This discussion of the value of old bikes is a little foreign to me.
Is the value in them being as close to all original as possible?
Obviously, I understand condition ratings and such, but I've never
been one to put much value on old bikes. Maybe I need to start paying
closer attention.
My two-wheeled axes include a late 80's Cannondale MTB that has been
almost 100% upgraded. I still have most of the original parts
(derailers, brakes, wheels, etc.), but it's entirely customized with
high-grade stuff. I've got to give it a good tune-up (new cables and
adjustments) and also have to replace the front chain rings (worn
out). Otherwise, the bike is hyper-quick. Shame I'm not. The road bike
is a 1993 ParkPre road race bike. Again, it's heavily modified, but at
least the derailers and brakes are original. I was a regional sales
rep for ParkPre and it was one of my demo bikes that I decided to
keep. It's unusual in that it is technically a steel bike, but is
plated which has given it some interesting characteristics. It also is
one of the extremely few steel bikes with variable thickness tubing.
The rear wheel has a couple of busted spokes from a move, but the
front wheel has carbon-fiber spokes. I put a lot of work and money
(fortunately, as a rep I was able to buy those titanium bits at cost)
into these bikes. The road bike is not the lightest bike around (about
19 pounds), but it is one of the fastest. (The MTB comes in at 21
pounds). When I had carbon-fiber spokes on both ends, my top-out speed
(downhill, of course), was almost 60 MPH. On the club rides, I was
able to keep up with the CAT II riders even though I was 20 pounds
heavier than them. They liked my bike. I rode with them till I broke
my clavicle jumping a tree. (It seemed like a good idea at the
time...)
I don't ride much because of my neck and wrists. I've been
contemplating selling these two bikes and getting a recumbent. If I do
sell them, I might pull all the titanium out of them first and sell
whatever bits don't fit the new bike.
AG(e stinks)
--
Ken Norton
ken@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.zone-10.com
--
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