Yep, mine gets ridden. I'd also argue that it is in fact quite a comfortable bike for long rides, and it climbs nicely too!
It definitely isn't the work of art that a bike from a good custom builder would be. The quality and construction are not as good. But when push comes to shove, it performs where it counts. It fits well, and I like the way it rides. I've had lots of good times on that bike, lots of "first" and hopefully will continue to have good times on it for years to come. No beautiful custom frame can replace the sentimental value of the bike I did my first double century on, or all of the short and long rides since.
If vintage bikes were all about quality and construction, people would just go get KOF bikes instead and not bother with collecting at all. But stuff that becomes collectible, bikes or otherwise, gets collected because it has some nostalgic, emotional, or historical value beyond its bare mechanics.
That said, the one on Boston Craigslist looks like some kind of sketchy deal to me. It's not such a rare find that it's worth indulging some fisher's pipe dream.
Emily O'Brien Medford, Massachusetts, USA
> At 08:34 AM 4/6/2008, David Feldman wrote:
> >Isn't there a listmember who rides ultramarathons on a 70's Pro--set
> >up as a fixed gear?
>
> You may be thinking of Emily O'Brien:
>
> http://sheldonbrown.com/
> http://www.ultracycling.com/
>
> Mitchell Gass
> Berkeley, CA, USA