Collecting certain components?
 

So besides have one of each flavor of bicycle or trying to get that grail bike. Does anyone else collect any certain parts or even groupsets? I got hooked into picking up old Campag rear derailleurs. Not even the higher end models but the Extras, Veloxes, Sports and Gran Turismos. The older and more crude tickle my fancies. Just something about them are really interesting.

I guess because you always see the more desirable higher end groups more and the lower end stuff usually got pulled off, tossed aside and thrown away? I mean who wants to ride around on the entry level parts that normally didn't even have any type of plating and looked like raw steel.

So common folks what do you collect bicycle repated beside complete bikes?

I have a brooks saddle collection, and I tend to collect (or atleast not throw away)anything campagnolo. I have two gran turismo's sitting in a shoe box doubt Ill ever use them, only thing I might use one for would be an early 70's p-15, but you never know. I tend to put the top tier groupings on my bikes so anything below that goes into my Campy box of death... Until My wife's bike needs something.

I'm a magpie: if it's shiny I want it :)

SunTour Cyclone or Superbe, or Superbe Pro attract my attention. Quality parts, well designed and very functional. Prices vary but deals can still be had.

Campy NR and SR, with a smattering of OMAS here and there. Concor and 3ttt saddles.

DD

Oh man Concor saddles. My behind cries every time it sees one of those. Just got rid of a aluminum railed Supercorsa that was on my Cinelli Super Corsa.

I seem to go on binges about collecting certain parts. Not so long ago it was Time pedals. I had to find every color. Before that it was Blackburn bottle cages. I am a bit crazy.

I have a small collection of Nuovo Record parts. A few NOS items in boxes and small repair spares, etc.

I collect PB wrenches.
https://scontent-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hp...b7&oe=5599080A

Until you posted this I didn't realize that I have a large collection of hubs and oddball wheels. I think mostly because I see a $5 wheel at a swap and can't avoid buying it. For example I have a NOS Bontrager wheel that none of my Trek friends have been able to identify.

I bought a $20 rear Campagnolo pista wheel 24 hole a number of years ago. Just too tempting.
I have looked here and there for a 24 hole front wheel or hub... Not yet.

I did have a sequence of Campagnolo Nuovo Record rear mechanisms, and Record front changers.
I guess I should document them.
One interesting note is that the rear mech. Changed in some key dimensions before Super Record.
So when someone complains they cannot or can get it to handle a 28 cog they are both correct.

No surprise that I have quite an extensive collection of freewheels. :p

Also a significant number of Brooks, Wrights, and Ideale saddles (with a single example each of a Sprint, Felt, Middlemore, and RHM#10). I now have 5 limited and numbered editions of Brooks saddles. It will be interesting if they hold and increase in value. :innocent:

I have too many other collections to focus on collecting something bike related, too!

You should see my humidor!

That's very interesting, Rep. Other than a few cosmetic changes they made through the years, ie; the shape of the back plate, the location of the return spring pivot, etc., I didn't realize they had made changes in dimensions of the basic design. I think the newest example I have here is a Pat. 81, and the oldest a Pat. 72. I'll have to look more closely at them. I seem to be able to use a 14-28 on the Pat. 74 on my Le Champion, with a bit of finessing.

Cigar collection? Oooo…


I used to have a pretty good collection, but smoked them all 20 years ago. ;)

Not to side track too much. Ok I will address the topic: I don't have a focused collection. I think it will find me. I have too many wheel sets and maybe too many parts but it is a wide range and acquired haphazardly. One of those was a grab bag of Campy parts for $75. In it were a couple of NR RD's Don't remember the Pat dates but here is a comparison. Still need to clean them up!
[IMG]https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2883/...d65bc766_b.jpgP1010353 by superissimo_83, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3694/...bde64b97_b.jpgP1010356 by superissimo_83, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/...9bc54d2e_b.jpgP1010358 by superissimo_83, on Flickr[/IMG]

I will leave it to you to find Waldo (differences)!

I seem to have brought together a collection of Suntour Sprint stuff - I love the pedals, and put them into use on several of my bikes, but also have a significant stash of NOS and lightly used drive train and other components. I think I have like 5 NOS RDs, including one of the rare black/gold ones (featured on one version of the Cannondale Black lightning), and multiples of other parts.

I really like the stuff, great form, great finish, great function, my favourite full Suntour group, from an era of cycling I draw many of my bikes from. A large part of this had to do with NOS Sprint bits being fairly commonly available at really attractive prices a few years ago - so I also have the satisfaction of knowing I snagged all of this stuff at a cost that's much more reasonable than the I'd have paid for contemporary components of equivalent quality (think Rivendell-equivalent NOS Sprint ratcheting shifters, $25 + shipping, etc.)

Now, once I actually get around to mounting a full group on a nice, appropriate North American or Japanese frame, I'll have ton of spares. Until then, I find myself somewhat irrationally pleased to come across these bits amongst the bins - sharp little marvels of form and function, not the absolute top-of-the line but a truly great group.

The amazing thing is that "younger" riders have no idea what these are. I work with a guy who is a national masters champion in his age group (has the jersey to prove it) who didn't know.

BTW, I don't know if that double ended Park tool qualifies. Which side do you run around the bottom of the peanut butter jar?

:-)

I don't collect, but I do have a stockpile of spares: early high end Suntour, later Suntour Sprint and Superbe Pro, Shimano 6400, 7400, and early Deore XT. All of the Shimanos are groups I tend to use on keepers.

I also save up anything touring oriented from the 1980s and 1970s: long cage Vx derailleurs or any of the other better Suntour long cage RDs, Suntour bar cons, early Sugino triples. As my stock of these items grows, I tend to sell off a few on that evil auction site to keep the inventory in check and to replenish the bike fund. Campy bits usually go directly to the evil auction site to help offset my bike spending.
Mid level stuff typically gets put on flips, low end stuff tends to go to the co-op.

Best source for almost all of these parts are donor bikes.

Sometimes I'll grab something that interests me if the price is right. After that, assuming it's a part of a set (i.e. rear der., vs a saddle), I'll be on the lookout for complimentary components to complete the set/group even if I don't have any immediate plans for them. A set of deer head derailleurs is a recent example which are just about to be put into service. I've had the rear for a handful of years, snagged the front for a good price a couple years ago (passed on a matching set of thumbies at the same time - wish I hadn't though I might have never used them). I'm finally putting the derailleurs to use now. And there's the set of canti's for sale atm, but I'm trying to be good... I have a road and MTB pair of XC Pro rear mechs looking for their compatriots. etc...

Suntour GT length rear mechs. I just find them to be the pinnacle of utility.

Yes, but I'm not sure there is a theme to my collecting. For a few years, I was buying stuff that I thought would come in handy one day. Then at a certain point, I realized it's a really dumb strategy. As a result, I have lots of bike components, usually mid-level. I might have enough to build two or three bikes. I will still end up with a huge surplus of handlebars, brakes, derailleurs, and hubs. When I get a chance, I'll donate a bunch of stuff to a bike coop or something, because my life is too cluttered, and I'm getting a more realistic view of how many projects and ideas I ought to have going on.

Then there was the time I had 300 plus rolls of Benotto Cello tape.
I gave most of it to my Friends & now have about 30 rolls of green & tri color that know one wants..

I collect dork disks:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c...DorkDisks1.jpg