I'm continually amazed at the ability of the list to anticipate issues I'm wrestling with, and present both sides of the issue to help me in my decision. I'm in the middle of building a Modern parts/Retro style KOF winter project, and I'm wrestling with the very issue of whether to use a classic paint scheme as a tribute to legendary bikes of yore, or strike out in a bold new direction. Comments and suggestions are appreciated.
The project arose when my favorite sag driver, my father, passed away this fall at 84. After a lifetime helping out his kids and extended family, there wasn't much money left for my sister and me at the end, just lots of good memories. Dad was an avid outdoorsman with a deep appreciation of fine sporting tools like persimmon drivers, bamboo flyrods, handmade knives, cedar strip canoes and fancy walnut shotguns. With that background, Dad had no trouble with my infatuation with bikes. In fact, he paid for half of my first really good bike, my '81 Marinoni (still got it, recently repainted, thanks, Dale). So with what he left, I decided to commission one last gift from him to me.
Curt Goodrich is building the frame. Lugs are going to be the e-Richie Newvex set, with a Rivendell sourced double plate style crown, threadless steerer and 130mm rear spacing. The group is probably going to be Campy Chorus 10 speed Ergo, all aluminum. Design goal will be a day riding/century style bike. No hard racing, no heavy touring loads. The only real design decision still to be made is whether to use longer reach brakes to go for fender clearance. On the one hand I've got 2 bikes already that work great with fenders (Stan Pike touring, Gitane TDF from H Sachs). But on the other hand, what do you lose from building in the clearance? The Shimano Ultegra long reach brakes are only a few grams heavier than the Chorus. But how likely am I to put fenders on this bike? If you've been into bikes long enough, you know the exquisite agony of making these life and death decisions. I've changed my mind at least six times already, and I wake up at night with the correct decsion emblazoned on my mental retina with blinding clarity, only to forget the rationale when I wake.
Anyway the big question is how to paint her. The schemes I'm favoring are:
a. Gloss black main color, with fine silver metallic on the head lugs, half forks and half stays to give the impression of a classic chrome job wihtout the expense and maintenace hassles of actual chrome. The inspiration for the color scheme was my P10 Paramount, which I always considered a most beautiful Nervex bike.
b. White main color with black headlugs. Silver metallic again on the half fork and half stays. An obvious tribute to the PX10 and my personal fave rider of yore, Bernard Thevenet. Even better, make the white a pearl white, ooh, wouldn't that be nice? Here's an example:
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
c. Flamboyant dark/royal blue main color, champagne metallic (Benotto color) head tube and seat tube panel, maybe with lugs lined in red or some other appropriate contrast. A bit of my school colors, and one of my favorite colour combos. As far as I know, not a regular factory paint scheme.
d. All gloss black with lugs lined in gold. Simple, elegant, and lovely in practice. See the head lugs on this bike for what I mean :
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
Fortunately I've got a while before we have to make a paint decision. Feel free to vote for one of the listed combos, giving your reasons and philosophic justifications, or propose an alternate scheme. The frame may make it to Cirque if all the stars line up just right, but no promises and I'm not going to rush Curt.
Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ
>From: Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
>Reply-To: chuckschmidt@earthlink.net
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Re: my legnano/my luigino
>Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 23:46:05 -0800
>
>Ricky Garni wrote:
> >
> > Hello Everybody!
> >
> > The subject line is a thinly veiled reference to that
> > wonderful/horrible part of CHINATOWN that has
> > resonance today as we see the new paint scheme of the
> > new Pegoretti Luigino.
> >
> > http://www.competitivecyclist.com/
> >
> > http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
> >
> > I would love to hear everyone's feelings about this.
>
>
>Dario Pegorettis's homage to Legnano reminds me of the automotive
>equivilate, the new VW Bug and the new BMW Mini. But I'm not sure I see
>the point of a current bike with current components that mimicks retro.
>Maybe the bike is just too hip for its own good? I guess Eddy Merckx is
>doing the same when he makes his luged oversize tube MX Leader with the
>Molteni orange paint job with current parts?
>
>I guess I'd rather have a totally current bike and an old bike, but I
>don't need a current bike that mimicks an old bike.
>
>She said, "Your Momma knows what you need, but I know what you want!"
>
>Chuck Schmidt
>South Pasadena, Southern California
>
>.
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