Sure it is.

Say I had a mid 70's paramount, and I got sick of looking at the yellow paint. If I hand it over to Ed Litton or send it to Waterford and have them paint it blue and then re-decal it, it will still be worth what it was before the repaint. It's not a one-off, historically significant, or even especially rare or valuable in the grand scheme of things. I agree - there are plenty of bikes that should be refinished only as a last resort, but this isn't one of them.

The "polish it and see" argument I agree with in general, but in this case specifically it is a straw man construct........ we have no idea why she wants the bike refinished, but some have assumed for the basis of their argument that it is because the original paint is dull. We don't really know....... maybe she's just sick of the color.


I've seen enough Litton, Baylis, Bell, and Waterford refinished bike to satisfy myself.... they are masterfully done and will not hinder the sale of the frame they adorn. Maybe you wouldn't buy it - but I guarantee you there will be a market for them just the same, and with no loss of value.

Here's a question to ponder......

How much is this particular frame/fork worth as it sits? Now..... how much is it worth with a Waterford refinish? Give me some numbers, please. Tell me just how much of the value is lost.