[CR]new member: walter allan manning (mr. w.a. manning)

(Example: Racing:Jean Robic)

From: "Gareth Evans" <gareth_m_evans@hotmail.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 17:16:34 -0000
Subject: [CR]new member: walter allan manning (mr. w.a. manning)

Walter wrote:

[SNIP nicked ride]
>using the insurance proceeds, i got a bottecchia "team ADR"...like lemond's
>from the '89 season. but it was built up with...GASP...a full dura-ace
>groupset. in my defense, i was a poor college student and didnt have
>enough plasma to afford a proper campy build.

Wow. Wish I had been that much of a poor student! I had a Sun Super 5.. but that's not the point...
>
>my plan is to build up a proper vintage italian frame to be ridden. i dont
>think i have the stomach/wallet for a full-on restoration project to get
>the paint/decals/components right down to the n-th degree. but as long as
>it's close and rides well, it'll make me sooo happy!

My opine is this, and someone raised it recently...

I believe that cars and bikes and stuff in general was produced to be used not hung on a wall. Sure, some stuff is beautiful enough to be hung on a wall, and some stuff is technically superb as to be in a technology museum. However, a bike's a bike and should be ridden. So, what to do? You have a ride. Usually it comes 2nd hand. Do you restore or preserve? I have to go for the latter.

Is it the same bike if it's been stripped, repainted, new (NOS) equipment etc.

I realise that the older the machine, the harder it is to get replacement parts that are compatible... but is there a concensus here, or am I opening a whole can of worms?

It's like Granddad's broom: 10 handles, 5 heads, but it's the same broom...

cheers

Gareth Evans, Cambridge (the other one) - 4C and calm (compared to 30C and dry yesterday in Valencia)