Hi Richard:
No, I didn't say that nothing made currently could ever be a classic. I said I don't find anything that's currently glued or TIG'ed together particularly interesting or aesthetically pleasing. I don't care for Toyota Camrys either, because they are just so boring and cookie-cutter-ish (to me) compared to other options, but Toyota sure sells boatloads of 'em.
It takes time for anything to even be considered as a potential "classic." Many groups consider a minimum of twenty-five years' passage of time to be a good minimum guideline (indeed, my Secretary of State tells me that I can register an old car as "historic" at that point - maybe a bit of a stretch, but certainly "vintage" seems appropriate). However, I would guess that many of our listmembers "across the pond" would get a chuckle out of all that, as they have buildings that are millenia old and still in use! We are are a relatively young nation here in Amurrica, so old is a relative thing....
One could say that something new is "done in a classic style," and I think we do say just that from time to time on this list. Think Rivs or several other "classically styled and executed" lugged steel steeds. Go back and read Dale's guidelines for what is and is not on-topic here on the CR; I think it's fairly clear. If it doesn't seem to be, then ask Dale about any specific case you might have. It's his call....
I wouldn't at all agree that Lance's OCLV is classic in any way. It may be current state of the art to some, but certainly not classic, at least not right now.
A big part of collecting is often reliving one's childhood or college years, so it is certainly possible that something like an OCLV that a college student can't afford today will become coveted in twenty-five or thirty years when that (generally male) college student is middle-aged and can afford to buy a mint one for $18,000.
Additionally, I don't recall that many Grafteks breaking, at least not anywhere near the rate of Titan fork breakage. Remember also that the Grafteks were raced with some success (by the Stetina brothers, for example). They had a much better "feel" than the Titans in many people's opinion.
Cheers,
Greg Parker A2 MI USA
Richard R. wrote:
<snip>
> So Greg, are you suggesting that none of the newer bikes could ever be
> classics? Not even if they were both groundbreaking & worked well? Perhaps a
> Klein or C40 as a couple of examples.
> Remember I don't own any of these "modern" bikes either, but I suspect that
> 25 or 30 years from now I'll wish I did.
> Richard Rose, just thinking out loud in Toledo, Ohio