>On the value of the Herse $4000 seems like a bargain if the repair work and
>other faults are as Mr Bayliss(sic) descibed. One value that a vintage bike
>must represent but is rarely mentioned is how much it would cost to produce a
>similar product with it's major features in today's world for comparison.
>Think of the time put into a fancy lugged Hetchins recently found at the
>fraud controle department?
>
>I don't mean the same just a similar crafted product.
. . . (SNIP). . .
>Could you frame building fellows construct one today ready to ride for
>$8000.00? Would it be much higher? No pressure just curious.
Just to start with on a modern basis you could get a Bruce Gordon custom tourer with custom painted racks and all the internal wires all top end parts, plus many of the nice touches Rene would have put on a bike for about $4000. If someone wanted a "demountable" like the the Herse I'd call Hanz at Bike Friday and have him build me a one-off and I could get all the little custom bits too for $4000. Hell, if someone gives me $4000 I'll make them a "demountable" as nice as that one. The reason the Herse sold for so much is it's a piece of history that has a history.
I was thinking about the very subject of the value of "classic" bikes just last weekend and think "classic" bikes are a real bargain. Maybe not the Herse, since you're buying more than a bike there, but most classic road bikes. You can find top end mint bikes regularly for under $1500. That same $1500 will get you a nice mid-line steel bike today but the same builders. Even taking inflation into consideration you're still getting a better deal. If you look around a bit you can find a well ridden but till very nice all top end bike for around $500, this is where the real deals come in.
To sum up, recreating something "classic" is easy, but giving it history is hard. Classic bikes are a real deal when compared to similar products today, though I do like the modern tubing much better than the old stuff.
enjoy, Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
Brandon and Mitzi's-- "Wurld uv Wunder"
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/
Monkeyman's on going bicycle part garage sale <<<NEW LISTINGS>>>
http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/
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