Well, I've sat and looked at my bikes and had the same little freak-out. I started anxiously thinking that I should be shopping and striking — picking up the choice bits at the best prices whenever I could — hoarding. Then I changed my mind and said 'to hell' with it. This is supposed to be fun. I started thinking, 'I'll just go with whatever happens.'

Eg: I needed a Sugino-75 brakeset to replace for one that had been ruined in a crash. I scoured the planet and came up with nothing. But an NOS pair of SunTour Cyclones came along, and they are very close to being the same thing. Fine. In another case I was building from a frame up and needed a brakeset. I was finding nothing I wanted to pay for — except one deal on eBay that got screwed up and fell through. So again, to hell with it. I bought a brand new pair of Ultegra brakes that will be recycled and put on my Gazelle. No worries about finding brake blocks, replacing shims or weakening springs and they stop like gangbusters.

I used to freak out about wheel-sets — consumables as they are. I even considered making an offer to broker out a local NOS heap of hoops I came across. Questions arise: so where do I put them? How much money am I going to tie up? So, once again I said to hell with it. Someday, if I end up putting old hubs on new rims — missing out spoke holes like Sheldon was doing towards the end — I'll go that way if I have to.

Some people might scoff or even barf at the approach. I can understand that. Besides, some members have historic, valuable machines. If I owned one, I'd be of another mind as well.

As to whether the softer approach means losing 'soul', I guess it's a case-by-case thing. Putting modern brakes on a '49 E.G. Bates might be a velo-crime. But I don't think that my '78 Gazelle is going to suffer any indignity with an alloy set of Ultegras. So until I get the Bates I've wanted for 40 years (fat chance) I'm gonnna un-lax over the whole issue. That's just what I'd do, and it may not be right for you and many others. Good hunting!