Originally Posted by rokrover

I got a classic old Nishiki road bike cheap at the local thrift store for utilitarian commuting to save the expensive road thoroughbred for the more exotic fun rides. This old "beater" was supposed to be used "as is" but since it rode surprisingly nice I thought what the heck, why not give it some TLC? Many hours later after total disassembly, cleaning, internal rustproofing, bearing replacement, repacking and adjustment, new chain, derailleur fine tuning it emerged even better. In fact, it now runs so sweetly and silently with fresh lube I am inspired to do a complete repainting of the frame for a total restoration. This goes beyond the original intent, time and budget wise, and is becoming an obsession. A shiny new paint job would cruelly expose the rust flecks on the original chrome that would demand attention and lead to yet another sub-level of detail like scratches on the seatpost...... it's endless. There can be no perfection and I should accept these cosmetic blemishes as a sign of character as well as a practical deterrent to theft. After all, that was the original justification to get another bike. Help me stop with some sage advice; surely others have been lured down this path!