[CR]Catalog correct?

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

In-Reply-To: <CATFOODE8l1nLnrIsaw000038f2@catfood.nt.phred.org>
References:
Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 06:59:28 -0700
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Jan Heine" <heine@mindspring.com>
Subject: [CR]Catalog correct?

One thing we often forget is that our beloved machines were custom bikes. And customers have weird ideas. Take my first racing bike, for example: Bianchi Reparto Corse Columbus SL frame (1987), Campy Victory group, but Shimano 600 pedals, Brooks saddle, Suntour freewheel. That bike doesn't exist any longer, but if somebody did find it, they wouldn't consider it original, despite it never having carried other parts. (I built it from a bare frameset.)

Before the advent of complete Campy groupsets, there was much more "acceptable" choice among components, and thus it is harder to determine what should come on a bike. Take 1960s Cinelli Supercorsas, for example: A Spence Wolf bike would sport many parts that I imagine you'd never find on an Italian bike in Italy, like TA cranks, Mafac brakes, etc. I consider these original nonetheless.

With René Herse, many Japanese collectors reportedly love the "catalog models" and are frustrated that they are so hard to find. As I understand it, the catalog models just served as inspiration or examples of what was available, and the names were just cute names. You wouldn't go to Herse and order a "Chanteloup," but rather you'd order a bike. Then Herse would determine with you what you wanted. Of course, once in a while, somebody might come in and say "Just like that drawing in the catalog, please."

Singer never really had catalog models, but their showroom is full of examples (without names).

I think there are two possible ways of dealing with this:

1. I prefer to keep a bike original, i.e., as the first owner spec'd it - IF POSSIBLE. That is why I consider original, unmolested bikes so much more desirable than fully restored ones.

2. If the trail is murky, because the bike has been modified, I'd like to see a bike that original owner would have liked. That being very difficult to establish, I'd then settle for one the builder would have liked. So if Ernesto Colnago loved Campy shift levers, I'd put them on. If, on the other hand, he vastly preferred Simplex, I'd opt for those.

Also, what do you do with a lovely bike where the first owner just was plain weird. Like a Singer camping bike with a custom rack that makes it impossible to carry panniers, and which includes a horrible "flag" holder of the type that briefly were popular in Europe to keep cars from passing to closely? In that case, I had Singer make a new rack along more standard lines, even if that obliterated the history of the (1985, so not that significant) bike!

Jan Heine, Seattle,

who also is greatly saddened to hear of Chris Beyer's death. He'd ordered a new Alex Singer, then cancelled the order saying that he was diagnosed with a disease that would preclude his cycling in the future. I didn't realize it was that serious. My feelings have been expressed very eloquently by other's posts.