Originally Posted by
cyccommute
You have an odd definition of “low end bikes”. None of yours are. The Atala seems to be sporting a Campy rear derailer. My objections isn’t to the bicycle but the classification of what appears to be a fairly good bike as a piece of junk. I’m no fan of vintage steel but I not a fan of denigrating a bike just because it’s old.
There are a lot of bikes that people here and elsewhere go gaga for which aren’t worth the time of day. There’s others that people pass over because they just don’t know what they have.
Perhaps, I was unclear in my explanation.
The Atala is an example of the kind of high end bikes that I have found, built up and ridden. The one in the example is a 1969 Atala Professional and full Campagnolo NR.
The Crome Torpado is not bottom of the line, it is a LUXE model, sort of mid level but not in the least bit exotic.
The grey Torpado, recently restored, is a bottom of the line late sixties or early seventies offering, that is built of unknown tubing.
I agree with you regarding some bikes presented. I do see a lot of bikes, displayed in Bike Forums threads, that I would not give a second look, however, their owners like them and that is good enough for me. With that in mind, I keep my thoughts to myself regarding their bikes to myself.
My biggest issue, which has been an issue with me every time I see it is calling a bike "gas pipe". To me that is an offensive and unwarranted term. And, I am not fond of the emotion "hate" regardless of what it refers to. But that is just me. Anyway, putting "gas pipe" and hate in the same sentence proved to be a bit much for my tender feelings to cope with. Perhaps I should have kept my feelings to myself regarding the statement.