Originally Posted by khatfull

I think this all comes down to three mindsets about how one views a bike:

- A historical object to be preserved.
- A mechanical object to be used for it's intended purpose.
- A art object to be made beautiful and to enjoy for it's own sake.

I think the answer to the question "How much or what do I do to this bike?" would vary wildly depending on which of the above you subscribe to in general, or for a particular bike at hand.