Originally Posted by
Mike Mills
Conservation -
Leave the bike alone (in its existing condition) except for light cleaning, oil,...maintenance. Retains the "patina" that comes with age. Arrests any ongoing corrosion or other damage mechanisms at play.
Restoration -
Return the bike to its original condition. Usually means the bike is too far gone for conservation or the owner wants something more than a pure conservation offers. May be a minor or major overhaul. Minor being replacement of parts with original equipment. Major being new paint, new seat, etc (all of factory specs) plus everything/anything that is likely to be in the category of "minor".
Reproduction -
A newly made unit that looks identical (or nearly so) to an older unit. Some reproductions cross the line into deliberate forgeries. Some are nearly so but with an intentional identifying mark on them (i.e., a different serial number) that proves they are just a reproduction. Some are updated versions based on the older design.
I think we are very close in our understanding of these terms.
I'll agree with what Mike says but with a few caveats...there is something between conservation and restoration. For example, as I understand Mike's definition, if you were to acquire a bike that you would like to conserve and ride but the chain and freewheel are worn, putting new ones on would be a minor restoration. I think that's going a bit far. There are certain parts on a bicycle that are considered consumables - tires, tubes, cables, cable housing, brake pads, chains, freewheels, chainrings, bearings, cones, individual spokes...if you had to do all of that I suppose it would be a major overhaul but not necessarily a restoration. If you think about it, the original owner could have already done that many times (he almost certainly did if he was riding the bike) and you might never even know. So I'm going to say that performing normal maintenance on a bicycle, including the items listed above, is not a restoration, just part of conservation.
Obviously if you somehow acquired Fausto Coppi's bike you might not want to do that maintenance but then you probably wouldn't ride it either.
Then there is a whole 'nother catagory that you left out: Restification. I won't even go into that here, it deserves its own thread.