I've been thinking this for quite a while, but never really found the time to put in down, so now's maybe a good time.
I believe in bicycle karma. At least it's an idea I came to a number of years ago, to try and get a handle on why I spent as much time on bikes as I do (which never seems to be as much as I want to!).
If you treat bicycles (no matter how perfect or tired and abused) as people deserving of care and respect, that somehow this will pay a return. People will come to know that you are someone who can be 'trusted' with a bike that they too at one time loved, and they will be more at ease either selling or giving you this 'person' that they no longer can love or have the time to love.
If you spend time, cleaning and fixing and treating the machine as something that has value and is worthy (even if others don't agree or see the point) then this will be good for both you and the bike. If not initially, eventually.
Sometimes a bicycle is a collection of parts, that amount to nothing more than a collection of parts. Other times they create a whole. But usually that is a matter of perspective.
Not everyone sees the whole, and I think sometimes even those that keep and ride the bikes don't see them as a whole, they just ride and they look at the bike as 'parts', easy to change or 'upgrade'. Many don't realize when parts, styles and eras aren't in harmony, I think many of us do. I think that's part of what I try to do when I can. Make a bike that is in harmony, and assembling with an eye to this harmony helps generates good bicycle karma.
All this doesn't mean you can't part-out a bike, but it's easier knowing that you put your energy into it with good intentions, and you can redistribute this energy if you want to.
There are probably more ideas rattling around my head on this subject, but this is the first time I've ever tried to write it down...
David
--
David Bilenkey
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
dbilenkey@sympatico.ca
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of
> Chuckdds@aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 7:36 PM
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR]OK, I want to cry!
>
>
> I know this is silly, and I know that many of you have had
> this happen. But
> this the first time for me.
>
> I spent 3 long years getting together all the parts needed to
> put together a
> NOS Alan Record. All super record parts, everything on the
> bike NOS! I needed
> some cash about a month ago, so I had to sacrifice one of my
> "ladies". I put
> it up for auction on Ebay and sold it to a guy. He busted my
> balls about
> making sure that I packed it correctly "so I would not
> damage this beautiful
> bike"- Low and behold, I see the thing parted up on Ebay
> today. I got such a pit
> in my stomach! He is even lying saying that it was a demo
> bike that was in a
> shop.
>
> I know that this is common, but it feels like someone took one of my
> children and parted out their organs! OK, I know that is
> stretching it a bit. I just
> feel betrayed. Oh well, I had to get it off my chest- hopefully you
> guys/gals can empathize with me.
>
> I will go and cry in the corner,
> Chuck Schlesinger
> San Diego, CA