 
I have been reluctant in the past to ask for help, but then I realized that organizations like PBS regularly ask for donations. Things don’t just run on their own.
I have always given of my time freely, and I am prepared to continue doing that. But last year I ventured out and went on a speaking tour of the West Coast.
The response was good, but I have come to realize that my following, when it comes to active owners of bikes I built, numbers are only around 400. Not a huge number.
On the Tour, people were kind enough to offer a place to stay which was a wonderful experience and cut the cost of hotels. However, there were still some hotels, air fares, and car rental. The idea was that tee shirt sales would cover this cost. But with a relatively small following, this didn’t happen, and I am still left with a number of tee shirts unsold.
I was also left with $6,000 of credit card debt, which when one is on a limited income like me, it is an extremely stressful burden to pay off. I will do it, it is my obligation, but I will not do it again, not without help. Which is where this appeal comes in.
I can continue with my blog and my Bike Registry as I have been doing for a number of years, but to be active outside of that, I need some help. First I have left over tee shirts to sell. They are part of the debt I incurred. To move them out is my first priority.
If you own a bike I built and haven’t done so already, please buy a tee shirt. If you don’t yet own a bike I built but are waiting for one your size to come along, buy a tee shirt, and maybe the Karma with cause a bike in your size to appear. If you are a regular reader of my inane scribblings here, you may like to contribute a dollar or two.
I have a new tee shirt, a “Life is all about Ass” design, which is part of the lyrics to a song I wrote.
My plans are to record the song, and put it on YouTube. People tell me it may go viral, and my problems might be over.
If I can sell the tee shirts I have, I hope to bring out more creative and desirable designs.
If you don’t have $26.50 to plonk down on a shirt ($20 + $6.50 *postage.) then a small donation would be appreciated. I have added a PayPal Donation Button in the left column of this blog. No donation is too small, especially if you make the donation re-occur monthly. (That option is on the PayPal Donation page.) In that case $1 or $2 a month would be greatly appreciated, and is all I would expect anyone to contribute on an ongoing monthly basis.
I know in these hard times there are many charities with their hand out for money. If you cannot contribute, I understand. In fact I would not want anyone to contribute or commit to more than they can afford. But if you can spare a small amount it would be greatly appreciated.
I would prefer to sell worthwhile products, rather than ask for handouts, but until my online store gets going I have to ask for donations too. My 80th. birthday is in two weeks, think of it as a birthday gift.
*Sorry, USPS increased postage rates.
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Reader Comments (14)
Thanks Dave for all that you do and have done for the cycling community !
Happy Birthday Dave. (My 83rd is in June). I feel your pain, I was self employed all my life in the USA So I am also on limited income. One thing I have had to do is sell some of my bike collection. Married for 53 yrs to an ex flight attendant, that has good retirement pay. But even so, it's not easy. Hang in there mate. At least you have your good health. I was on a bike ride the other day and after riding with some youngsters for about 20 miles and setting the pace a few times . One of them, when he heard my age said "You should be in a nursing home playing tidlywinks not riding our butts (arses) off like you are" Felt pretty good after hearing that.
Dave, on Ebay is listed a Herse bike with a starting bid of $12K !!!!! One bid for that ALREADY! The C/R members are raving over this bike and the workmanship. In my mind looks just like any other handbuilt bike to me. I have see many other bikes that YOU have built, that looked just as good if not better. Something wrong with this picture.
John,
Rene Herse has been dead for 40 years. Maybe when I've been dead that long, mine might be worth 12K. Whether my bikes sell for 1K or 10K makes no difference to me. I fact if one sold for 10K it would mean someone is making more on the sale that I did when it was new, so that would annoy me more.
I like that my bikes sell for well under a $1,000 it means people can afford to ride them which is what they were built for.
Dave
The one on Ebay is a 1970 Of course the present owners are the ones making the profit, But I am amazed that Herse Singer Hetchins get the big bucks they do, When builders like you and also Colin Laing and many other older Brit builders do not get the recognition they deserve, of course recognition is NOT money! Even a greeter at Walmart gets money.I did post about your blog again on the C/R list
Yeah, I'm in; I check your blog regularly, and I'd hate it if it went away. Now - How 'bout some bike-related tees that are not Moulton-specific? Or how 'bout some cartoons from the "I don't suffer..." book on the tees?
Forgive me for asking, but is there a reason why you can no longer fabricate bicycle framesets?
Just received the T-shirt and book. Thanks for the fast delivery and thanks for your being a part of the bicycling community.
Paul,
The answer to why I can't build frames is, I no longer have the tools, equipment, or a facility. When I set up my shop in 1983 it cost $30,000. That would be $100,000 in today's money. Even a modest frameshop would cost in the tens of thousands. I don't have that kind of money, and even if I did I would never get a return on my investment.
Dave
You're acting like parents who are all mad because they didn't break even on their daughter's wedding.
Tony,
I wasn't complaining, I was answering Paul's legitimate question, because he thought maybe I could just go out to my garage and knock out a few frames and get myself out of my current financial situation. I was simply explaining that I would need a whole lot of tools and equipment to do that.
Dave
Dave, Bet you could flog a few in California in April at the Eroica event, By the way MASI is the make this year. You tell some tales about that I am sure.
May I suggest a FROM THE FRAME SHOP OF dave moulton jersey. Would think it would be a big seller. I'll be the first to buy. Something in the $50.00 to $60.00 or maybe even $70.00 would sell I bet. Not sure if it's feasible, but just a thought. There's probably a reason you haven't done this before. I'm sure it's a cost thing...
Hi Dave, is there a PO Box or address I could send a contribution to?
All the best.