Some of you may know that my race/training bike is an interesting classic. For those of you that have forgotten or didn't much care in the first place (what with your own latest project bike, or following the aftermath of 9-11-01), I offer this review:
Raleigh Prestige mid eighties frame with 531-c tubing, original paint and decals, complete Suntour Superbe Pro grouppo, Cinelli bejeweled leather seat, mavic MA-40 rims, and appropriate mid eighties plastic handlebar tape in frame complementary color ( I keep scrubbing the tape with Simple green because this stuff is no longer offered).
My question is, if certain key parts have been replaced with obvious non mid eighties replacements, for functional reasons, is the bike still classic? The pedals have been replaced with modern Looks, the tires have been replaced with Continentals that have a decidedly modern looking sidewall, the brake pads are modern Shimanos, and the handlebars have been recently replaced with 42 cm wide anatomics, while the stem had to be replaced with a TTT classic looking 130 mm quill (to get the perfect reach).
Some people don't know what the old Looks looked like, what brake pads were available, or that 42 cm anatomic bars were either rare or not available, but I still know. Are these type of modifications serious enough to change the whole character of a classic, or are they reasonable mods for a daily trainer? Garth Libre