Barrettscv 

Repairing and restoring a bike no longer in production can be a challange, what is your philosiphy?

Are you a purist - showroom stock
a period keeper - all the parts are period correct if not original equipment on that model
an updater/back-dater - willing to use a range of older and newer parts to keep the bike functional
a best of old & new - a modern drivetrain is used to keep the bike fast and efficient

Mr_Christopher

I make them better than they were before and then get them back on the road. Keep in mind I own all mid to low end bikes.

David Newton

I am all about tweaking and putting odd stuff together, and changing stuff, then riding and tweaking some more. The fact that it's vintage is because it was the modern stuff when I began with bikes. It is what I'm used to.

EjustE

It really depends on the bike, what I use it for and how it was when acquired.

gomango 

+1 on EjustE's comments. I do "like" tubulars just fine though.

T-Mar

I've got a few C&V bicycles that are 100% original, in excellent to pristne condition. They are primarily show pieces. The regular riders get upgraded for safety (i.e brakes), comfort (i.e. saddles) and convenience (i.e clipless pedals) but I keep all the oriignal parts for the eventual retrofit.

embankmentlb

Most all of my bikes were originally sold as a frame only. So, 100% original doe's not apply in my case. I do make every effort to keep my bikes period correct. That is, if the frame is from the early 80's i try to use components available in the early 80's. Things like tires are modern. Most of my bikes have period pedals for display that i replace with spd's when i ride.

OLDYELLR

I like to keep my bikes period correct, if possible. However, for me "impossible" may mean that the correct parts may just be ridiculously hard to find and/or expensive. For example, this 1951 Claud I'm slowly accumulating bits for could end up costing thousands if every part was to be original and period correct, so that is not my goal. So long as it "looks" about right when I'm done, that will be good enough for me. For example, 36/36 spoke wheels instead of 32/40 will be okay, but not the wrong decals.

irwin7638

Upgrade, definitely. They ain't for sitting on a mantle, they're for riding.

auchencrow

If the part NEEDS to be replaced, I look for the best replacement I can find for reasonable cost.
If it does not need replacing I leave it alone.

wrk101

If I am planning to ride it, I will do some basic modernization, but keep track of the original parts.

If I had something really high end, I would keep it original.

My rationale is that riders in the 1970s would commonly upgrade their bikes to suit (I know I did back then), so I don't have a problem doing the same now.

On a flip bike, I tend to keep them original as long as the parts are good. Financially that works out the best.

91MF

a mix between option 3 and option 4.

Schnayke

I just replace stuff that doesn't work and is not fixable. So on old bikes I tend to not get rid of anything. The newer the bike the more I have to just throw away and get new.

X-LinkedRider

I modernize Tires, brake pads, Cables, seat, bar tape and (Sometimes pedals) if you don't include the cyclometer and possible lights. Mostly all safety things. Other than that I try to keep it stock

Hope this helps.

PlatyPius

If it's cool and original, like my NOS Stella was, I keep it original. Of course, I also don't ride it. So I end up selling it. Personally, I like old frames/forks with modern drivetrains. Me and noodle bars don't get along well either, so most of my bikes end up with modern shallow-drop bars. Most of my older bikes are low-end, and the original parts were in bad shape, so I don't feel bad doing so. If I got a cool Colnago or some such from the 70s though, I'd keep it stock, or as close as possible.

noglider 

"Purest" is an adjective. "Purist" is a noun.

No, I'm not a purist, though I am the purest pedant among all my friends.

I'm terribly disrespectful to the notion of keeping a bike period-correct. My 1971 Raleigh Super Course recently lost its original brake calipers, and now the only original thing on it is the headset. It has components from the 1970's through the current era. Form follows function for me.

jish1969

I feel the same way, my 1970 Paramount has gotten its second lease on life with me and I will constantly upgrade with the best I can find to keep it topps.

"We can rebuild, we have the technology."

txvintage

Depends on the bike.

I have a couple that are as the rolled off the LBS floor, others are ladened with modern components, while others are done more "period correct".

Tough one to have just one answer to.

Barrettscv 

You just might be the purest purist here.

Michael

KonAaron Snake 

I go through this internal struggle with every bike I acquire. The answer I come up with usually depends on my mood at the time, what parts are already on it and what the cost/difficulty level are.

My Schwinn Triplet was done mostly period correct...it was just too cool not to do correctly. It did end up with one newer rim and I'd like to replace the saddles at some point. I also need a chain guard.

My Raleigh Team (workshop repro professional) was done with the right group, but without much attention as to what year of production. It has a SR mix with a couple NR pieces (BB, head set and pedals). I gave it a few touches I considered l considered modern, but classic. Namely brooks handle bar tape and a copper rail brooks pro saddle.

The De Rosa, a 92', is being done mostly with early 94 record with chorus wheels. I still need a head set for it.

The Bauer Eddy Merckx is going to keep most of the parts on it...a mix of c-record and early record with a chorus piece or two. I really like what it has and don't feel a pressing need to change to dura-ace.

The 92' merlin is hot rodded with a 9sp dura ace group and a few ultegra parts. That's my main rider and I'll probably keep it continually within 8-10 years of current. It's next group is going to be a SRAM group. Cranks are 600 because my options are limited by the press on BB.

The Grandis is almost all period correct SR except the cranks and BB (dura ace). That's my GF's rider, and I don't want her to have to worry about cracking those campy cranks. That one also has the AM hoods instead of campy. We have the correct SR hub, gl330 tubular wheels, but she rides it with cheaper clinchers in the city.

rhm

I would have voted "all of the above." I have 3 bikes with 531 butted frames, all maintained to completely different standards. One is as close to stock as possible; one is a mixture of stock and logical upgrades/repairs that might have been made 25-35 years ago; one is completely modernized.

fiataccompli 

I'd vote all of the above. It's not like I won't use downtube shifters or something, but I tend to always reach for a bike that's going to be good for some speed and 30 miles + distance (even if I'm going slow for a short distance), so I enjoy brake levers that feel good & work well & brakes that work well. I also put 41 fairly quick miles on my completely original 1981 Motobecane Grand Touring yesterday, so the main thing is just riding them & not getting into a Barret Jackson mentality.

strop

I'm definitely in the latter category, to the point that the phrase 'Stone Soup' has been used to refer to my 83 vintage bike. What started out as an attempt to make an old neglected bike rideable turned into a complete overhaul where the only original components that remain are the frame, headset, bars and stem. Everything else is two years old or less with the one exception being a NOS Dura Ace seatpost.

The bike rides (and stops) better than it ever did, and due to the nature of the original components (mostly top of the line in their day) I was able to fund most of the upgrade from sales of the old components. The nice part though is that even though it is pretty much a new bike now it still has the look of a classic early 80's racer - aero levers, DT shifters (albeit indexed now not friction), and the classic lines of the SI Turbo saddle with the DA seatpost at rear, and the Cinelli Giro d'Italia bars and 1R aero stem up front. That of course and the original Columbus SL custom built frame (Giessauf).

As Sheldon Brown said, if you want to hang it on the wall keep it original, but if you want to ride it upgrade.

Mansram01

Depends on your C&V ride... I do prefer keeping period correct components when possible and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. My '83 Masi is mostly original but does have a few newer NOS parts but I try to keep it as period correct as possible. I won't allow any newer parts/substitutions on my fully restored '71 Mirella.

One thing I can say is that I don't see myself upgrading a C&V with fully modern components. I'm just too nostalgic for that. Unless perhaps it was a complete junker and I had nothing too lose.

cpsqlrwn

+1