Original Message: ----------------- From: Jay Van De Velde jaysportif@yahoo.com Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 13:13:58 -0700 (PDT) To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]Super Sports and snobbery
"Who here has said that the infrequently ridden bikes in our collections (wall hangers) are seen as investments? These bikes are enjoyed by their owners in ways you apparently can't appreciate. These wall hangers represent the passion for the bicycle many of have had for decades. They
are looked at daily with fond remembrances or seen with an admiring eye to
the craftsmanship of well known or anonymous artisans. We choose not to be selfish and look to preserve these bicycles for another generation to discover."
How is this future generation to "discover" what they don't see and don't know about? You "archivists" preserve the thing but are not ambassadors fo r the theme if you will.... "retro", classic lightweight cycling. It won't be long until the vast majority of cyclists have even seen a toeclip or pre-index shifters. And they aren't going to see anything that's in someone's basement or on someone's wall. You take a CR List bike, be it a Masi or a Supersport, Supercourse or a Cinelli out on a bike path today an d you see the fascination and interest in what we're all about. Some guys admit they still have their International in the garage and didn't think i t was still good enough to ride. When they see you're passing their Litesp eed on your PX-10, they say "Hey, I might clean it up and get her running again." Now that IS preservation. And furthering our hobby. It's als o immensely rewarding to do a 30-mph descent on a 30-year-old bike. And a little secret: I think the bikes like it as much as we do.
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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