[CR] (no subject)

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

From: "Bob Hillery" <rhillery@hawksi.org>
To: billydavid13@comcast.net, gillies@ece.ubc.ca
Sensitivity: Normal
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:15:11 +0000
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR] (no subject)


Billy - I think you answer your own implied question (why not more responses?) with your comment that it's likely a very personalized list. I've read those responses that did come in, and "agree" with most of the ideas as in if I had the money, time, and space I might get sucked down that path. But Don's original post and the other lists each spark a question: Why that one? What's the 'collectability?'

We each might have different reasons ... celebrate great racers; celebrate great French racers; collect odd/innovative technical approaches (double top-tubes, the gate frame, early pinned/bolted aluminum), collect a "history of derailleur development" - or other odd gear trains (like the one I saw (in one of Jan Heine's books?) where you had one gearing pedaling normally, but if you pedaled backwards the gears still went forward but with a hill climbing gear ratio ...

Each of those separate approaches could probably fill a whole collection - would certainly fill my garage - or what ever I had left after my inevitably disgruntled wife bailed ... But to get something from each? Mmm... That's a Jay Leno gig.

For me, it's been a bit by accident - what struck a chord at the time or looked nice to my inner magpie. I'm probably not alone there.

-- My first oldie was the Garlatti - a '72 Italian "entry level" that I got NIB ... still had old Italian shipping tag (tan manila with string through the reddish grommet) and padded paper wraps. -- wanted a PX-10 -- well, because: the Bike I couldn't have back then, France, the Tour, Tom Simpson ..., but couldn't afford one & got a frame, then slowly got parts ... and have now finished it. -- A Raleigh - again because the kids around me had 'em. In hindsight, I'd say no matter which model or how many were slapped together where, it's an icon of the era (through the war years up to 60s-70s) -- A Phillips - someone was parting it out and it just looked like it deserved better ... -- A Carlton - still only have the frame hanging in the 'shop', but have now found all the parts. Just waiting for a round tu-it. -- An Ernie Clements Falcon ... not high end, certainly, but Campagnolo gear and another NIB find. It's in its box waiting for a second round tu-it.

I'm not sure how I'd characterize this lot. Maybe the "working guy's 'racers'" ...

Somebody offered more than I paid, by far, for that Garlatti. And yet, they came no where near what it would take for me to let it go. Some crag-faced old Italian shop mechanic from Parma kinda whispers gruffly as the gears snik and the tires hum down the road. My OT Specialized doesn't ever say a word. No soul.

Bob Hillery Stratham, NH, US (spring has sprung ...)

From: "billydavid13@comcast.net" <billydavid13@comcast.net> To: donald gillies <gillies@ece.ubc.ca> Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Sun, 7 March, 2010 18:44:00 Subject: Re: [CR] The Beginner's Collection ...

Hi Donald. That's certainly some food for thought and i'm surprised it hasn't generated more response. There's no way any list is going to avoid seeming somewhat arbitrary. This hobby is still driven by very personal [and sometimes peculiar] preferences. But it seems like more people might weigh in w/ what they consider a well rounded collection. Personally i tend toward the lower end bikes and Zeus. Cheers. Billy Ketchum; Chicago, IL; USA.