On the C&V appraisals forum, much was said about a found Richard Sachs bike. Basically scavenged from a building demo site. A strange set of circumstances for sure. It got me thinking about the strange ways bikes get aquired. Unlike other valuable objects bikes tend to be left behind, given away, tossed in the garbage, and generally disposed of without much thought. After all its "just a bike".

I started a thread recently about a 1960ish Raleigh Lenton Sports that I purchased at a Salvation Army resale store. Almost unused and completely original down to the tires and innertubes. A strange aquisition of a unique bike.

The Sachs bike reminded me of another bike I discovered purely by accident. I am a painting contractor and was working on a residential job. I needed an extension cord and went into the clients garage to see what I could find. Besides the extension cord I found one very unique bike. A fully chromed Bob Jackson outfitted with full Campagnolo NR gear. Whoa. I had seen Bob Jackson's before but never in Chrome. It was showing signs of wear and tear. Definitely needed some TLC.

The client was divorced. She lived in the home with her son and daughter. I asked her about the bike and told her about my interest in bikes. Noted that the Bob Jackson she had was one unusual, highly collectable bike. Her response was basically, "that old thing".

She explained she got it in trade for some graphic arts work she had done for a bike shop(Turin) in Chicago back in the 70's. They couldn't pay her for the work she had done, so told her to pick out a bike. I think she picked a nice one!

I asked if she would sell it to me. She responded that her son(13 yrs old) uses it to get to school and he doesn't even lock it! What I should have done was to offer to buy the kid a brand new bike in trade for the old beater Bob Jackson. But I wasn't that quick, and this was 20 years ago. I had yet to start in on vintage bike stuff.

It goes to show how bikes get bought, sold, traded, and aquired in some odd ways.

Best deal I ever got was a divorce sale.
Spite can supply some real bargains.

I got some nice bikes because of all sorts of 'wrong' reasons. I vastly prefer the deals I got because they just liked me and my left field hobby.

Reading our local paper yesterday morning, I saw this story on the front page;
Cotuit artist's painting to be featured at National WWII Museum - News - capecodtimes.com - Hyannis, MA

The old fellow looked familiar. But when I saw his marine art, it hit me. This is the gentleman I bought this bike from.
A very interesting guy, and an accomplished artist.
The bike didn't look like this when I bought it from him. But meeting and talking with him, and him taking me inside to show me some of his original oil piantings was at least as fun and interesting as acquiring the bike from him.

Up until recently I'd never even found a bike with its original tires that was in ride-able shape, seemed like one of those pink unicorn type myths to me. Until this one.

I recently bought it over the internet via crappy pics. I couldn't tell from the original CL pics just what kind of shape it's in, so I really haggled the seller at the shop. Arrived with its original tires , not even cracked or dry-rotted, I assume original tubes too. Ridden so little the paint hadn't rubbed off the crank arms yet. I didn't get a "smoking" deal because of the shipping aspect, but damn is the bike nice it's the closest I've gotten to actually experiencing what one of my more nostalgic brands felt like riding straight out of the store.

I long to pass by a garage sale and see a dream bike waiting for me, or to help a neighbor in the community that has some gem tucked away in the garage, it just hasn't happened since I returned from my cycling hiatus.

Probably could have had that Bob Jackson even up for a Raleigh Record or Schwinn Collegiate.

Nice! Pre-Bianchi's-ownership of Frejus? That thing is gorgeous.

Thank you.

Did Bianchi buy Frejus? I wasn't aware of that.
I had thought they just dissolved with the Legnano brand.
From old age....

A grail bike has been lurking just out of my reach for some time now.
My wife and I run a small cafe/pastry shop and have decorated it with vintage objects, chrome dinettes, bric a brac and of course bike stuff.


A non local guy comes in months ago, comments on my CCM on the wall, and says he picked up a Cinelli in a garage sale. My heart skips a beat as he hands me some pics from his bag and then gives me a number to call him. I'm a little excited.


I lose the number almost immediately. So I've been sitting at my computer daily, forlornly looking at pics of this lovely condition Cinelli B beside my monitors and there's nothing I can do.
Last week he returned to the cafe, got my number from our staff and called me. I've got a 40 minute drive lined up to see it on Wednesday and to assess and talk price. He knows what he's got but I think he wants it to go to someone who'll appreciate it and might give me a reasonable price, whatever that may be. Fingers crossed.

Like our sign? The mudguard is from a 59 Dunelt.

wha!!!????

Oh man....

I meant to say "pre-Bozzi". but now you mention it, I've always wondered about this, it would be cool to fill in the blanks. I know Bozzi bought Frejus in the 60s/70s but he was killed by terrorists not long after. Bozzi produced a couple of different brands (incl. Legnano like you said) when he bought it. Bianchi purchased rights to the brand after Bozzi was killed, I'm just not sure if it was only Legnano, Legnano and Frejus with others, and whether they actually produced anything with the name after. Bianchi purchased in the 80s, and I've never seen an 80s Frejus, so maybe that answers the question?

I'll have to check this..memory fades...but I think there was another brand in there. Woolsit, maybe?

My barn find:


Rode hard the summer of '78 and put away wet. Hadnt been actively ridden since. I watched patiently 4 years for the owner/builder to even think about selling.

As nice as it gets...wow.

According to Classic Rendezvous, that's correct: FREJUS, home

Mmm Pastries! How many pastries can I buy with this Cinelli, sir?
I hope you get the bike.
Brent

[QUOTE

Like our sign? The mudguard is from a 59 Dunelt.
[/QUOTE]

I like your sign.

Several years ago I landed a PX10 through a transaction that you might describe as shady. I've told the story before, and don't remember exactly how I spun it (but I'll find the link later), but I'll never be sure the bike hadn't been stolen somewhere along the line. At any rate, the guy I got it from said it was trash picked, and it sure looked that way.


Edit, here's a link to a previous mention... but there's a thread on it as well. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...l#post10258491
I'll find it later.
Dang you bf search function!

Please tell me that you will be posting a higher definition photo.

Photobucket really stinks. Ugh.

Two items I bought from such a calamity:

My orange 1967 Porsche 912 and my red/silver 1967 Bultaco Sherpa T.

I would certainly like to have both of those back in my possession.

She just about gave both of them to me.

click on the zoom icon...but really, the image hosting does suk. But not that bike!

Ha! Now I know... I have become accustomed to certain user interface patterns... Where's my pointer that turns into a magnifying glass, dangit!

Oh, and I posted about this before in another thread. I found my Gitane TdF rotting away in someones front yard. All it took was asking them about it and it was mine. My first high-end vintage and a cool intro to French bikes. I also recently found a Schwinn Traveler II that someone had put out for trash day, but that is far from a grail.