Re: [CR] Robbie's Repro Hoods

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

References: <453072.93661.qm@web82206.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:23:41 -0800
From: "John D Proch" <johnprochss@yahoo.com>
To: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <453072.93661.qm@web82206.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [CR] Robbie's Repro Hoods


Hello Jerry,

All I can say about Robbie's hoods to you and every one else here on the CR site is """DITTO"""" Robbie Fellows hoods are wonderful!

Keep up the great work Robbie, I recently saw a set of original globes sell on Ebay for $55. I will take Robbie's hoods any day.

I am going to ask my wife for 3 more pairs for Christmas!!

Regards, John Proch La Grange, Texas

________________________________ From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net> To: CR discussion list <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Tue, November 10, 2009 10:20:08 AM Subject: [CR] Robbie's Repro Hoods

Someone commented recently on the quality of CR member Robbie Fellows' repro hoods, commenting that his Campy hoods were not only nearly identical in appearance, but more supple than the originals, or at least than any NIP ones in existance today. I must agree.

I bought some of these soon after Robbie began selling them, and always purchased 3 pairs at a time to get the excellent discount of $10 per pair for three or more, so I accumulated 9 pairs. But for about 15 months I have been riding mostly touring bikes, few of which had Campy brakes, so I hadn't gotten around to actually installing any. But I've recently been riding a 72 and a 73 all chrome Paramount, which sported C-Record era white shield hoods. About a week ago, I installed Robbie's correct gum-color world hoods on both these bikes. They are indeed great. Kind of hard to compare suppleness to original, as any originals are now nearly 25 years old, and probably have degraded at least somewhat, but I dare say you'll be hard presed to find an NIP pair as supple as these repros.

Robbie has completely ruined the market for original gum world hoods, at least for me. Not long ago these would sometimes go for $100 or more, and then one ran the risk of tearing 25 year old hoods in the process of installing them. I now see absolutely no reason to pay that kind of money for original hoods in condition inferior to the repros. Kind of reminds me of a few years ago when a CR member began selling repro TA crank stickers. The repros were so good that the late lamented Sheldon Brown, even though he was selling original TA stickers, recommended buying the repros instead, as they were indistinguishable and about half the price.

I've now ordered some of Robbie's Universal repro hoods and the black world logo Campy's. Now if we could only get him to produce more of the white, red and celeste Campy world hoods he pictured in his eBay auction for Universal hoods.

I'll be depleting my stock of Robbie's gum-colored hoods further, as I'm waiting on decals to sort out a 71 Pramount which also needs hoods, and I have a circa 1970 Falcon San Remo with original hoods in rather dodgy condition. Probably several other bikes as well with non-correct hoods.

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA