i hate conversions...
11-02-10 | 09:05 AM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 158
From: Santa Fe, NM
Bikes: Vassago Moosknuckle Ti 29+ XTR, 90's Merckx Corsa-01 9sp Record, PROJECT: 1954 Frejus SuperCorsa
That's a great way to look at it! A good knife can be ruined by inept sharpening, and a good bike can be ruined by inept drewing. But if the end product is a success, and the bike gets ridden and enjoyed, there's nothing wrong with that no matter what the original bike was. If it's a total botch job, then yes, I hate that.
11-02-10 | 09:39 AM
#28
You gonna eat that?
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,917
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From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS
Short of that, I have to realize that it's none of my bidness. Looking at it that way keeps my blood pressure down.
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I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
11-02-10 | 09:43 AM
#29
Exactly.
11-02-10 | 09:55 AM
#30
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,472
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Well, I took your bait. Pretty ironic that someone would take something that's known for flamboyant graphics and paint it battleship gray. But then again, ironic is hip. Does it raise my blood pressure? No, but it does make me roll my eyes a little. That doesn't really distinguish it from the aesthetic choices that lots of people make about all kinds of things, or a lot of music that gets (IMHO) way too much airplay. As far as the whole fixed gear fad goes, it's never the fixed gear part that bothers me.
11-02-10 | 11:41 AM
#31
I got 99 projects
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,581
Likes: 2
From: Hills of Central NH
Do you burn with anger at the person who did this?
...or this?
I don't see what the big deal is. The person who owns the bike should be able to do with it as they wish. It does not seem that there is any shortage of vintage bikes out there; there are enough to go around.
...or this?
I don't see what the big deal is. The person who owns the bike should be able to do with it as they wish. It does not seem that there is any shortage of vintage bikes out there; there are enough to go around.
11-02-10 | 12:04 PM
#32
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 27,266
Likes: 150
From: YEG
Bikes: See my sig...
Nope... but I was inspired by seeing some really nice (and even nicer) work.. unlike many of those bikes sold on fleabay.
People have asked me if I could do this for them but 25 hours of work at my usual rate has deterred them from proceeding any further.
The bike is a '73 Raleigh Gran Sport so besides being pretty, she's pretty light, and is not a garage queen... when I got my Ron Cooper I retired the Gran Sport from geared status and turned her back into a fixed gear and dressed up her shabby paint and almost non-existant graphics.
People have asked me if I could do this for them but 25 hours of work at my usual rate has deterred them from proceeding any further.
The bike is a '73 Raleigh Gran Sport so besides being pretty, she's pretty light, and is not a garage queen... when I got my Ron Cooper I retired the Gran Sport from geared status and turned her back into a fixed gear and dressed up her shabby paint and almost non-existant graphics.
11-02-10 | 12:14 PM
#33
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 7,579
Likes: 6
From: Pearland, Texas
Bikes: Cannondale, Trek, Raleigh, Santana
BD, Two very good examples of modifications that make some collectors pull their hair out! 
Modifying a bicycle (a car, a motorcycle, or a rifle) is a tradition in itself. It enhances an owner's appreciation and displays individuality, not a bad thing if the bike would otherwise rust in a basement or garbage dump... in hard to find original condition.
Brad
Modifying a bicycle (a car, a motorcycle, or a rifle) is a tradition in itself. It enhances an owner's appreciation and displays individuality, not a bad thing if the bike would otherwise rust in a basement or garbage dump... in hard to find original condition.
Brad
11-02-10 | 12:20 PM
#34
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 577
Likes: 1
From: North Carolina
Bikes: 2008 Cannondale Six 13, 1980 Dawes Super Galaxy
I've seen these people butcher some nice bikes over the past 7 years or so. I did score a lot of the "throwaway" parts they didn't want, as I was friends with some of the hipster crowd. I had a nice pantographed Ciocc super record crankset I got for free, then sold on eBay for $175.
11-02-10 | 03:00 PM
#36
12345
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 0
From: south france
I do love the ways bikes are free to be personalised and I find most bikes are intresting to look at.
11-02-10 | 03:04 PM
#38
lurking. . . lurking. . .
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
11-02-10 | 03:20 PM
#39
Like I said before, I have no desire to ride a fixed gear bike, but I've spent a lot of time looking at the bikes in the Fixed Gear Gallery. They're much more interesting to me than most restorations.
11-02-10 | 03:39 PM
#41
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Pearland, Texas
Bikes: Cannondale, Trek, Raleigh, Santana
prettyshady, I like the ability to shift and wouldn't convert to a SS/FG, but I enjoy the work of some of those that have. Kind of like a low rider car, I don't want to build one, but can appreciate the engineering and art work.
Brad
Brad
11-02-10 | 03:53 PM
#42
aka Tom Reingold
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,123
Likes: 6,340
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I disagree. The worst part is the lack of brakes. Some think that the fixed gear provides enough braking. It doesn't.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
11-02-10 | 04:01 PM
#43
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 158
From: Santa Fe, NM
Bikes: Vassago Moosknuckle Ti 29+ XTR, 90's Merckx Corsa-01 9sp Record, PROJECT: 1954 Frejus SuperCorsa
11-02-10 | 04:03 PM
#44
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 158
From: Santa Fe, NM
Bikes: Vassago Moosknuckle Ti 29+ XTR, 90's Merckx Corsa-01 9sp Record, PROJECT: 1954 Frejus SuperCorsa
11-02-10 | 04:31 PM
#45
aka Tom Reingold
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,123
Likes: 6,340
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I agree. A front brake on a fixie is adequate. The fixed gear is about as good as a back brake.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
11-02-10 | 04:39 PM
#46
"Shake n Bake!"
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
It doesn't bother me much. Some things do make me scratch my head, but if it's your bike, do with it as you please. I personally don't like running around trying to be captain save a bike. That's the main part of owning something, it allows you do whatever you want with it.
11-02-10 | 04:52 PM
#47
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,741
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From: Kitchener, ON
I drewed an mid level motobecane a while back. It has swiss threading and a french fork... my ex had left it in a snowbank for a while. I figured it was a prime candidate for fixed gear. It's not garish or anything, and it might end up being much nicer than its predigree would suggest. Besides, if the fixie trend dies down there will be lots of cheap brooks saddles on the used market eh!
11-02-10 | 05:41 PM
#48
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2010
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From: West Coast
Bikes: Centurion Ironman Expert, Bianchi Sport SX, SR Pro Racing, Vitus 979, Cannondale mountain bike, Schwinn Prologue TT Bike, Litespeed Tuscany, Principia Rex Pro (frame broke), Rossin (model unknown), Litespeed Classic, Schwinn prelude
While Drewing a frame is nearly inexcusable, it still bugs me to see things like that Bottecchia. I've dedicated many (many!) hours to finding original parts to reassemble original bikes and people who do that sort of thing just make my job harder than it has to be. The only quasi-organized ride in my town draws a number of FG types and the other week some kid showed up on a very nice Lotus made from Columbus tubing that had been converted. I told him that it used to be a very nice bike before somebody took it apart. Things are a bit different for things which have no particular historical value* or are acquired as a bare frame, of course.
I guess I just feel like anything which is going to outlast me can't really be considered to be "mine". Because of that I try as much as possible to preserve those little pieces of history for whomever ends up with them a hundred years from now. If all I wanted was a Bottecchia frame, I'd be set. But if I wanted a Bottecchia that thing wouldn't cut it. How long before no more original Bottecchias exist?
*Yeah, I know.
I guess I just feel like anything which is going to outlast me can't really be considered to be "mine". Because of that I try as much as possible to preserve those little pieces of history for whomever ends up with them a hundred years from now. If all I wanted was a Bottecchia frame, I'd be set. But if I wanted a Bottecchia that thing wouldn't cut it. How long before no more original Bottecchias exist?
*Yeah, I know.
11-02-10 | 07:31 PM
#50
if someone drewed a herse or a curly hetchins or a bike Merckx raced that would make my heart sink a bit. 9 times out of 10 though I couldnt care less what people do to their bikes.
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