Re: [CR]To refinish or not to refinish?

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PY-10)

Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2007 21:34:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: Donald Gillies <gillies@cs.ubc.ca>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]To refinish or not to refinish?

Refinishing a bike is a personal question, and here are some things to think

1. do you have the money and the time to do it right? It's something you want to do to an old-and-trusted friend bike, not just a casual acquaintance bike. And, it can take 6 months to a year with a really good painter.

2. is the frame truly endangered, or is it just getting to look old?

3. is the original finish rare an ubtainium (like many obscure italian & french bikes with paint-based transfers and no decals)

On the other hand for some bikes there is a source for a virtual 'new old-stock re-finish' (e.g. Brian Baylis, Jim Allen, and Jim Cunningham - all ex-MASI painters, can rebuild and refinish a bike like-new with accurate decals from sssink etc.)

4. [ realistically ] don't try to make a silk-purse out of a sow's ear. trying to refinish a bike on the cheap can make a sow's ear out of a silk purse, on the other hand.

5. Is it a production bike where there are massive quantities of these bikes out there ~ perhaps you can trade your frame for a nicer one. If not, one should not be made to feel guilty about refinishing a mass production bike.

6. Lastly, think a little bit about the next owner. Chances are they may not enjoy a pink frame with polkadot lugs. They would enjoy it even less if it's powder coated, since these finishes are very difficult to remove. You are only a temporary caretaker of this bicycle. If well cared-for, it will last longer than your useful bike-riding lifetime.

- Don ("sow's ear") Gillies
San Diego, CA