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Sock drawer or Pope table cloth?

Old 03-15-16, 07:54 PM
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Sock drawer or Pope table cloth?

How do you pick which spare bike parts you use when assembling a bike?

FBinNY prefers the "sock drawer" system. He picks the oldest, most marginally serviceable parts and uses them up. That keeps both his sock drawer and his spares box relatively pristine. Of course, of what use are even the best of parts gathering dust in your spares box?

I hold to the "Pope table cloth" method. My grand mother completely hand made a beautiful lace tablecloth to be used only, for example, if the Pope visited. For all that work, he never came so it was never used as a table cloth for a single meal. It was too good to use. Not wanting that to happen with my best spare bike parts, I tend to dig through my spares for the best stuff to hang on a build. My spares box meanwhile accumulates a growing collection of marginally useful components. And my sock drawer isn't much better.

What's your preference? Does anybody have a different philosophy?
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Old 03-15-16, 08:37 PM
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Old 03-15-16, 11:06 PM
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My theoretical philosophy would be "Sock Drawer for Grocery-Getters and Commuters", and "Pope Tablecloth for those times you're in the middle of nowhere, and don't want your components to meet their EOL date"...
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Old 03-15-16, 11:58 PM
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Retro makes a minor mistake when considering my oldest first approach "sock drawer". He assumes that my best stuff is never used and ends up collecting dust while I ride crap. That might be the case if I kept adding crap to he pool.

In fact it's quite the opposite. By using and killing off the old stuff, I create space to add more good stuff, and never accumulate a bunch of old stuff. So it's only a question of finishing off those few "too good to toss" items as soon as possible.

Of course, just like with the socks, the older ones are worn for hard use, but I'll pull out the best for special occasions.
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Old 03-16-16, 05:11 AM
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I like to think my time and labor is the most valuable contribution when working on the bike so I don't skimp on the parts. Of course that's probably not true.
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Old 03-17-16, 08:36 PM
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I have a lot of spare parts but not enough to have that kind of luxury to pick one part over another. Either it works in the application I want or it doesn't but I rarely (if ever) have two components that fill the bill equally.

So . . . neither socks nor table cloths enter the equation.


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Old 03-17-16, 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Rick@OCRR
I have a lot of spare parts but not enough to have that kind of luxury to pick one part over another. Either it works in the application I want or it doesn't but I rarely (if ever) have two components that fill the bill equally. ...
Actually, I first used the spoke drawer analogy decades ago in the context of tubular tires. There were some who mounted their best tires and carrier repaired tires as spares, and I used the sock drawer analogy to support my logic of killing off questionable tires as soon as possible, and always keeping a 100% reliable, bulletproof as a spare. The exception was actual competition, where you use your best because who wants a DNF because of a tire failure.
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Old 03-18-16, 03:39 AM
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I go with the era. My present build is based on a '76 Fuji "The Finest" frameset and includes era Japanese parts. Nitto stem and bars, Dura-Ace (first gen) brakes, Suntour Cyclone (first gen), etc etc. shifters, bar tape and hoods are all it needs.

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Old 03-18-16, 12:22 PM
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I use the part that works best for what I want to do with the bike. That being said, my life is only as safe and sound as my bike when I'm riding it so I don't use marginal parts.
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Old 03-19-16, 05:54 PM
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Don't d disparage old stuff - I'm old stuff and intend to be around for a while longer, on my bike and not in some drawer.
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Old 03-20-16, 07:48 AM
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I usually avoid the too-valuable-to-use components and also avoid anything in less than like-new condition.

I tend to pick group-sets that are high quality but not scarce if I'm building a bike from sourced components. Shimano 600 and Campagnolo Chorus offer all the performance I need and I can often find NOS parts at very reasonable prices. I'm not trying to replicate a certain bike from a catalog page and will update and back-date if a component is a great addition. I have a few bikes with Shimano Dura Ace or Campagnolo Record, but those bikes were purchased in complete and original form and will not need anything from the parts collection or from any of the online markets.


My Serotta, Pinarello and Simoncini are bikes built from sourced components;

The Serotta Nova Special X was built in Columbus SPX during the 1980's. I'm using a 32 spoke wheelset featuring Shimano 5700 series 105 hubs and Mavic Open Pro rims. A Shimano eight-speed 13-26 cassette was installed. The crankset is a Suntour Superbe with 52, 42 & 30 chainrings, the pedals are modern Look Keo currently. The rear derailleur is a Shimano long arm 6207 GS 600 series, the front derailleur is a Campagnolo for triple. Shifters are NOS Shimano eight-speed 600. The brakes are Shimano Dura Ace and the levers are NOS Shimano 600. Currently I'm using new 700x23 Vittoria Rubino Pro tires. The cables and guides are new. The headset is a rebuilt Dura Ace and the BB is rebuilt Shimano.




The Pinarello Gavia build consists of;

NOS Campagnolo Record Headset and Bottom Bracket
NOS Campagnolo Centaur front derailleur
Campagnolo 10 speed Chorus rear derailleur, Crankset, Ergo levers and brakes
New Campagnolo 13-29 ten speed cassette and chain
Miche Primato hubs with H Plus Son TB14 rims. 700x25 Vittoria Corsa CX open Tubular tires
3TTT Pantograph stem, Dajia Cycleworks Shallow Drop Handlebar, Fizik Microtex bar tape
Forte SL saddle

A hasty pictures of the completed bike;



My Simoncini Cyclocross Special features an eclectic mix of Japanese and Italian components on an Italian frameset. Shimano Deore derailleurs with Suntour barcons and a modern Sugino crankset make this build very durable without excessive weight. The Campagnolo hubs, and Italian stem and bars are complimentary with the NOS Shimano 600 brake levers. Modern CNC cut cantilever brakes also complement the build.



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Old 03-20-16, 08:01 AM
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I own very few parts that I would not use on the right build.
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Old 03-20-16, 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by bikemig
I own very few parts that I would not use on the right build.
The real wisdom comes in knowing which parts you would never use on any build and discarding them but only them. I used to have a whole bag full of plastic Cinelli bar end plugs. Yesterday I went looking for a pair of black ones and discovered I must have thrown them away.
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Old 03-20-16, 08:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
The real wisdom comes in knowing which parts you would never use on any build and discarding them but only them. I used to have a whole bag full of plastic Cinelli bar end plugs. Yesterday I went looking for a pair of black ones and discovered I must have thrown them away.
lol, well I have a first generation campagnolo rally rear derailleur still in the original box with the original campagnolo diagram of the derailleur. I hope I haven't thrown that away yet even though I have no plans to use it on a build,
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Old 03-20-16, 08:47 AM
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Originally Posted by bikemig
lol, well I have a first generation campagnolo rally rear derailleur still in the original box with the original campagnolo diagram of the derailleur. I hope I haven't thrown that away yet even though I have no plans to use it on a build,
I understand. It's a classic Pope tablecloth component. I'm glad that I don't have an old Campy Record brake set. I remember seeing one and thinking it was too beautiful to use on a bicycle. If I owned one I would have to build a glass top coffee table to display it.
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Old 03-20-16, 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by bikemig
lol, well I have a first generation campagnolo rally rear derailleur still in the original box with the original campagnolo diagram of the derailleur. I hope I haven't thrown that away yet even though I have no plans to use it on a build,
Go to ebay and find a Rally, NIB, that is listed right now, you will be pleasantly surprised at the price you might well get for that one.

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Old 03-20-16, 08:02 PM
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Originally Posted by qcpmsame
Go to ebay and find a Rally, NIB, that is listed right now, you will be pleasantly surprised at the price you might well get for that one.

Bill
You mean the one listed for $600? My box is in better shape so it's worth more than $600, right?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CAMPAGNOLO-R...-/281855598061


I know those suckers go for a lot; I haven't figured out yet how to get sold prices on ebay but I'll bet that's too high.
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Old 03-20-16, 10:17 PM
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Originally Posted by bikemig
You mean the one listed for $600? My box is in better shape so it's worth more than $600, right?

Campagnolo Rally Vintage in Box Rear Touring Derailleur 1st Generation | eBay


I know those suckers go for a lot; I haven't figured out yet how to get sold prices on ebay but I'll bet that's too high.
To get top price at an auction you have to have two bidders who both want it. One of those guys got the last one so now there's only one bidder left.
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Old 03-21-16, 05:51 AM
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Originally Posted by bikemig
You mean the one listed for $600? My box is in better shape so it's worth more than $600, right?

Campagnolo Rally Vintage in Box Rear Touring Derailleur 1st Generation | eBay


I know those suckers go for a lot; I haven't figured out yet how to get sold prices on ebay but I'll bet that's too high.
I neglected to use a smilie icon, the one for sarcasm should be there. You need what RG says in the above reply before the big bucks come your way.

If ebay ever instituted an 100% verifiable, honesty policy, and banned the use of the word "Rare", their business would drop off dramatically

I want to see someone start an ebay store for original manufacturers' boxes, just the boxes. You could make a killing if you had the right boxes, from some of the reserve prices, or the "Buy it Now" prices you see for auctions or sales like the one linked. And, yes that is the auction I was trying to find, thanks for the pick up.
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