Ever gotten stained hands from Schwinn/Hunt-Wilde handlebar tape?

[acg_schwinn]

I sold a roll of Flamboyant Red Hunt-Wilde handlebar tape to a buyer on eBay who is now claiming that his or her hands were stained by the handlebar tape when working with it.

I had the tape out of its plastic bag package for photography and never noticed a single thing wrong with it. Has anyone else had a similar experience with the color-keyed Hunt-Wilde Flexon handlebar tapes? (They are the same as packaged under the Schwinn name; Hunt-Wilde was Schwinn's supplier.) This is definitely new to me.

 

[GTs58]

I have sold lots of handlebar tape, hunt wilde and Schwinn bagged over the last 15 years and never once had that problem. did the buyer send you some pictures of his dirty hands? I personally think he’s probably trying to scam you. So good luck with that issue!

 

[rfeagleye]

Same, I've never seen the tape color stain hands or handlebars.

 

[acg_schwinn]

Likewise; this was totally out of left field for me, and I've handled this stuff for, what, decades now. I did encounter one roll that turned out to be rather petrified in its package, probably from bad storage conditions, but otherwise I've found that brand of tape to be incredibly shelf-stable, with no past complaints at all. (Now if they had only printed the &%@$ color name on the individual bags so that we wouldn't have to hold them up to the light and squint at them, I'd be grateful.)

Buyer left this complaint as a weird Positive feedback, no actual message, photos or return request (yet), so I'm just going to wait and see. Buyer has one prior tape purchase from me that went fine, and no history of weird feedback left for others, though they have gotten 2 feedback revisions for themselves, presumably after a couple of their own sales to others went sideways.

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

I've both sold and installed a lot of this tape and never experienced or heard of a dye problem.
John

 

[acg_schwinn]

Well, I finally got an actual message from the buyer, saying pretty much the same thing as in the odd Positive feedback already left, so I told them with apologies to go ahead and send it back. I can't wait to see what will arrive.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Was it old tape? Sometimes vinyl products seem to get sticky with age (or exposure?), and maybe the sticky substance or residue acquired the red color of the tape.

Sometimes we see sellers of vintage stuff that are not willing to open vintage packaging, (love a good mystery!).

 

[acg_schwinn]

Well, I had the package open myself for photography, and didn't notice a thing wrong with it. Flexon tape from Hunt-Wilde (Schwinn Approved) has no adhesive and is entirely stretch-fit on the handlebars via tight wrapping only; you tuck the end into the handlebars and press in the end cap.

I have a later reply from the buyer now, saying that she cannot return the whole thing because it's already on the bike, but has tried cleaning it several times (type of cleaner unspecified) and the color still comes off. I replied to ask (1) if we could see a photo or two, (2) what type of cleaner she is using, and (3) to send back the whole thing if she decides to take it off the bike, or at least send the trimmed excess back here so I can examine that.

I am trying to stay open-minded here but of course this is starting to get weird.

 

[GTs58]

Personally, I wouldn’t push the subject any further with her. Seems you got lucky and found one of those 1 in 5 million buyers on eBay.

 

[acg_schwinn]

I have a later reply now that simply says that she decided to keep it, that she "just wanted me to know what happened when I started unwrapping it," and ignored all other requests to at least send photos or send back the remaining leftovers for examination, so...

Yeah, no further replies going out from me...