Originally Posted by
cody daniels
I have gotten into vintage bikes lately, mostly late 70's thru mid to late 80's. I have noticed that people don't seem to like or want a restoration but just want to freshen it up. By restoration I mean take a mostly original but well used bike, strip the finish from the frame and give it a full repaint with reproduction decals and rebuild every component to like new condition ending up with a bike that looks brand new, then ride it and enjoy it.
I understand if it has some significant value leave it alone but you would not ride that bike. So why do people seem to shy away from restorations? I understand it is only original once, but by that belief once you change the tires or ANY part, it is no longer original. I used to restore cars and they were far more valuable restored than freshened up and a lot more enjoyable to drive than a beat up rusty original that has problems just getting around the block.
In the end it is all personal preference but I would like to here everyone's opinion for or against restoring a bicycle.
I haven't yet had the urge to re-paint a 'vintage' bike - sounds like a lot of work and expense - and I've only had/have 2 vintage rides . I like to keep the paint dings and scratches (after applying a little steel wool and clear nail polish) as a reminder that the bike had a long life before I got hold of it.
However, because I am not a bike collector or bike flipper, I believe strongly in changing some or all of the original components to make a bike fit the needs of the rider if the original parts don't cut it. To me, the beating heart of a vintage bike is the (usually steel) frame and fork and these two items represent the primary reason I may be interested in a particular bike. The two most common issues I have with vintage components is gear ratios (too high) and brake function (insufficient).
I spent about $800 modernizing the components on a middling 80's 'sport' bike - money well spent having now ridden it about 1200 miles so far. My second and current project will be less invasive because I think that the majority of the original components are suitable for my style of riding and the style of that particular bike (touring).
You''ll decide what works best for you - but I suggest that you make sure that you really like the bike before sinking a bunch of money into it because you will never get that cash back regardless of how 'amazing' you think the bike is. Just look at what you can get for $300 on Craigslist.
Good luck and have fun!