Dan,
I do plenty of taking old frames back to original. Pretty much every day. But it's been about 10 years since I put braze-ons on an older frame. I will not do it. Not for money. There is one instance within the last 5 years or so that someone asked me to take a classic and spread the rear triangle from 120mm to 130mm (requireing new brake bridge and chainstay bridge) and it still haunts me. I did it out of respect for this person and didn't have the energy to continue to resist. I did it under protest; but now the bike gets ridden quite a bit apparently and he enjoys it a lot. Can't say that will ever happen again. If someone has to go elsewhere to get the bike modified and painted, then by all means, go there. I just can't do it anymore. In this particular case the bike in question really needed me to do the job.
So if someone wants braze-ons added to a classic, find someone else. I'm more than happy to take things off, replace tubes, fix stuff as neccessary; but I don't feel good about modernizing "classics". I am open to discussion (not here, but with a customer) about what is a "classic" and what can be tweeked a little. I don't have a problem with taking a 120mm rear triangle to 126mm if that's all it is; but 120mm to 130mm is generally out of bounds.
Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA I don't need to put braze-ons on bikes just to make money. There are plenty of bikes that need them removed, and it costs the same.
>>> BobHoveyGa@aol.com> 12/29/2004 1:57:11 PM >> Referring to Brian Baylis: ... And I suppose for every frame that comes in needing brazeons removed or unspreading a rear end, there's probably another guy waiting at the door with a nice original frame, wanting you to apply the very same 'improvements' you were just trying to reverse on the first frame. Or have you trained your dog to chase those guys off before they get out of their cars? <<<
Trying not to stray from topic: The latest Asphalt magazine has an article about the Zen of riding, that magical moment or ride when everything clicks and you are one with the bike, when the bike is an extension of your body and life is so good. "I ride my bike to ride my bike."
I have bike or two that I've kept as original as I can, a bike that's been hot rodded with period correct or somewhat correct parts, and I'm considering (if I can afford it), hotrodding? an old Colnago with modern ergo shifting. Many of us lament that modern bikes don't have the comfort or balance of the classic iron of the 60's, 70's frames. I'm one of them. Why not modernise a beautiful riding classic to perfect my Zen experience. My old blue 73? Colnago has been hit and no longer handles exceptionally well but is still so comfortable. When compared with the beautiful almost perfect one that went for big bucks on e-bay recently, John Pergolizzi said that he'd take my heavily patina'd rider over a trailer queen any day. I would too if the frame hadn't been damaged. I'm still tossed as to just straightening it out again or having Mr. Baylis properly set up the rear triangle for modern spacing and replace that tube he's convinced it needs. It sure would be nice to have a lovely riding bike with modern shifting and gears a bit lower than it's present 42x26.
What if?: If the frame is bent, but a tube replaced, repainted, original decals replaced and sold as a straight classic frame, wouldn't you feel cheated if you found out? (not that I would choose to sell it, a lot of water under the bridge between us) But who's to say after its been sold more than once? If I know the frame's been bent, but choose to modify it so that it's still a classic ride and maybe as new, but obviously has been modified, wouldn't that be a fairer sell, if I chose to do so in the future?
Stirring Philosophically,
Dan Artley
Parkton, Maryland