Classic & Vintage - A Rossin's coming - something's got to go

This morning I lucked on on having high bid on a nice Rossin frame and fork (eBay #290496301802). Already got plans for it: The Shimano Tricolor 600 gruppo and Helicomatic tubular wheels that were used on my Schwinn 564 last summer (loved the gruppo, hated the frame).

The downside is that something's got to go from the collection. No, that's not the wife talking, that's me. I can't really justify owning more than 12 bikes at a time, as I don't have the space to store them in an orderly manner, and I insist on knocking out 500 miles per bike during the year.

Going over the garage, I've got it narrowed down to three possibilities. I'll list them, along with pro's and cons for letting each one go. I'm interested in everyone's opinion as to which of the three you'd sell off if you were in this position (and no "I wouldn't sell any of them, just stuff another bike into the garage" is not an acceptable answer).

1. Peugeot UO-8

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q10/sykerocker/French%20Bikes/UO-81.jpg

I'm currently riding this one with a set of tubular wheels (Campy Record/Nisi). If sold, the stock wheels would go back on it. Would probably ask $150.00.

PRO: It just an ordinary French bike boom bicycle. Until I swapped the wheels out, it was a nice but nothing special ride. I will be adding the Roger Riviere to the collection sometime this winter, and that'd fill in the basic bike boom French bike with something that has a lot more emotional attachment to me.

CON: With the tubular wheels, it's a wonderful ride. Along with the Tour de France, it's the beautiful basic definition of a vintage road bike. And it's a lot prettier looking than the Riviere is ever going to be - just a bit shy of mint, in fact.

2. 1986 Centurion Accordo single speed/fixie

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q10/sykerocker/Japanese%20Bikes/Centurion1.jpg

My first custom bike. Looks absolutely mint due to a beautiful powder coating job. Different in that it's set up with tubulars, not clinchers, and fenders. This is my after-the-rain-wet-roads bike. Unfortunately, it's not the only single speed in the garage anymore, and the retro Raleigh Gran Sport I built up has more style and class. If this one goes, the fenders (Blumel Popular's) get pulled first and installed on the Raleigh - which will really make it look like that '48 BSA. Probably would ask about $250-300 for it.

PRO: Another fixie, and I love to coast downhill. I don't ride urban anymore, and the hills around my house make it one heck of a workout. The vintage look of the Gran Sport puts this one to shame.

CON: It still gets some interesting looks, and the "No dead kittens" on the downtube guarantees lots of rather odd questions. A very sweet riding frame, showed me what all the blather over Centurions was about.

3. 1990 Trek 2000T (the replica Mavic Neutral Support bike)

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q10/sykerocker/American%20Bikes/Trek2000T1.jpg

My second custom bike, set up in all Shimano RSX with Mavic Aksium wheels added after this picture was taken. If this one goes, only the frameset is going. I keep the wheels and drivetrain for a future project. Another absolutely mint looking bike due to the same powder coater. This one was built as a wry little joke on the locals riders on their Cervelo's and CSC team kits. The frameset would go for somewhere in the $100-150 range.

PRO: It's a bottom of the line all aluminum frameset, with all that entails. Nothing special about it that's not covered by the powder job.

CON: On hell of a climber. If I know Poguemahone is planning on lots of climbing stretches on our Sunday rides, this is the obvious choice.

About the only other comment I can make is that I'm leaning a little stronger towards either #2 or 3 as the one that goes, although a lot of that comes from the attitude that I can always build a custom, finding a nice clean original is a lot harder to do.

Open up, folks. I'm interested in your opinion.

Get rid of the Centurion Accordo.

-Kurt

+1 Centurion goes out first.

Get rid of the Centurion Accordo.


+1. What's the deal with "No Dead Kittens"? Also, take my agreement with a grain of salt: I'm a Francophile who has yet to have the pleasure of riding a Centurion.

I'd loose the UO-8, I like the other two quite a lot.

+1. What's the deal with "No Dead Kittens"?

It is an absolutely obscure twist on the hipster/emo kid statement of legend (i.e., Urban Dictionary-worthy) that suggests that "God kills a kitten" every time someone - ahem - jacks off. Not long ago, someone here on the forum twisted that statement to insinuate that "God kills a kitten" every time some hipster hacksaws all the brazeons off a Colnago or equally desirable frame to make a fixed gear out of it.

Personally, I think the phrase is idiotic in either capacity.

-Kurt

...someone here on the forum twisted that statement to insinuate that "God kills a kitten" every time some hipster hacksaws all the brazeons off a Colnago or equally desirable frame to make a fixed gear out of it.

(raises hand) That'd be me who stated that. I thought it was funny then and I still do. It sure has hung on around here for quite a while.

+1. What's the deal with "No Dead Kittens"? Also, take my agreement with a grain of salt: I'm a Francophile who has yet to have the pleasure of riding a Centurion.

"Every time someone hacks a vintage frame, God kills a kitten." The frame is ready to reconvert back to a freewheel/derailleur bike, all braze-ons are intact. It came out of a long ago discussion regarding Drewing a bike.

Personally, I'd get rid of all three and make some room to grow.

Personally, I'd get rid of all three and make some room to grow.

That's my vote also, although I kind of like the Centurion with the "No Dead Kittens" tag.

Centruion first because the fixie/ss market is dying fast. Get your money out of it while you can
Trek second because its the wrong size for you.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/jimr2527/4OECAYBLQV4CAGNKH7HCACFIOOUCAZK3Q7U.jpg

i'd ditch the pug AND the trek. i like the centurion[i would remove the kittens sticker and probably throw a brooks on it].

the fixie/ss market is dying fast.

i am so excited for this. i cant wait to buy a really nice vintage track bike of some kid who purchased it with his mommys college moneys for half price so he can buy some cd mixer crap thing or xbox 5 whatever. he'll be like 'you get the lime colored wheels and i'll give you the original wheels too... ' excellent. seriously im so excited. also, stock up on the old 90s MTBs. im sure this is the next 'it' thing.

i'd ditch the pug AND the trek. i like the centurion[i would remove the kittens sticker and probably throw a brooks on it].

+1

The Centurion looks like a decent rain/snow bike for our late fall and early winter seasons.

Funny you didn't ask which bike to keep. You like the Peugeot with good wheels. You ride it that way. Keep it. Especially if style matters.

But I'm a bit biased. I ride my UO-8 occasionally too (even after I put the original steel wheels back on).

Some might think I'm crazy for saying this, but I'd keep the UO-8. I'd prefer riding that for errands than the Kittenmachine.

I'd put a cotterless, period crankset on it, but that's just my own personal preference.

-Kurt

It is an absolutely obscure twist on the hipster/emo kid statement of legend (i.e., Urban Dictionary-worthy) that suggests that "God kills a kitten" every time someone - ahem - jacks off. Not long ago, someone here on the forum twisted that statement to insinuate that "God kills a kitten" every time some hipster hacksaws all the brazeons off a Colnago or equally desirable frame to make a fixed gear out of it.

Personally, I think the phrase is idiotic in either capacity.

-Kurt

You obviously don't have my weakness for kittens.

My vote is for the Trek (to go), since the Rossin is likely to also be a road racing bike.

...and the bars on all of those bikes are rotated 30 to 45 degrees too high :D

Some might think I'm crazy for saying this, but I'd keep the UO-8. I'd prefer riding that for errands than the Kittenmachine.

I'd put a cotterless, period crankset on it, but that's just my own personal preference.

-Kurt

The more I think about it, the UO-8 is probably going to be the safe one. First off, it's a nice ride. With sewup wheels it's on hell of a ride. Secondly, having spent decades involved in vintage automobiles, motorcycles and bicycles, one absolutely cannot underestimate the value of a clean, sharp, original unrestored vehicle. I had it in my first car, a 1937 Buick Special. I still have it in my longest owned motorcycle, a 1969 Triumph Bonneville cafe racer. The Triumph and the Pug really look good garaged next to each other.

I have to admit, some of this feeling also comes from my anti-streetrod bias, which really existed in the pre-1974 vintage car hobby. Originality was prized, personal expression and customization wasn't allowed on the field with the pristine originals (or accurate restorations).

With a 52 tooth large chainwheel, the Pug is a bit overgeared for me (the rest of my bikes are 48's or 49's). Now, if I could find a proper 50 tooth chainwheel for that crank.

My vote is for the Trek, since the Rossin is likely to also be a road racing bike.

...and the bars on all of those bikes are rotated 30 to 45 degrees too high :D

Actually its a mirage, something to do with camera angle. I always set my bars so the tops are absolutely parallel to the road (and with quill stems, in line with the stem). Yeah, it's more a touring setup. I never ride in the drops (other than getting to the brakes on my Raleigh Gran Sport), spend 90% of my time with my hands on both sides of the stem, the remaining time cupped around the brake levers. I've never had a setup where the drops are parallel to the road - it's wasted on me.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr314/jimr2527/4OECAYBLQV4CAGNKH7HCACFIOOUCAZK3Q7U.jpg

Absolutely eloquent.

Centruion first because the fixie/ss market is dying fast. Get your money out of it while you can
Trek second because its the wrong size for you.

I hear you on the first point - it's definitely under consideration for that reason. As to size: Both the Centurion and Trek are 56's, which is my usual size. The Peugeot is a 58, which is what I would have bought back in the day. Slightly big, but I've always ridden slightly big rather than undersized.

I never liked that Peugeot. Get rid of it ASAP. Don't like aluminum treks either, but it is yellow so that evens things out, so that could stay. The Centurion has a no dead kittens so that stays too.

Dump the aluminum thing. I hate bulbus aluminum frames.

Keep the mint looking Peugeot UO-8, I'm from the same mindset. You can't beat a mint original classic Bicycle, car, or Motorcycle. I would love to have a UO-8 in mint condition, 59-60 CM.

Mike

(raises hand) That'd be me who stated that. I thought it was funny then and I still do. It sure has hung on around here for quite a while.

I'm with Bill on this one...it's hung around because it's funny as hell. My wife read the comment here once and she cracked up instantly.

As far as which bike to keep, I agree with Bossman. You have 12, that's a lot and none of these are especially must haves for me. If it were me...I'd sell the Centurion first because how many fixies do you need? I'd sell the aluminum trek second because...it's aluminum and it's a trek. I'd be most tempted to keep the Pug...but I'd probably part with that too and use the money from all three sales to get a px-10 or something. I like the kitten decals as well, but are you really going to keep a bike for the stickers?