I thought that I would ride everything I own but when it comes time to go for a ride there are three that I just can’t put on the road. Ten years ago my wife surprised me with a pair of NOS Raleigh Pros, never assembled and in the original boxes/packaging. I assembled one but stopped short of attaching the tires. I tell myself, “glue ‘em on and take it out” but haven’t done it yet. If it were just a mint bike I would but it’s only NOS until the first time I spin the pedals.


The other one that has not been out is an eBay Paramount. Starting with a nice original paint frame, I’ve hung NOS Campy bits that I’ve been acquiring over the years. Same story as the on the Pros. The stuff is only new once and I enjoy the time warp factor just being near it. If I had a new 2009 Colnago I’d ride it. If I found a new, 30 year old Colnago I probably would not.

Kerry P

I'm a newbie here, so please pardon if I sound sacreligious. I view an unridden bike like unused knowledge. It was built to be ridden, and should be if it is or can be brought to that condition. If I had Stevie Ray Vaughan's old Stratocaster, I'd play it rather than let it collect dust.

The only bike I would own, that I wouldn't ride, assuming it wasn't just a parts piece or junk in progress would be if I just didn't like it and the market was too soft to move it now.

I don't have enough bikes for this conflict, but I think I would only ride something sparingly is if I was trying to preserve it for future Tigerprawns

If I don't like how it rides, it leaves. There's a '78 Windsor and '81 Trek 610 leaving the fleet shortly.

-Kurt

1957 Peugeot PLX8 Grande

She does not see too many miles and at 52 years old, she is still in almost new condition. I believe her little scuffs come from being moved around over the past 50 years and from some time she spent on the street before she was left on a curb.

I have much older bikes that see far more use since they are not nearly as pretty and don't have the same rare parts and newer bikes that get the lion's share of the miles I lay down.

But I do ride her and when I do, you would not be able to knock the smile off my face with a baseball bat.

The funny thing is, all my bikes are C&V, i just love them and ride them all the time. Paramount MTB for the trails, Giant RS950, Shogun Samurai & Nishiki Maxima on the road.

I have an NOS LeJeune Champ du Monde. It took me a over a year to finally ride it. Even then, I removed most of the Campag NR and replaced it with nice but used Campag SR. Glad I have ridden it. It does ride differently from its sibling LeJeune Pro, which I have had 37 years.

I ride all my bikes. If I were to come to own a bike of some historical significance (TdF winner, very limited production of highly valued maker, etc) I may consider hanging it except for special occasions.

^ ^ ^ What he said. If you're not gonna ride it, KerryP, sell it and give someone else a chance!

I don't have any bikes that are considered rare or museum quality so maybe I'm not the best to have an opinion on this but I can't see not riding a classic restoration. I meanit is made to be ridden right?
to add another thought I would never even consider taking my Micky Mantle signed baseball out tonight and smacking it around a little. I know, apples and oranges but....

How about putting a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle baseball card in your kid's spokes? I mean, it's just a baseball card; nothing more than printed cardboard, right? Plenty of kids did that back in the day.

I ride my 1975 Bob Jackson.

Once it's been ridden and scratched or dinged in any way, there's no reason to NOT ride it.

If it was truly rare in some way, a museum piece, and was truly mint (really and truly) and had never yet been ridden,... I'd have to think about it.

My Frejus is my daily rider...

Not sure if my '76 Schwinn Superior is considered a classic but I do ride it.

I need some quick advice!

I just got a 1952 Bianchi Specialissimo from a guy here in Houston for $150.00. He had it for 15 years hanging in his garage. The guy he got it from had it hanging in his garage...but was owned by his dad who has been deceased for decades. Hasn't been rode since atleast the early 70's. Tires are flat and paint is peeling...but shessshh....its all there and Campy to boot.

It is black with the chrome lugs and even has the exact same crank as on COPPI'S 1952 TDF bike. It has all Campy parts including hubs and early 52/53 Campy Gran Sport front and rear derailers. Again...lots of chrome. Christophe toe clips...Bianchi "B" pedals. Its all good.

I know...I squirelled...but what to do now? I am polishing the chrome lugs and they are looking great. Should I paint it back to black...or would it be a sin to paint it another more modern color like 1992 Corvette metalic red...kind of pearlized?? I had a 69 Firebird I painted that color and it was beautiful.

I understand celeste was COPPI'S bike color but so many people have painted theirs to match that color too. I have read many forum whre others also say theirs was black as well and have seen some painted back nicely to black.

I guess I know I will probably never sell the bike...and I want something different. I do plan on riding it on special occasions.

At the same time I respect opinions from guys who have been in the bike world way longer than I. I have only been into road bikes for about a month in which time I have acquired a Interclub Gitane and a Grand Sport Gitane. (both GRAPE) ($75 total for both) The Interclub is a hell of a bike btw. Pick one up if you see it...they are cheap and run like heck. What are your ideas on the paint fellas? Am I commiting a felony in the bike world if I paint it something other than what it was originally?

Thanks,

Umpire54

You should make a thread with pictures.

Is the paint original? What is the condition? If it's original don't paint it unless you absolutely have to. If you do I would say keep it the original color.

+1

Start a new thread if you really want help.

I pride myself in knowing that I ride all of my bikes but not all of the time. Needless to say, with 11 bikes in the stable, some must sit while the others are active. Generally, I have my daily ride, an eighties something Proctor-Townsend and then I have my special ride(for that period of time) which could be anything except my newly restored 1963 Peugeot PX10. Restored last winter but still unridden this season. I do plan to ride it and there is no reason why I shouldn't. But I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Well old Bandit aint the prettiest when it comes to P-15 Paramounts, but I ride her hard every day. I have probably put over 1500 miles on it alone this summer. I'll touch up the paint this winter and I'm rebuilding the wheels but it is a sin to let her sit around and collect dust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ride all of my bikes the ones that don't get out and ridden get sold

Just a thought:

If you guys collect bikes, please be sure to think about where they'll end up when you go to the big vintage-bike-stacked garage-sale in the sky. Pass them on to someone who will ride them, or at least enjoy them. I know of at least one horror story where a local recycler ended up with tons of sweet vintage frames this way.

You never know...

Did you sell the Trek? What size?

Hey Screwdriver, is that a Campy SR chainwheel?

I ride them. Everything rolls once a month, but the "rotation" means more often. Sometimes, new carbon just looks too darn boring to ride, if that makes sense.