Chuck,
As someone who resembles that remark, I think you're too cynical.
It was the repro chronograph that got me interested in vintage watches, and it was the '73 De Rosa reproduction in the late 90's that got me interested in vintage bikes.
When I bought my '65 heuer carrera reproduction, about 5 years ago, I didn't even know it was possible to find cool vintage watches.
I owned 3 or 4 contemporary TAG watches, and when I saw the vintage reproduction in a store, I thought it was cool, and bought it. See, the thing is, about 99.9% of consumer goods business is done in retail stores, that's generally the place people buy things. Since I didn't know where else to buy a watch, besides looking in pawn shops, which didn't even occur to me at the time, I ended up buying a reproduction.
Looking back, and with the internet now as a resource, would I rather have a "real" '65 crono than the repro? Absolutely!! (wanna sell yours?) Thought not!
So the same goes with bike stuff. Am I missing something, or is there a place where all the early 70's Bianchi's and Colnago's grow on trees, where it takes you hours to decide between all the different colour 6o's De Rosa's that are for sale for $300??
I was 5 years old in '73, and my bike had 16" wheels, and they weren't tubulars.
Grant McLean Toronto, Canada (still smarting from the De Rosa theft)
O \O/ _< \_ _< _ (_)>(_) (_)>(_)
Truth be told, I think that the guys that are the customers for reproduced classics are not even in the market for the original. Do the new Bates or new Hetchins get thirties, forties or early fifties parts put on 'em? 'Course not!
I imagine it goes like this: Twenty something in a brand new Mini Cooper at the gas station and a sixty something says, "Hey, cool, I used to have a Austin Cooper S with all the Paddy Hopkirk go-fast stuff and the twenty something has this blank look on his mug.
Chuck "I like 'dead people's stuff'" Schmidt SoPas, SoCal