Peter; I'll disagree a bit with you.
I've a very beautiful, rare 1938 Hetchins Anglo Continental Special, full chrome and only one of two known. It came to me through Hilary as he had retrieved it from storage I assume. The bike was purchased by the original owner in "38" and updated with newer componants in about 1951. He past away in the early 60s and the bike sat in storage until it surfaced through Hilary on Ebay. From my perspective, by my taking off the componants from the 50s and installing period correct componants, I'm losing some of the history of this bike.
Peter Naiman Shorewood, WI
--- "kohl57@starpower.net" <kohl57@starpower.net>
wrote:
> To me a nicely restored bicycle is the sum of its
> parts. I look for harmony
> of era rather than how shiny the bits might be. To
> me, it's jarring to see
> an otherwise beautifully restored (or indeed
> original condition) 1950s
> cycle with out of date components. My eyes are going
> to focus on those
> modern Look pedals and the new saddle, the bright
> orange brake pads, modern
> clincher instead of tubular tyres rather than the
> spot-on correct Reynolds
> transfer or the lugwork picked out in gold. All of
> these modern bits may be
> more "efficient" than the originals but they just
> destroy the integrity of
> the thing. At least in my eyes. A Terry's watch
> holder: add points. Modern
> cycle computer: take off points.
>
> Of course, this personal prejudice colours my
> opinion even of perfectly
> authentic vintage machines. Not long ago, Hilary
> Stone had a simply lovely,
> quite original Stallaird Monthlery... it was "as
> found" and as last ridden.
> But this 1949 machine had been progressively
> "updated" by its owner as so
> many bikes were and presented a mishmash of
> 1950s-60s components. If I had
> bought it (and I was sorely tempted!) I admit I
> would have changed all of
> the components back to c. 1949. Is this "valid"
> restoration?? Maybe not.
> But like so much we do, it's a mix of valid
> restoration "practice" (defined
> by whom?!) and personal preference. I err to the
> side of going back to
> "specs" or at least to a defined year or era.
>
> But whatever we do, it's gotta be better than seeing
> this stuff compacted
> at the recyling depot. 'cause thats still the fate
> of most classic
> bicycles, even very good ones. That's far more
> distressing than the
> occasional overpriced pieces of junk that pop up on
> eBay or the misbegotten
> "restoration" we might turn our noises up at.
>
> Peter Kohler
> Washington DC USA
>
>
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