Dave wrote:
> Something has to be said about riding and enjoying collectible beaters.
> Its fun riding these bikes with complete abandon. Like splashing thru
> obstacles that would bring fear into the hearts of concours winning
> Cinelli owners. Enjoying an occasional off road adventure, to the surprise
> of any mtbiker that you'd encounter... how often has the mtbiker seen a
> 1961 Masi Special on his favorite trail?
> Most important of all, you dont have the freakout factor when you walk
> out of starbucks to discover that some naves have leaned their offtopic
> lesser machines against your award winning, nos ebay find. Not all rats
> are vermin!
>
> Regards,
> Dave Martinez
> Fremont Ca
> US of A
Dave raises an interesting point. I would add the cautionary note that this may sound easier to do than it is in practice.
I have any number of bikes that have had the fur loved off of them, ridden hard and put away wet, etc. Some of these were purchased for intended use as a winter hack but, once cleaned up a bit and built, I found that I couldn't take them out in the rain. These tired old soldiers have seen enough rain already and I'll be damned if I'd going to touch up every place where there is missing paint with a kind of close (or not close at all) match be it nail polish or Testors enamel.
Charlie "a bit on the patinated side myself" Young
Honey Brook, PA
USA