Re: [CR] To Ride or Not to Ride

(Example: Humor:John Pergolizzi)

From: "Donald Dundee" <rebour@hotmail.com>
To: feldmanbike@home.com, mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net, MasiGC3V@aol.com, RALEIGH531@aol.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, chasmary@worldnet.att.net, sprocket@cupertinobike.com, heine@mindspring.com
Subject: Re: [CR] To Ride or Not to Ride
Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000 13:20:35 -0500


oops - forgot to sign my name.

ken denny Boston


>From: "Dave Feldman" <feldmanbike@home.com>
>To: mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net, MasiGC3V@aol.com, RALEIGH531@aol.com,
> classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, "Charles O'Toole"
><chasmary@worldnet.att.net>, Vance Sprock
><sprocket@cupertinobike.com>, Jan Heine <heine@mindspring.com>
>Subject: Re: {ClassicRend]To Ride or Not to Ride
>Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000 09:47:48 -0800
>
>Bravo, Mark,
>I was just given a classic of my own--an Ideor that was living in a walk-in
>bike store down here. It's my size and all original parts. The only
>things
>not worth reusing are the rims, tires, and saddle. I have every intention
>of using it to soak up Clark County chipseal next summer! Your Singer must
>the the perfect item for lots of Seattle non-pavement.
>
>Tailwinds
>David Feldman
>----------
> >From: "Mark Petry" <mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net>
> >To: <MasiGC3V@aol.com>, <RALEIGH531@aol.com>,
><classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, "Charles O'Toole"
><chasmary@worldnet.att.net>, "Vance Sprock" <sprocket@cupertinobike.com>,
>"Jan Heine" <heine@mindspring.com>
> >Subject: RE: {ClassicRend]To Ride or Not to Ride
> >Date: Mon, Dec 4, 2000, 8:19 AM
> >
>
> >This weekend was a gorgeous day (sunny, 50s) in Seattle and I rode the
>hell
> >out of my Alex Singer randonneur! I went thru some back and forth on
> >whether to ride this bike, as it is (was) in essentially unridden
>condition,
> >and what I finally came up with was that life is too short to keep such a
> >wonderful machine hanging on the hook.
> >
> >So I rode up to Jan Heine's house, Jan is a journalist and bike
>collector,
> >he was a contributor to Cycling Lore among other things. He owns a
>couple
> >Singers and I wanted to show him the bike. On the way home I was
>hammering
> >to make the 2:10 ferry back to Bainbridge, I rode from from Jan's house
>near
> >85th down to the ferry terminal, next to the water part of the way, in 28
> >min. This is near world record time! It was downhill, big ring,
>tailwind
> >the whole way. The bike felt solid and substantial, not twitchy at all.
>It
> >ran without a hiccup, shifting and braking flawlessly. I definitely
> >stretched it out!
> >
> >Later, at home, I retorqued the cranks to 250 in/lb, wiped everything
>down
> >and shot Lemon Pledge (the BEST bike wax) all over it. I did leave a few
> >splatters under the BB, just to prove that it had been ridden. My
>opinion
> >is that you have to RIDE your bike, even your best one, maybe only on
> >perfect days, but life is just too short not to enjoy them ! The soul of
> >the machine is lost otherwise.
> >
> >================================================
> >Mark Petry Page/Voicemail: 206.618.9642
> >Beautiful Bainbridge Island, WA
> >================================================
> > mailto:mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net
> >================================================
> > "Most of american life consists of driving
> > somewhere and then returning home, wondering
> > why the hell you went."
> >
> > John Updike, "Rabbit at Rest"
> >================================================
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org
> >[mailto:classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org]On Behalf Of
> >MasiGC3V@aol.com
> >Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 8:05 AM
> >To: RALEIGH531@aol.com; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> >Subject: Re: {ClassicRend]To Ride or Not to Ride
> >
> >
> >I suppose there are list members who own truly classic cycles that have
>real
> >historical value. If I owned a 50 year old cycle ridden on the Tour or
>Giro
> >it would safely hang in the den or possibly at my office. Nevertheless
> >temptation would be to take it for a spin now and then.
> >
> >My own practice is to ride the Colnago Super or the recently completed
>'76
> >Masi GC restoration only on dry sunny days over good roads. I even built
>up
> >ride wheels so that the Martano tubular rims with NR high flange hubs
>remain
> >pristine for show. So I guess its a mix of philosophies.
> >
> >I recall we went through this analysis about a year ago and one list
>member
> >kept up the hobby despite the fact that he no longer rode a bicycle. I
>found
> >nothing unsettling about that at all! Its about appreciation for the
>frames,
> >components, dedication, art and engineering, I think.
> >
> >I just hope that the aesthetic of a perfectly restored Gran Criterium is
>not
> >depreciated by the fact that my ugly butt is riding it.
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >Carlo Carr
> >(Used to collect stamps but I mailed them all)