hi everybody.
I recently went through a number of old belongings of my dad and came across a beautiful old polaroid camera from the 50's--all metal construction, collapsable lens, solid and graceful. I remember that my father took photos of 35 mm quality with this machine in the 50's and 60's and then, when the camera stores no longer stocked the film, he continued to use it, buying the film directly from polaroid until even they stopped making it. at this point, this beautiful machine simply would no longer function, even though it was still entirely capable.
of course, this made me think of my bicycles and my thirty year plan (life expectancy) and my natural tendency towards gloom and doom and needs for reassurance of all sorts.
as for my bikes, I would like to continue to ride them all. has their been a discussion in the group (that I perhaps might have missed) about what components I/we should stockpile (perhaps too strong a word) to make even bikes as late as '74-'85 useable for our (maybe our children, if they aren't naughty) lifetime?
I would love a check list from anyone who might consider doing that--esp. with emphasis on what we can expect a serviceable lifetime is for such parts (such as 5/6/7 speed freewheels, old campy record /sr/nr chainrings, headsets, even tubulars and their care--or slightly more esoteric zeus simplex jubilee (!) brands that may have a longer shelf life that we might consider--)
clearly, as indicated from some of the auctioning, it also may be a question of finance as much as anything, should we continue to wish to use the vintage NOS parts for the lifetime of us/our bicycles. I know that grant peterson, for example, claims that there will never be a shortage of 6/7 speed freewheels, but having watched the sachs 7 speed go from 30 to 48 in a local shop in two years also makes me furrow my thinking brow.
opinions, gentle rants, pie charts, concepts, lengthy listings all welcome.
thanks everybody!
ricky garni
in the comfort of my gentle condo
carrboro, nc