Classic & Vintage - You know you're in C & V when...

You actually search E-Bay cycling & transportation for "Armstrong " hoping to find something old, English, and steel and it takes you half a second to understand what you just did.

You're qualified! I am struggling for a similar analogy...of course there's Kelly, as in Sean Kelly, and, uh, well...

Or when you search for Campagnolo and get pissed off by all the carbon.

Or when you search for Campagnolo and get pissed off by all the carbon.

That's why everything is prefaced with 'vintage'.

East Hill shows up demanding photos.


[Guess who...]

East Hill shows up demanding photos.


[Guess who...]

I can almost hear it in Clara Peller's voice....."Where's the pictures!!!" :D

You know you're in C&V forum when you encounter lots of friendly, helpful folks who share your quirky passion for old bikes.

you know you're in C&V...

when campy no longer means: "providing sophisticated amusement by virtue of having
artificially (and vulgarly) mannered or banal or sentimental qualities" :D

or does it? ahh, nevermind...

When you spend way more money than a normal person would call sane restoring a so called lightweight Schwinn gaspipe bike and nobody tells you that you are crazy. :)

And this was the bike you were looking for, Mooo: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Armstrong-Single-Speed-Bicycle-Raleigh-Phillips_W0QQitemZ130177553008QQihZ003QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Neal

And this was the bike you were looking for, Mooo: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Armstrong-Single-Speed-Bicycle-Raleigh-Phillips_W0QQitemZ130177553008QQihZ003QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Neal
yeah, pretty, innit?
I won't be able to make up my mind in time, though.

For $140, that's a pretty sweet deal.

...WHEN:

#1: You believe relaxation involves bronze wool, Goof Off, Flitz Metal Polish, Meguiars Scratch X, and chrome/aluminum bike components.
#2: You use carbon seatposts as garden stakes.
#3: You're constantly examining your Campagnolo NR crankset for cracks.
#4: You're constantly ribbing the road crowd that they're Campagnolo Record carbon cranks will turn to splinters in five minutes.
#5: You're intent on finding out exactly what Eric Clapton's Condor looks like
#6: You spend your extra off-the-bike leisure time bidding up eBay scammers
#7: You report all Craigslist finds of frames 50cm and smaller to East Hill.
#8: Ray Dobbins is God.
#9: Mike Swantak is Satan. So is aluminum oxide.
#10: It is not unusual for someone to perceive you sticking half out of a dumpster, extracting some tossed bike or another from it.
#11: Chrome head lugs raise your heart rate more then Viagra.
#12: Paramounts too.
#13: And PX-10's.
#14: Your tactics to sneak new bikes past your wife are more complex then the FBI's security system.
#15: Your local bike shop doesn't know what to make of you.
#16: You don't know what to make of your local bike shop.
#17: Carbon is irrelevant.
#18: You shelled out well over 3 grand for a new Waterford that looks no different then your 1971 Paramount (that one's for you, Stan...still have to scan that Providence Report for you...)
#19: Words such as "Rabid Koala," "nlerner," "el twe," "cyclotoine," and "luker" are all familiar to you.
#20: You are posting in this thread.

-Kurt

Your local LBS owner tries to sell you HIS collection of ancient parts...then just tries to sell you the whole shop. :D

Your local LBS owner tries to sell you HIS collection of ancient parts...then just tries to sell you the whole shop. :D

Been there, done that...

-Kurt

You know you're in C & V when...

...members look forward to what a reverend might find on one of his weekly visits to impart salvation to bicycles left at the town dump.

...the classic French roadie you've built up for your daughter is old enough to be her grandmother.
...the LBS calls you looking for parts.
...you can spot a Miyata, Centurion, or Panasonic logo among the 3000 bikes parked at the end of a charity ride.
Top

...WHEN:

#1:
#2:
#7:
#10:
#11:
#14:
#15:
#16:


-Kurt

:)

You know you're in C & V when...

...members look forward to what a reverend might find on one of his weekly visits to impart salvation to bicycles left at the town dump.

what ever became of the 1890s bicycle btw?

Sheldon Brown's site is one of your first three bookmarks.

...when your LBS doesn't worry about you robbing the place because all you'd steal are a bunch of old, used 1" threaded headsets and alloy quill stems.

You're in the very best part of BF!!

nobody thinks your nuts for waiting over 20 years for an obscure Dutch frame.
you think nothing about spending 100 pounds sterling to restore/rebuild a saddle.
the manager of your LBS asks you to help him build up a classic Italian bike
you have more tools required to build and service said italian classic than the LBS
you know there's more to rear derailleurs than campy and shimano.
you can tell the difference between all the various campy Delta brakes.

Classic!!!



#14: Your tactics to sneak new bikes past your wife are more complex then the FBI's security system.


Two more for ya:

#) You read list like Kurt's and laugh out loud.
#) You use more of your college French studying vintage bikes then you used in college.

Classic!!!

Two more for ya:

#) You read list like Kurt's and laugh out loud.

I know I did!


You know you're in C & V when...members look forward to what a reverend might find on one of his weekly visits to impart salvation to bicycles left at the town dump.

Love those updates and SO glad Sianelle made that a sticky!



You're in the very best part of BF!!

:beer:

East Hll

#19: Words such as "Rabid Koala," "nlerner," "el twe," "cyclotoine," and "luker" are all familiar to you.
I made the list!

#) You offer to (free of charge): travel, procur, pack & ship a bike you will not ride, own, or resell for a person you have not met (in person) in order to "save it" from another "less educated" owner.

what ever became of the 1890s bicycle btw?

Resting comfortably on the basement floor while the "New" bikes hang from their hooks above. They keep a close eye on the grand dame of them all. She will go to Copake Auction House in NY next spring, and hopefully find a home where she will be restored or used for parts in other projects. Ms. PB has already given her blessings that the windfall can be used for the "next" bike. :)

#) You offer to (free of charge): travel, procur, pack & ship a bike you will not ride, own, or resell for a person you have not met (in person) in order to "save it" from another "less educated" owner.

:beer:

'ere's to a magical bike procurred in just that manner! 'ere's to ya fender1!! ;)

:beer: "To C&V, forevar"!

#) You offer to (free of charge): travel, procur, pack & ship a bike you will not ride, own, or resell for a person you have not met (in person) in order to "save it" from another "less educated" owner.

... especially if you are the one who located the bike on CL or Ebay!

#) When you understand the forums unwritten rules well enough that you feel comfortable announcing that you are bidding on a specific Ebay bike to avoid having fellow forum members bid against one another.

#) When you have actually met several of these people face to face, and have made tentative plans to meet others when the opportunity arises to be in the right part of the country. (I have at least 3 on my list)

...When you can sell a bike to someone and never actually have to "get rid of it."

...you feel that before "upgrading" to modern parts on a classic frame you must first get the blessing of several members of the forum before you can continue. Once done you must then post pics - effectively reapplying for said blessing before allowing the bike out into the world.

#) When you understand the forums unwritten rules well enough that you feel comfortable announcing that you are bidding on a specific Ebay bike to avoid having fellow forum members bid against one another.


Or, when you end up actually sicerely apologizing to a member when you find out that you have accidentally outbid them on a bike.

Or, when you end up actually sicerely apologizing to a member when you find out that you have accidentally outbid them on a bike.
Been there ... done that.:o

#21 you think '10 speed' means 2 in front, 5 in back
#22 you buy a bike just because you want the brake calipers
#23 you don't really know just how many bikes you own......

#23 you don't really know just how many bikes you own......

But you can STILL make room for another one :D .

East Hill

To get back to the question:
You know you're in C & V when East Hill posts:D

#22 you buy a bike just because you want the brake calipers


Or handlebars, or alloy wheels, or any other specific components... Then of course building up your parts stockpile with a few of the other components just in case. :o

Then of course, there is:

Hitting thrift stores hoping for a find, but at another level, as you're looking, hoping to come up dry because you have no room for one if you find it. And you don't want to have to figure out how to cull the herd to make room...

#21 you think '10 speed' means 2 in front, 5 in back
#22 you buy a bike just because you want the brake calipers
#23 you don't really know just how many bikes you own......

+1 to all these.. But I still keep bringing more home..........

When you really feel like you should make a post justifying why you want to change out the original randonneur bars to a more comfortable wider bar. And still feel guilty about taking the brake lever off to change them....Or is that just me..

Sheldon Brown's site is one of your first three bookmarks.

You sometimes start sentences with the words, "Well, Sheldon says ..."

Actually, this is more of a "You know you ARE CV when..."

..when you say "uh-huh" in agreement before the guy blabbering on about his carbon whatever is even finished speaking about it.

..when you recieve a frame to paint, and have to call the owner to find out how to remove the fork because all you have ever dealt with are threaded ones.

..you have no idea what "Isis" means.

..you have, at some time or another, tried to invent a home-made headset cup press.

#24. You find a part some C&V member said they wanted and you can't remember who it was!*

#25. You need a part some C&V member said they had and can't remember who it was!*


*But you can remember minute details about bikes, parts and tools. Go figure.

..you have, at some time or another, tried to invent a home-made headset cup press.

Hah! I was just thinking about doing that, as well as a home-made headset remover.

Neal

When you post an idea about some repair or rework you are going to try,people that actually know what they are doing post and instead of telling you " hey stupid what are you thinking" you get a suggestion on how to do it right

Hah! I was just thinking about doing that, as well as a home-made headset remover.

Neal

Let me expand on that one:

#26: You take unbelievable measures to locate or fabricate a Shimano 600 headset locknut tool...

-Kurt

You know you're in C & V when... you get here and all the other day to day s..t seems irrelevant, and you can relax among like minded, non-judgemental people.
I just spent 15 minutes on Firefox forums asking for help and all I got was inanities and 'smart' comments...
Won't return there.
C&V is an oasis of sanity in this crazy world.

Sheldon Brown's site is one of your first three bookmarks.

You sometimes start sentences with the words, "Well, Sheldon says ..."

oh bloody hell, i am new here and I JUST did that.

Hah! I was just thinking about doing that, as well as a home-made headset remover.

Neal


That sounds like a good topic for a sticky or at least a photo thread!!

I'm rather new here, fixed up a few oldies I'm finding and loving it. Just now ran across this thread and holy crap... I haven't laughed this hard in a while on a board! My faves...

#14: Your tactics to sneak new bikes past your wife are more complex then the FBI's security system.
#21 you think '10 speed' means 2 in front, 5 in back
#22 you buy a bike just because you want the brake calipers
#23 you don't really know just how many bikes you own