'Dued - I hope I didn't provoke any angst with a comment a few days ago - in jest, mind you - that doing an "upgrade" on a vintage trek might be heresy. That was a joke. It had a smiley. I'm compelled to emphasize that, since I went out and bought an Elance 400 ('87) within hours of that posting. If there was anything serious in my chiding, I'd be about to eat some hard-boiled crow. So, I was joking, OK?

I didn't even know handlebars came in, what, 32cm??! Not quite the fit for a former college fullback. I'd also forgotten what a PITA it was adjusting sidepulls. Lessee, ... I've got a set of double pivots in a drawer, and a pair of aero levers, and set of 7-speed shifters ... but it's time to be looking for a 44cm set of handlebars.

Epiphany, not heresy. These are bikes to be ridden, and to me that now means using it regularly while doing what it takes to keep the frame in shape for my grandson to ride one day. Re-coating, I think, will be an occasional necessity if that's to be accomplished.