Don't see too many panel decals on top tubes or stays ...
Steven L. Sheffield stevens at veloworks dot com veloworks at worldnet dot ay tea tee dot net bellum pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea aye tee why you ti ay aitch aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you double-yew double-ewe dot veloworks dot com [four word] slash
> Steven,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Isn't that why panel decals were invented?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Last spring when my custom built, 2 month over due (& off topic)
\r?\n> frame finally arrived, I dashed into the service shop at the
\r?\n> bikestore I work at. Since it was pouring rain outside, the stairs,
\r?\n> and my shoes were wet, and before I knew it, my frame was flying
\r?\n> across the floor, stopped only by the metal edge of the door jam contacting
\r?\n> my downtube. Titanium sure doesn't dent easily!! But the scratch
\r?\n> convinced me I really did want the black panel decal on the downtube,
\r?\n> after all.
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Grant McLean
\r?\n> Toronto.Ca
\r?\n>
\r?\n> > Steven,
\r?\n> > I understand your view about this, but nicks, scratches and other
\r?\n> > "badges of honor" are meant to be earned out on the road, not the
\r?\n> > result of a mechanic fumbling with a greasy wrench. It's aggravating
\r?\n> > for me to have a customer due to pick up his high zoot Candy pearl /
\r?\n> > fade tiger- striped flame painted wonder bike in the morning and the
\r?\n> > mechanic comes back to my hovel at 4 pm the day before with a nice
\r?\n> > big chip on the top tube and ask "Can you make this look like it
\r?\n> > never happened?" It's unacceptable in our shop for this to happen,
\r?\n> > so our "constructeur" uses low tack blue painter's masking tape
\r?\n> > (available at Home Depot) and runs a length of this tape on top of
\r?\n> > the down tube, top tube, seat stays and chainstays ( you can also
\r?\n> > put some on the fork blades if you wanna be real safe). We buy it in
\r?\n> > 1" and 2" widths for different size tubes. I've seen him drop
\r?\n> > wrenches on the frame from time to time and they bounce off the tape
\r?\n> > with no harm done to the finish underneath. Many headaches are
\r?\n> > avoided this way. When all work is done, simply pull the tape off
\r?\n> > and clean any residue with some Pledge or other mild cleaner. If the
\r?\n> > paint comes off with the tape, THAT is a whole 'nother problem altogether.
\r?\n> > Many times people will pick up their bike and remark that "It's too
\r?\n> > nice to ride". I tell them that the bikes are made to be ridden no
\r?\n> > matter how beautiful and to not worry about scratches, because we
\r?\n> > won't live long enough to see these bikes attract insane monetary
\r?\n> > value, so enjoy them. One last note, if your bike does get scratched,
\r?\n> > put some kind of paint over the gumby to seal it from the air. If
\r?\n> > you don't, this is where rust will start to creep in and gradually
\r?\n> > deteriorate the area. I don't care what kind of paint it is, Testors,
\r?\n> > fingernail polish or whatever, just cover any bare metal or primer.
\r?\n> > Ride your bike and accept the nicks and scratches; they all have a
\r?\n> > story to tell.
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > Joe Bell
\r?\n> > San Diego
\r?\n> > ----- Original Message -----
\r?\n> > From: "Steven L. Sheffield" <stevens@veloworks.com>
\r?\n> > To: "Joe Bell" <joebell@cox.net>; "Classic Rendezvous"
\r?\n> > <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
\r?\n> > Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 5:24 AM
\r?\n> > Subject: Re: [CR]Re:was 1983?? Guess I'm looking for a new list...now
\r?\n> > preshakedown ride frame prep
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > > on 06/03/2003 11:29 PM, Joe Bell at joebell@cox.net wrote:
\r?\n> > >
\r?\n> > > > Steven wrote:
\r?\n> > > > e-RICHIE's gonna hate what I do to JB's paint job before
\r?\n> > > > the frame he builds me ever rolls on pavement.
\r?\n> > > >
\r?\n> > > > Steven,
\r?\n> > > > What ARE you gonna do to the paint job?
\r?\n> > > > I wanna know.
\r?\n> > >
\r?\n> > >
\r?\n> > > If I run true to form for every bike I've ever built up for myself, I'll
\r?\n> > > have wrench slip and put a small chip in the paint ... as I did with
\r?\n> both
\r?\n> > of
\r?\n> > > my Rivendells (1 top tube, 1 seat stay), my Waterford track bike (chain
\r?\n> > > stay), and my Cooper (down tube).
\r?\n> > >
\r?\n> > > While never on purpose, it helps me get over NBS (new bike syndrome)
\r?\n> > really
\r?\n> > > quick.
\r?\n> > >
\r?\n> > > NBS defined: "I can't ride that bike, it's new and will get dirty!!!"
\r?\n> > >
\r?\n> > > If a bike is not pristine, then there's no disincentive to ride it!
\r?\n> > <grin>