when i rebuild a lower-mid-level bike, i rid all the low level stuff like steel bars, turkey levers and heavy pedals, and replace them with good, mid-level stuff.

to me, a 'refurbish' is more important than a 'restore.' i want to improve the riding experience. but it's gotta look right too.

It depends on the bike. If I have a serious nostalgic connection to the bike, I like to keep it stock (gearing changes notwithstanding). I have a few riders that I don't feel that same connection to that have a "dogs breakfast" of components, and I'm not bothered in the least by that arrangement!

I'm not partial to anything.
I just have moods.

Here are a few examples. The Columbia is pretty unusual and will stay as close to stock as possible. The Twenty much less so, but faithful to the original concept. Then the Rolling Rock aka Dahon Jack is going full custom, the only original parts will be the frame and the handle bars.

Aaron :)

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I've never been nutso over factory stock or era/period correct. That is, until the '77 Colnago came along. It had a Cyclone RD and I couldnt stand that for a week. Didnt want the bike to be in public with me. So, on went a period correct NR complete with that little "pat 76" on it.

The Trek 760? Trek has always mixed their stuff up.

Somewhere along the way, I realized that I like indexed gearing, bar end shifters, aero brake levers with comfy hoods, drop handlebars and the flexibilty of threadless stems (via quill to threadless stem adapters). I also like triple cranksets. I don't like skinny tires. So a C&V bike becomes a platform. In other words, not a purist.

I'm building a Grubb, but if I have to, I have no problem using parts and accessories from European countries other than Britain on it, as long as they are close to being period-correct. So, on the O.C.D. richter scale, I only score about a 6.5.

Hey Olds, hit me if you don't want that Cyclone.

I don't get too hung up on having the original components or even period correct components. I do however, obsess with having the paint/chrome look perfect or as close to perfect as possible.

Since many of the bikes we all love were only available from the manufacturer as framesets (DeRosa, Colnago, - and on and on and on) -- then i dont care much about OEM so much as having it period correct

Due to my age, most of my interest lies in bikes many of you probably dont even consider old, -- for instance, i lust after a Colnago Bi-Titan , which was '94-'95ish --- i would not put a late model 11 speed gruppo on such a bike -- I'd rather source an 8 speed Campy group with Shamal wheels -- and Chorus or Athena is fine from that era for me

Other items , it depends --- If i had a Motorola era MErckx or a Coors Light Serotta to build up, i'd have to use Dura Ace componentry, as thats what was used on those bikes in the late 80's/early 90's by the teams

I have a GT Edge (1994 US NAtional Team ) that i am wanting to re-build --- I have an 8 speed Ultegra 600 STI build kit for it from a donor bike --- No, its not Dura Ace, but for a race bike - that was a perfectly acceptable way to go then (now too ) ----

I have a couple of older Cannondales that are not worth much except as riders, but it would bug me to put too much non catalog spec parts on either , but if i did,- i would use parts that were available in the year the bike was made

Exceptions for me come to tires, bar tape and seats ---- i use what works and whats comfortable -- - Tires are usually whatever quality tire i can get on sale somewhere, bar tape rarely varies from black cork, and seats on all my bikes whether old or brand new are either a Turbo saddle or a Flite


So when i saw this i thought to myself - "I'm not OCD at all" -- but after typing my response , i realize that , yes ... i'm pretty damn weird :)

i have new sun m13ii rims on my three best keepers.

kind of boring, right, to have the same 'new' rim on these classics?

but to me, rims need to be really nice looking and provide perfectly smooth braking.

at least they all have campy record hubs. and there's nothing like having a new wheelset on your old bike.

Like the Aarons...it depends on the bike...

rider? Make it work
ride/collect....period correct as much as possible
collect...everything right...

Somebody asked about the Rixe. Here it is as it sits now. I'm thinking it's from the "Raleigh built some of them" era, so That's kind of where I'm going. It might be comparable to a low end Raleigh. I also have the fenders and a spindly looking rear carrier. All the wiring seems to be there for the generator--- maybe I'll use it as a charging system and put LED bulbs in the lights. That's a spoke lock on the seat stay--- fortunately came with the key! It was originally a three speed, I'm fairly sure. The decals are trash, but I can get a set on Ebay that will replace most of them.

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I'm really obsessive when it comes to cleaning/refurbishing. I like to call it high standards though!
I don't care if the bike is exactly period correct, but i like it to make sense.

You get first dibs. :)

This bike was restored to it's original 1977 look and feel because I like its factory look and ride.
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I wanted to make this bike easy to to ride, so...

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Depends on the bike and the condition of the bike. Would never butcher a rare bike.

I put Cr18's on most of my bikes. Theyre polished, they look good, theyre double walled, they have hooks for the beads.

Why not?

IMO, the guys that talk the most crap are the least knowledgeable. My wife and I were looking at a Bianchi today at the swapmeet and I said "look babe, Celeste Green". The seller replied "No it's Bianchi Green".... Whatever dude...

My bikes are all 'working man's bikes' - mid-grade and mass-produced. Since they are now mine, I feel I am free to modify them to suit my personal preferences. Heck, when I bought my Fuji brand new waaaaay back in '76, I had the shop change a couple of things before I took delivery. Less than a month later it got its SunTour barcons. So much for 'originality', eh?

No way am I going to keep that thick grab-on foam handlebar grip on my '80s bikes. No cotton tape, either.

All of my road bikes get SunTour barcons. And since my bikes have all those cables coming from the handlebars, Aero brake levers tend to clean up the cable birds nest a bit. My beloved old Fuji still has the cable jungle out front, but that will probably change at the next major overhaul... Oh, and prior to the aero lever upgrade I made with the Viva Sport, I preferred to go hoodless (gasp!). I never liked riding 'on the hoods' anyway.

Saddles? That goes without saying. The only bike that still sports it's original saddle is again my old Fuji - over 40 years on the original Fujita Belt.

Wheelsets? My Fuji is going to be getting it's fourth or fifth soon. Hopefully built by myself. Quality 27" wheelsets don't grow on trees.

I like the older steel frames with their pretty colours and chrome ( and a horizontal top tube). But I am also a rider, all my bikes should be in such a condition that I can participate in a clubride and be able to mix it up with the guys riding the latest dull carbon black electronic racers.
My handlebars and seatpost are period correct, but derailleurs and brifters are not older than Ergopower 8 speed, and some have 2x10 speed.
Ride those bikes, hard, as that is what they are designed to do.

I haven't lost any sleep over it, but this OCD Peugeot fanatic believes that you have misidentified those brakes. I'm not aware that MAFAC ever made brakes called Professional with a capitol P. They look like late Competitions to me.