.

[cat6]

.

[aramis]

Just refund the guy his money instead of trying to do some kind of CSI analysis.

Trust me the buyer would be highly unlikely to screw around with you over a small item like that.

[cat6]

.

[avalonracing]

trying to do some kind of CSI analysis.

You have to admit, that was a pretty funny remark... ;)

[Louis]

(or do they deduct the weight of the box when it's a standard sized flat rate?)

I'm 99.9% sure they don't.

[Don49]

Small Priority Mail flat rate box is 55gm (1.9oz) on my scale.

[pdmtong]

this is like some kind of bad SAT test question

[aramis]

Thanks for the help, Aramis! This isn't about anyone being screwed over, and it's not CSI, it's pretty basic. FWIW the Paul light mount is a pretty rare item, if I know it wasn't in the shipped box I'll scour my PO looking for it.

Sorry I didn't mean to come off as such a jerk, but stuff happens.. things get lost or broken in shipping or whatever. I've had it happen to me over the years and just refund people and move on. Unless it is worth $100 or something just use the time you would have spent worrying and looking and go riding instead.

edit:

and if you want my take on it, there's almost no way that the clamp and a box, and bar tape and the bag are 9.x oz. If you packed it at the post office too there is a good chance you left it behind because there's a lot of stuff going on there usually.

[Louis]

this is like some kind of bad SAT test question

Only if the OP has to take into account the uncertainty in the accuracy of the USPS scale.

[cat6]

.

[Peter B]

I get the forensic analytic curiosity but if you can't just believe the buyer how can he believe you based on your (estimate) of what the package might have weighed?

Check the post office for your own peace of mind and if you can't locate the bit, just refund his $$ and move on.

[cat6]

.

[vqdriver]

I have the musette but the smallest scale scale I have is a bike scale so I don't know accurate this is. A gram scale would be better but fwiw it reads 3 ozhttp://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx74/ekkthree/1377318806_zps592cadc6.jpg

[beeatnik]

Yo! What if that clamp were made from Reynolds 953 or even Columbus XCR? Such a buttery clamp could easily slide off one of those PO counters. But if the clamp were made from KVA, that totally changes the equation. :eek:

[cat6]

.

[Louis]

so we're looking at about 6.8 oz for the box, musette and bar tape. my receipt says 8.9. sure seems like there was something else in that box when it shipped.

Unless the USPS scale was reading high...

I would rather trust a long-time forum member than the post office scale.

[vqdriver]

well. to be honest, i know the scale says 3oz but it felt ridiculously light in my hands. i'm thinking whatever padding you may have used could have easily weight as much or more than the musette i weighed.

i wouldn't get caught up in it. too much unknown

so we're looking at about 6.8 oz for the box, musette and bar tape. my receipt says 8.9. sure seems like there was something else in that box when it shipped.
.

[cat6]

.

[akelman]

This package was going to Kodiak, AK? And the recipient says that an item was missing from the box? If I've got that right so far, and unless there's more than one Paceline member in Kodiak -- which seems very unlikely -- the item was missing from the box. Call or stop by the Post Office in the morning.

I'm glad I could help.

Signed,

Encyclopedia Brown

[beeatnik]

One of the other packages was going to AK. Box with missing clamp went to Dallas.

[spdcyclist]

This is the kind of thread that keeps me coming back again and again ... Very entertaining.

[firerescuefin]

This is the kind of thread that keeps me coming back again and again ... Very entertaining.

And...I was going to say it was a low mark for me.

[fuzzalow]

well. to be honest, i know the scale says 3oz but it felt ridiculously light in my hands. i'm thinking whatever padding you may have used could have easily weight as much or more than the musette i weighed.

i wouldn't get caught up in it. too much unknown

This is the kind of thread that keeps me coming back again and again ... Very entertaining.

And...I was going to say it was a low mark for me.

What is a bike thread without something over the top and on the bleeding edge of OCD minutia. So I just had to run this down, for the good of all here, of course. Doin' my part to keep the level high in this place...

The scale reads 2.3615oz.

[dogdriver]

The weight of the package on the PO receipt is 8.9oz.



its a flat rate box. I'm surprised that they even weighed it.

[ctcyclistbob]

The weight of the package on the PO receipt is 8.9oz.



its a flat rate box. I'm surprised that they even weighed it.

They need to know total weight for trucking/flights.

[#campyuserftw]

this is like some kind of bad SAT test question

I just spat on my Macbook Air.

Very quietly, this is one of the best threads.

It involves bike parts, cardboard, amount/type of tape used by the post office, weight of packaging shells, receipts, and Alaska/Sarah Palin. Heck, a reference a forgotten, great childhood read, 'Encyclopedia Brown', and Rapha made it into the thread. All it needs is the shipment of 'bottles of unknown weight' to Austin, or Aspen, or 'documents of unknown weight' to/from Benghazi.

Great thread.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

I just spat on my Macbook Air.

Very quietly, this is one of the best threads.

It involves bike parts, cardboard, amount/type of tape used by the post office, weight of packaging shells, receipts, and Alaska/Sarah Palin. Heck, a reference a forgotten, great childhood read, 'Encyclopedia Brown', and Rapha made it into the thread. All it needs is the shipment of 'bottles of unknown weight' to Austin, or Aspen, or 'documents of unknown weight' to/from Benghazi.

Great thread.

And weighing a Rapha musette. I've officially seen it all.

[#campyuserftw]

And weighing a Rapha musette. I've officially seen it all.

I want to buy something from the OP. I don't care what, or how much. I'll buy one brake cable, even if it's used and frayed. A bumper sticker from an Echo and the Bunnymen concert. A quart of 5w30 oil. Anything.

This is an epic thread.

"This isn't a dispute with the buyer, they will be refunded. This is a sanity check for the sake of it because there is a fairly simple way to calculate what was in the box. I have a receipt from the PO that has the weight of the package when it shipped. Is all of this really that unreasonable? I told the buyer I'm going to try and figure out what happened, if the answer in the end is that I'm an idiot at least I'll say it with confidence...i'll determine how to spend my time. perhaps you should follow your own advice and spend more time riding and less time worrying about what I'm worried about about."

OP, I do not mean or intend disrespect you. I truly hope your issue is resolved. I would ride with you any day. You made my belly hurt, and I was a mess for a little while, laughing and coughing on coffee. I hope it all works out, for you and the buyer. Good luck.

[cat6]

.

[ColonelJLloyd]

http://sounddoctrineministries.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pot-kettle-black.jpg

[firerescuefin]

nevermind.

[CNY rider]

If you like this thread go back and find the one about the price of a tuna fish sandwich.
From years ago, but one of the all time greats.

[akelman]

I feel like a real POS thinking that somehow I left out the most valuable item in a package, especially when dealing with a member of this forum. I started that thread to try and make sense of it.

In turn I get a bunch of dopey remarks and presumptuous idiots chiming in. my favorite part of the thread is when a few know-it-all misread the receipt and automatically assume I'm wrong because they THINK they know who the buyer is. i hope you idiots never serve on any jury.

I think you missed the part where I asked if I had the details right. My apologies.

That said, several people have explained to you that there are too many variables in the equation to reach a definitive answer, especially over the internet. So again, your best bet is to call or stop by the Post Office today to see if they have the part. If so, great. If not, refund the money. In the meantime, maybe stop calling people names. Or not. But either way, remember that if things get rough, I've got Sally on my side. If she can handle Bugs Meany, I'm pretty sure she can handle you.

[cat6]

.

[Peter B]

<snip>

In turn I get a bunch of dopey remarks and presumptuous idiots chiming in. my favorite part of the thread is when a few know-it-all misread the receipt and automatically assume I'm wrong because they THINK they know who the buyer is. i hope you idiots never serve on any jury.

Hey bub, get it straight. *Ari really is a know-it-all. I'm the idiot. :bike:

*PS. This is a joke.

[pdmtong]

i can't look away...this thread has it all - high morals, mystery, presumptions, sleuth (encyclopedia brown...right out of the cobwebs in my brain)...

[Louis]

I'm still waiting for the buyer to chime in. Something along the lines of "I am not a crook" or the Checkers speech, and this thread will be well on its way to Hall of Fame status.

(Just for the record, the above statements are intended to be humorous. I apologize if they do no meet your standards for Internet Forum Comedy.)

[Louis]

But either way, remember that if things get rough, I've got Sally on my side. If she can handle Bugs Meany, I'm pretty sure she can handle you.

Ari, I can see that you too drank the EB Kool Aide. Bugs has been maligned all these years, but in reality Encyclopedia Brown stands for The Man, The Establishment. The truth of the story is that Bugs and his "gang" were Freedom Fighters, defending the little guy.

Unfortunately EB got better press. (Do you really want to know how Sally got reporters to write all those incriminating stories about Bugs? I only have two words for you - Honey Trap.). Encyclopedia went on to work for Goldman Sachs, then the NSA, while Bugs died years ago, a broken man.

BTW, Nancy Drew has been researching this for years, and as soon as she's done with her expose on the Bobbsey Twins in Rolling Stone (Kinky !!!) she'll be coming out with a book exonerating Bugs once and for all, exposing Encyclopedia's dastardly deeds.

[Polyglot]

Just to throw a wrench into the woks, I have a 4 year old flat rate box from USPS and it weighs 4.8 oz. Another element to take into account is that there are various flat weight box sizes. there is the long flat one and the short more square shaped one... My guess is that they weigh different amounts. In my post office they have the habit of then added some tape to the outside of the box to ensure the seal. Plus there is the weight of the ink...

[dustyrider]

I feel like this thread should be mandatory reading for anyone new to the forum. You know get to know the various personalities before you're too deeply offended. Glad to know Encyclopedia Brown is alive and well in those around here.

It seems to me that if you can't remember placing the item in the box and someone says it wasn't there, all the maths in the world aren't going to prove anything you, really, should know. The clamp is at the po. Or some little kids treasure trove. I know you all had one too!

[lonoeightysix]

Thread...must...never...be...locked.

[Don49]

Just to throw a wrench into the woks, I have a 4 year old flat rate box from USPS and it weighs 4.8 oz. Another element to take into account is that there are various flat weight box sizes. there is the long flat one and the short more square shaped one... My guess is that they weigh different amounts. In my post office they have the habit of then added some tape to the outside of the box to ensure the seal. Plus there is the weight of the ink...The OP said he used a "small flat rate box". Perhaps you are confusing flat rate boxes with flat weight boxes. While flat weight boxes may come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, print fonts, and taping choices, a USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box only comes in one size, that being 5 3/8" x 8 5/8" x 1 5/8".

[pbarry]

Ari, I can see that you too drank the EB Kool Aide. Bugs has been maligned all these years, but in reality Encyclopedia Brown stands for The Man, The Establishment. The truth of the story is that Bugs and his "gang" were Freedom Fighters, defending the little guy.

Unfortunately EB got better press. (Do you really want to know how Sally got reporters to write all those incriminating stories about Bugs? I only have two words for you - Honey Trap.). Encyclopedia went on to work for Goldman Sachs, then the NSA, while Bugs died years ago, a broken man.

BTW, Nancy Drew has been researching this for years, and as soon as she's done with her expose on the Bobbsey Twins in Rolling Stone (Kinky !!!) she'll be coming out with a book exonerating Bugs once and for all, exposing Encyclopedia's dastardly deeds.

Louis, that is epic. E.L. must be proud, looking on from afar. :beer:

[akelman]

Ari, I can see that you too drank the EB Kool Aide. Bugs has been maligned all these years, but in reality Encyclopedia Brown stands for The Man, The Establishment. The truth of the story is that Bugs and his "gang" were Freedom Fighters, defending the little guy.

Unfortunately EB got better press. (Do you really want to know how Sally got reporters to write all those incriminating stories about Bugs? I only have two words for you - Honey Trap.). Encyclopedia went on to work for Goldman Sachs, then the NSA, while Bugs died years ago, a broken man.

BTW, Nancy Drew has been researching this for years, and as soon as she's done with her expose on the Bobbsey Twins in Rolling Stone (Kinky !!!) she'll be coming out with a book exonerating Bugs once and for all, exposing Encyclopedia's dastardly deeds.

Somebody's been reading too much Noam Chomsky and Matt Taibbi.

[Louis]

You apparently don't believe me, but the Truth will be revealed. The system molds us while we're young, and Kid Lit is all part of the plan. ;)

[akelman]

To really sell it, Louis, you need to start ranting about "sheeple!"

[Louis]

Now you're making fun of me, but I tell you, there's a Pulitzer in this for someone.

Edit: BTW, no one ever lost money over-estimating people's tendency to buy into conspiracy theories.

[akelman]

BTW, no one ever lost money over-estimating people's tendency to buy into conspiracy theories.

My colleague's excellent book (http://www.amazon.com/Real-Enemies-Conspiracy-Theories-Democracy/dp/0199753954) on the subject.

[oliver1850]

I would want to find out what happened to anything lost in shipping too. It's not about the monetary value, or what my time is worth, or who's to blame, it's simply about knowing what happened, and avoiding future occurrences.

I didn't respond to this thread when it was originally posted because:

1.) I didn't have information that would help

2.) I thought it unlikely that weighing the items would resolve the problem.

Wish about 75% of responders had done likewise.