Re: [CR] period correctness (1938 Hetchin's)--and recycling--and Wisconsin

(Example: Production Builders:LeJeune)

From: "Hetchinspete" <vze4k5n6@verizon.net>
To: "nath" <ferness261@voyager.net>, <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR] period correctness (1938 Hetchin's)--and recycling--and Wisconsin
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 11:08:39 -0500


Nath: I've a few friends in the cycling community who were in Europe during the war and are aware of what we are talking about. We haveto remember that during the war and before, the parts of the day were just that and no more and not highly collectable as they are now. Until the meltdown was pointed out to me, I'd never thought much about it either, but since then my point of view has changed. I've got a fully restored 38 Hetchin's Anglo Continental coming back from Cleveland Bikespray in the UK very soon. I've had the bike re-emameled with proper decals, colour and luglining to be period correct. I've got correct headset, bars, Major Taylor stem, Constrictor Boa pedals etc ready for the rebuild, but for now all other parts will haveto be from post war 1945-46, as I just can't afford to collect pre-war componants right now. So the Hetchins will go to Cirque as a bike in transition, as it most likely would have appeared at some point in its life. My 2001 NOS Trek OCLV has a neat mixture of parts: mid 90s Amercan Classic Hubs with new Mavic Pro OPen Pros, late 90s Syncro seat pin, Mavic 541 brake calipers from the late 90s, Topline crank etc. I'm not worried about period correctness, I'm building a gorgious machine with some gorgious pieces to ride. Eventually I'd like to outfit it with Paul Derailleurs front and ear.

Peter Naiman, Boston.


>
> From: "nath" <ferness261@voyager.net>
> Date: 2003/12/25 Thu AM 10:03:03 EST
> To: "Hetchinspete" <vze4k5n6@verizon.net>,
> <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: [CR] period correctness (1938 Hetchin's)--and recycling--and Wisconsin
>
> Peter, I like your plan to keep the '38 Hetchin's just as it is now:
> preserving its individual history seems as least as important as preserving
> the history of that year's model.
>
> I can't think that anyone on this list would do the wrong thing with a
> classic bike. Sure, not everyone will agree with everything everyone else
> does, and not everyone appreciates everything exactly the same, but we all
> love classic bikes.
>
> But . . . to think of bike parts being melted down for the war effort, *any*
> war . . . ah, that's something I'd never thought of before. Of course, I
> know about the scrap metal drives of WWII, but it never crept into my mind
> that perfectly good and serviceable bicycles and bicycle parts might be part
> of the heap.
>
> Then again, they get tossed aside like chaffe here in the US and everywhere
> else, so why should it surprise me? And to be honest, we CR listees value
> very few c. 2000 bicycles as we do those from 65 or 25 years ago. . . .
>
> Ah, now that would be a New Year's wish: that things beautiful and useful
> retain their value, that humankind waken to the idea that well-made things
> are good and ill-made things are far less good, and that peace be recognized
> as a well-made thing. . . .
>
> Peace and good tidings to all,
>
> Nath Dresser, in cold but sunny Spring Green, WI
>
> PS: Are you still thinking of relocating in Milwaukee, Peter? The
> Wisconsin and northern IL contingent seems to be growing. Maybe we could
> have a gathering at some point--something like Tom's Belgian Days in
> Michigan. We could descend on the Yellow Jersey in Madison, or the huge
> used-bicycle showroom of Budget Bicycles. . . .