In a message dated 5/9/02 8:18:37 AM Central Daylight Time, richardsachs@juno.com writes:
<< 'using' versus 'collecting', >>
After due deliberation I find that BOTH are appropriate. Whichever the owner prefers is fine by me. My few classics are all restorations (as opposed to mint original condition machines). I ride them, some sparingly; the Masis -- some with regularity; the Colnago Super and, the Paramount P-14. I think its great that there are mint specimins to use as a benchmark. Its also nice to see the old beauties on the road.
After restoring the '76 Masi GC it went unridden for a year. Finally, I substituted a well broken in Ideale saddle for the Unicantor suede which I want to keep beautiful, and removed the pristine NR/Martano wheelset in favor of some High Flange Tipo's with Mavic MA2's. On perfect days I swing it through Audubon Park for a few loops. Its a joy to ride: there's alot of pride in it. Its a relic -- not to be venerated, but to be relished. Brian Bayliss painted the frame to perfection so great care is taken to protect it -- but it cries out to be ridden.
There's certainly a place for museum quality cycles. I'm glad that eRitchie's are perfect, and I'm pleased that they're out there as a sort of archive. Its appropriate, especially given the incredible devotion and attention to those "period correct" restorations.
Regards,
Carlo Carr (Thanks to Mark Manson of Bayou Bicycles for the Ideale saddle!)