lenos

I have this 1972 Raleigh Professional that looks like it went into hibernation after being ridden about 200 miles. It still had the original tires on it when I got it. After complete disassembly, cleaning and polishing, new brake hoods, cable inners and tires it almost looks like it just came off of the showroom floor. The qualifier is that in its 200 mile life, it looks like it was dropped lightly or else fell over in the hanger where it was stored. The right side pedal is just slightly scratched, as is the derailleur hanger bolt. One of the toeclips were dragged a little, probably while trying to clip in, and the pump sat somewhere in conditions that didn't do it any good.

The effort to make this thing pretty much perfect involves throwing a little money at it, e.g. NOS pedals to the tune of $200 plus. That doesn't bother me so much as I pretty much have nothing into the bike at this point. The problem is that after all that it will almost be too nice to ride, and risk damaging it.

I know where I actually sit on this issue, but am wondering what other views might be.

Blessing or curse?

PedalTraveler

Blessing. Bikes are for riding as far as I'm concerned, just take care of them, and only take special ones such as yours out for rides on nice days. Bikes are tools to get places and have fun doing it, so do with them whatever makes you smile. If someone truly prefers hanging one on a wall and that makes them happy that's fine too.

jimmuller 

Near perfect is a blessing. And the bike is for riding.

acoffin 

Near perfect is ideal. It's the perfect ones that I don't feel comfortable with, in fact I would rather not have one. I want a bike that I can ride and not feel guilty about getting scratches on. Perfect bikes belong in museums, or they should go to people who would not feel as guilty as I.

Essthreetee

It is both. A blessing to be enjoyed and taken care of. A curse if worrying will take away from that enjoyment. I don't have, and probably will never have a perfect bike. Mine are nice, but used. I still take care of them and do my best to not intentionally scratch them. But at the same time, I ride and enjoy...not thinking about what happened to them.

Henry III

I enjoy looking as well as riding it. But if I can't ride it what's the use? It's like looking at a burger and not being able to eat it. Lol.

Wildwood 

It's a bicycle - they can't bless you and seldom curse you.
They never curse you if they are Grail-ish. (ooops thread confusion)

Velocivixen

It's however you choose to perceive it.

It's a material posession. It can be easy to become too ​focused.

eschlwc

buy a metal file at the hardware store (and maybe some 600 grade 3m sandpaper and mother's from the auto parts store), polish the road rash, save the $200, and ride a perfect bike.

philosophically, though, the bike is neither a blessing nor curse. it just is.

redscampi

"Ride it like you stole it."

I wouldn't really, but you need to decide what type of person you are. Are you a collector of bicycles or a cyclist, or somewhere in between?
Hint #1 : There is no wrong answer.
Hint #2 : Jay Leno drives all his stuff.

TiHabanero

I say it depends upon the objective you had when acquired. If it was acquired with riding in mind, then ride it. If it was acquired with preserving history as the goal, restore and enjoy the art that it is. I have a bike like that. It will never be ridden as it was never ridden when new, and is near perfect. It is a piece of art that adorns the walls of my shop. The amazing thing is my wife completely understands! She sees it as a piece of art, just as if it were a Monet.

bradtx

lenos, A cosmetically perfect bike that doesn't fit is a curse. Any bike that's rode suffers the possibility of some sort of damage.

Three years ago I rebuilt a touring bike just as I wanted it. I had it propped against my car after it's second or third outing, the wind shifted and down it went on the drive side. Scratched the brake lever and RHS pedal and frankly I was glad to have the 'first scratch' over and done with.

Brad

jjames1452 

Agree with PedalTraveler. Blessing. Perfect or near perfect bikes are a blessing. Ride them thought! Ride them only on sunny days if you must, but ride them. I am trying to get rid of all bikes I don't ride. I want to condition my thought process to sell a perfect or near perfect bike if I do not ride it. Bikes are built for enjoying in the great outdoors. Let someone else enjoy it if I am not!

I sold a near perfect chrome Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 to a gentleman in Texas who planned on riding it. The bike fit me. I just knew that every time I chose to ride a Voyageur, it would be my slightly customized '85. Let someone else enjoy the chrome beauty.

jjames1452 

How can we know that a bike just is............perhaps we Kant know...........

Prowler 

My DL-180 is a 1976 with a curious history so it may never have matched the Raleigh stock description. I thought about all this a lot last winter when I did the complete renovation: should I just build it back up and ride it or should I source the proper Campy NR crankset, and hubs, the proper stem and handlebar and the proper pedals and get professional help with the paint and get all the proper decals. Lot of money on a pension budget.

A wise fellow said "keep the Sakae Ringo pedals. If you had the proper Campy pedals ($200) you would take them off and keep them on a shelf rather than chance damage." Good advice so I've kept the SR pedals and they work great and look great. Pedal are sure out there looking for pavement strikes and for grounding when you gently lay the bike down (always on the left side).

I then decided to build it back up as is (nice stuff if not stocklist) and ride it. I'm now approaching 1000 miles on it since April and I have REALLY enjoyed the Raleigh Pro experience - the geometry, the 531 frame, the workmanship, the view looking down at the chrome, the handling on all sorts of roads and trails. I'm glad I'm riding mine rather than just thinking about riding mine. Fortunately mine is very nice "from five feet away" so I don't worry about a rub or a scratch or a bit of mud. I'm living the experience and glad of it.

Think on that possibility.

rootboy 

Two things. If you can find NOS Campagnolo Record pedals with the strap loop for around two hundred dollars, buy them. Buy all you can at that price.

Second, where DO you stand on this issue? Or sit?

rootboy 

LazyLegs

It's a first world problem

The better condition the bike is in the more selective you will be about riding it. If it's pristine then you may have an issue as the only way to preserve it in that quality is never to ride it. If it's just in very good to near pristine condition then you can use it on special occasions, which is nice like having a good suit for special events. I have faced similar problems this year, I picked up a NOS frame and once built up I was reticent about even riding it, but decided that there was no point having it if I didn't get to enjoy it but knew I would only use it at certain occasions or on nice Sunny Days. Shortly after the bike was ready I committed to going on a vintage run to celebrate the Giro d'Italia coming to town for the first time. Turned out to be one of the dirtiest wettest days of the year and was stomach churning to put the bike out in it but once it was over I was more relaxed, the bike is still special to me and I will be selective about when I ride it but I feel ok with that balance.

Recently I was renovating a old school Flandria and the while I cleaned it up as best I could I was careful not to over restore it, so I could use it without fear of damaging it in some way. The aluminum parts have taken on a dull grey finish but apart from cleaning I haven't polished them up as I want to take this bike to L'Eroica with it dusty gravel roads and I like the used patina it has acquired - that proved not to be without its own problems tho as it turned out the seatpost was slightly too short and trying to find a longer period replacement that hadn't been too cleaned up or polished proved a little difficult.... so I ended up turning a mission to be relaxed and carefree about creating an everyday use renovation into getting caught up in the pickiness of fine detail again. The Mind Boggles!

easyupbug 

I understand and enjoy seeing wall hangers but they are not for me; I love seeing a fit for purpose bike in good condition with appropriate level of "patina".

Dave Cutter

I call the damage that accumulates over the years (decades) of storage of these old classic bicycles as wear and tear due to "garage miles".

The great old bicycles with the elaborate detail are art... as well as functional machines. They weren't built by factory workers or assembly line technicians although those people also contributed. The classic old vintage steel bicycles were created by artisans and tradesmen. And the bicycles they created can be enjoyed and appreciated without ever straddling the bike. They are a blessing to all who take the time to pause and enjoy their beauty.

These old bikes are also a joy to ride. And they should be enjoyed. Nothing can be preserved forever. Sooner or later everything will perish. These bicycles should be enjoyed both for their art... and as the machines they were also meant to be.

auchencrow

A perfect bike is a curse.
Get a rasp, hammer, and heavy grit sandpaper and get busy "patina-izing" it, so you can really enjoy it without remorse.

Road Fan

Near-perfect is a blessing. Mechanical condition and function is essentially perfect, and the minor cosmetic blemishes say "Go and ride this, it is a bicycle made for use in real-world conditions."

Tell us about how great it rides and handles, and whether it is a bike you can NOT ride.

I'd also say, rebuilding is a virtue, but you have a time capsule there. Try to learn about how these masterpieces felt when new, and then look at modernization if you're dissatisfied.

I grew up with bikes like this, and I can say that used correctly they are fantastic rides. Modern is ultimately better, 'cep I'm not a believer for carbon and aluminum, but vintage bikes were excellent within their constraints. And I'm not sure I was ever a better rider on indexed Campy compared to Nuovo Record.

Chrome Molly

If you enjoy the "A" bike and want to have for a very long time, then top condition is better. This will have you carefully cleaning and inspecting more often. It requires you to fix small problems before they become large problems.

If you get caught in the rain with your "A" bike and then clean it up carefully, that's going to seem like a burden.
When your "B" rider gets to the point you need to do something, that usually involves parts, heavy touch up, OA baths, etc.

Given you want your A bike to last longer than your B bike, it's a welcome burden.

auldgeunquers

WWJLD?


But seriously - bike as wall art requires both SPECIAL bike and SPECIAL wall - I would ride it, but I could see a case for striking a deal, at least temporarily - for hanging it on the wall of an appropriate LBS a local bike themed watering or coffeeing hole if it is appropriatly SPECIAL.

If a bike is to be hung out to dust, it should at least be in the most public space that can be managed.

Ex Pres 

Ride it, but forego any $200 pedals.

Or, if you can't bring yourself to ride it, sell it for top dollar and buy 2 of the same bike in lesser condition and ride those.