dadoflam

Hi
I would really appreciate some personal points of view
I recently picked up a '86 Pinarello Vini Ricordi team bike ridden by Frederico Chiotto in his first season which included a 122nd in the Giro. His name is still hand painted on the top tube. It was subsequently bought and raced in Australia for several seasons and then retired. Mechanically perfectly maintained (1st edition C-Record) but cosmetically showing some wear and tear around the edges after a life of racing. I bought it as my first C&V 'riding' bike as my first C&V effort ended up as a wall queen.
I want to leave the chipped paintwork as a record of the bike's racing past but am very tempted to freshen up the original decals which are a bit scratched and damaged in places - the columbus decals are half missing and some of the Pinarello letters are also damaged - it makes the bike look a bit neglected - which it clearly is not. They are not under clearcoat so are easily removed.
Is this 'spoiling' the bike? I would appreciate some thoughts

cb400bill

Can you post up some pics showing the details?

SJX426 

Post of a Pinny is nothing without Pics! Great find and purchase!
Here is a view point to consider, given that we don't have pics, all or nothing. Would it not look strange if the decals were perfect and the rest of the bike was "worn around the edges?" I too have thought about a compromize in improving appearence but have come to the conclusion that if I fixed the decals, the paint would look worse. If I painted and replaced decals, the componants would look worse. Buying NOS or nearly NOS and period exact is very expensive and you don't have the same bike you purchased. With the history of your bike, I would not change a thing but the consumables, if I rode it.

shoota 

Easy decision even without pics. Leave it as is. All those imperfections tell a tale. If you need a project go restore a bike that wasn't ridden by a professional. There's my two cents fwiw. Now pictures!!!

Ex Pres 

I don't think refreshing decals is anywhere akin to a repaint, so I wouldn't have a problem with it. But it does make the bike ever so slightly non-original. I've had the same thoughts on a Frejus I own - but so far I've retained the originals - because the decals are not quite far enough gone.

If it will make you want to ride the bike more, then go for it.

dadoflam

Photos added to OP - apologies for delay - computer issues and I've been out loving the ride!

Trick fall

I'd leave that just the way it is.

Six jours

For once I'll go with the "leave it as is" crowd. A bike with that kind of racing provenance is probably special enough that it should be preserved (is that rust around the bottom bracket shell?) but otherwise left as-is, IMO.

JonasG

It looks spectacular. Would absolutely leave it the way it is! No reason to ruin all of that history.

Kactus

I agree that it should be left alone. If there are any rust spots I would stabilize those and maybe touch up any large paint chips if a correct touch up paint can be found to prevent future corrosion issues.

El Segundo

Leave it alone, it is only original one time. Really nice bike.

CMC SanDiego

I agree with everyone here, that bike looks great as it is! Nice pick-up.

ericzamora

Beautiful bike. My vote, leave as-is. It doesn't look neglected at all.

eric
fresno, ca.

Italuminium

Leave it. What makes this bike special is the history and the little details like that hand painted name you mentioned. Although I love your Cinelli resto and know you'll do a great job on this one to if you decide to refresh it, I like it just the way it is now.

neo_pop_71

Right before I "personalized" an original condition bike my buddy chimed in with, "It's only once." Those words always come back to me when I happen onto a C&V survivor and I always have to pause before making any decisions.

As this is your first C&V "rider" and you have been enjoying the bike, leave it be, the other riders will see the bike and appreciate the history with all the character marks. Restorations are nice when done well but they are still restoration and will always lack the originality of a survivor for the purists in the cycling world. Besides, fresh decals would look cheap and out of place on the original paint, I can't see a point, either go all the way or leave it as is.

That frame was built to be ridden and I'm really pleased that you are using it... great score! Enjoy it for many miles!!!

-D-

Gary Fountain

I would do the same - great bike.

aidanpringle

Leave it the way it is and ride it.

vvup

A bike that has been in a grand tour is highly collectable. Once a collector has the main brands, and then bikes 'the same as so and so won the 1977 tour de france' the next level are bike that people actually rode. A 1986 is pinarello is not very old or hard to find, nor is Frederico Chiotto a big name so don't get too excited just yet!

Pinarello decals are great at falling off. I have owned 4 pinarello's and none of them have kept their decals as well as yours so you should be very pleaed with how well they have held out. If the bike was in europe I would be making an offer as it rather nice.

Italuminium

Maybe there's also a way to treat the decals in such a way that the decay is halted.

Michael Angelo 

Wax it, service it, ride it. When a decal falls off completely on it's own then find a "prefect" replacement. Otherwise leave the finish alone. It's only original "once".

rootboy 

+1