As a taxonomical exercise, I would divide classic bikes into four broad categories: originals, restorations, modifieds (Moddies, for short?) and a fourth class for rat bikes, which are evaluated on the basis of the best ride for the least money. Call me crazy, but I like looking over grizzled old veterans that are kept on the road by doting riders, sometimes with brilliant low cost improvisations.
My PX 10 used to be a rat bike contender. I traded a too small Trek (stripped it for the parts) for the frame and then leavened with eBay and parts bins scroungings. Total investment was under $250 if using parts lying around for more than 5 years count as $0 (wheels, Duopar derailer, Universal brakes, Icon bars, etc. etc.). And she rode wonderfully. Alas that I weakened over the summer and got her new wheels, new bar/stem, a Simplex front shifter, and a restored/modified fork for it. Now it's just another modified rider instead of a cheapo contender.
Anyone able to beat $250 for an interesting classic ride? Come on, share your deep dark secrets.
Tom Adams in Thawing (finally!) Kansas City
> At 11:00 AM 1/4/01 -0500, you wrote:
> >Anachronisms
> >
>
> Yeah, that's better, although it's difficult to get away from the negative
> connotation the word usually has. Including the word "classic" in a type
> name would impart far too high a status to some of this stuff, unless one
> is also free to twist the meaning around to mean "a classic example of how
> NOT to make a ....(fill in the blank with your favorite example) but that
> gets into sarcasm again, and can only lead to trouble ....... sorry Dale,
> it just oozes out of me.
>
> Still searching for a word/phrase that says we're not Luddites or
> techno-phobes, we're not building shrines to these things (well, I'M
not!),
> we're just happily ensconced in our chosen era.
>
> From the ruins of Temple Tullio
> Osborn