No not the same. That's a much easier to attain smoke on the water color scheme. Which is a aqua color with smokey paint over it, hence the name. Mine is a very blue (think blue swimming pool) with a Marbled affect called summertime blues color scheme.

Pre-1984 Guerciotti Super Record (mine is very likely a '82/'83), especially in a super tall size.

What level of detail are you willing to factor into the rarity?



Serotta Colorado? Not so rare. Original factory KoM paint job? I've seen a picture of one other, but that one has since been repainted.

But you want to talk rare? My 17-year old daughter declared this to be the coolest bike ever. Teenage daughter granting her middle aged dad any association with coolness? Very, very rare.

"Rare" gets bandied about a lot. As someone else pointed out already, just do a Craig's List search for "rare" and then enjoy the ride. That said, I tend to think of "rare" as having several levels of distinction. Here are a few...

Rare: ca. 1989 Freschi Supreme Super Cromo. I've never seen another in person, and only one or two photos of other examples.




Rare and unusual: ca. 1980's Houdaille. Finding any information beyond a paragraph or so was tough.




Rare and unusual - but not necessarily desirable: Brillant folding bike.




Rare and probably never see another: Brewster Pneumatic Safety Bicycle, ca. 1895-96

A 1983 Hugh Enochs frame? He was a California racer that made some frames in the SF Bay Area. I'm the sole owner, and it's quite desirable to me!

Rare maybe, but just something you don't see very often, to a lot of folks.I don't know if it would be considered rare, but there aint many of these. Less than 150 built, and I have two.





There's less than 35 McElroy bikes built, about five of which are tandems.

What a great thread. These bikes are awesome!

My neighbor's Isetta (with transport wheels) and one of my McLeans.


BMW Isetta by gomango1849, on Flickr


Untitled by gomango1849, on Flickr

Okay, I will play. Rare at least in the United States. Jan De Reus. I have knowledge of four, I have owned two of them.

This one is now owned by a BF member. I believe it went through two other owners prior to its current owner.


Jan De Reus #1 by L Travers, on Flickr

And I still own this one. Once owned by another BF member.


CCAFS3 by L Travers, on Flickr

I had a Matchbox Isetta BITD. Real one's not much larger.....

Forgot about this one. Pelizzoli built - supposedly only 140 built under this marque.

Right? I was hoping for lots of diversity and got it. I knew I could rely on the men and women of C&V to tell me what rare means to them.

Some great stuff here, but my fave so far is the 2WD McGregor MTB. So crazy-funky, and there just can't be many of those around today in working order.

DD

So I know its not the same as a one off or rare unicorn from a famous marque or iconic builder of world renown, but to me it is very special and rare by nature, not that many made and each one custom none the less.

This is the only one as it was his and now its mine.

JM027 1974 Jim Merz touring he built for himself.

There's a line between uncommon and rare. Uncommon is a habit for me, rare I cannot afford.
Uncommon:
'85 Centurion Cinelli
'85 Trek 770
'81 Trek 957

The only thing even remotely rare that has passed through my hand bike wise would be the early "signature" Merckx I sold.
Even rarer would be a photo, which I can't seem to take well.

[QUOTE=CV-6;20680820]Okay, I will play. Rare at least in the United States. Jan De Reus. I have knowledge of four, I have owned two of them.

This one is now owned by a BF member. I believe it went through two other owners prior to its current owner.


Jan De Reus #1 by L Travers, on Flickr

As it now looks, I was fondling it just tonight....

Well.....hmmmm..... I guess I pick this Mid 80's Orbea Cabestany in relation to how many are in the states. I've yet to find another stateside. Maybe overseas they are common but it's hard to find out much about them. The best is the GCN video racing Pedro Delgado's Cabestany against a modern Orbea.

The bike is really beat up pretty good, doesn't have the kind of quality I see in most of my frames, and flat out flies despite everything.




I do have to admit that the "Ribble" Martelly built bike I just picked up is the only one of the vintage Ribble bikes I've found online so far made of Columbus SL and with a numbers tab. Just not sure how "rare" it really is. Waiting for more answers back from Mr Martens on the bike and how it came to be a "Ribble".

I have a few bikes a couple bikes I consider "rare." First is my "La Vie Claire" Look Equipe (753r). I understand only 500 were made, so probably less than 100 in my size (57cm) and who knows how many were sent across the pond. I know of at least three other forum members who also have a similar frame, and I've a few more beynod that. Next is my '73 Speedwell Titalite. Not sure how many of these were made, but they were definitely rare, especially ones this early ('73 is the first year they were made). This also has a few rare or at least uncommon parts, such as the Weyless pedals, OMAS Ti BB, 3TTT adjustable stem, Hi-E hubs with hi-lo rear hub, Ideale 90 alloy-railed saddle, etc. Lastly, my Parkpre Team Road bike. Parkpre MTBs are not rare, and a few of the later Parkpre road bikes pop up occasionally. However, the road version with the pink/white fade and blue splatter are quite rare. These were team issue bikes and I'm not sure if the road frames with this paint scheme were ever introduced in the market. I know regular forums members have already seen each of these many times, but here we go again...




IMG_1008 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Without the rare, unusual and just plain weird PowerCam crankset, the Houdaille is just another two wheeler.

When I started my search for an '85 Cinelli Centurion Equipe, I knew nothing of the rarity, nothing of the value, and very little of the story.

By the time I found one, then two, what I'd learned, and who I'd met really made the bike not matter. Of 75 made, I know of 5. During my hunt, I learned a bit about eBay, was aided by BF members in getting one out of a barn, built one into an Enzo red beauty, gathered with BF members in Wisconsin, and returned mine to a man whose greatest moments on a bike were on it. I connected with the distant family of the marque, learned the connection with the Ironman model, and had a whale of a time.

I learned who made the deal, who built the bikes, why they were silver, why they flopped, and just how well they were made.

Some things are just cool.

Bikes are, too.

Original owner Lemon Yellow P-15 and Metalic Blue PX-10.
Best, Ben