Steve and list,
>This is indeed odd, not only the conversion of a track bike to a
>street bike. Interesting that the derailleur hanger obviously had to
>be welded on, but no one bothered to make any frame modifications so
>it could have a rear brake. Thus the ugly clamp.
>
>The responses to questions are also interesting. The seller claims
>that his father, who was on the national team in 1936, did the
>modifications and repaint for Walter Leppich, who was the 1936
>national champion. This would have to have been in (roughly) the late
>80s, given the Shimano 600 components, so the guy would have
>been--maybe in his 70s? So, here you are, 70 years old, bad knees,
>hemorrhoids and all, and you go to a former teammate and ask him to
>turn you old track bike into a street machine? Somehow, this all seems
>pretty strange to me....
the way i read this auction, the seller is the son of Walter Leppich, not a mysterious teammate. The bike is really odd, as are auction and seller... check his other auctions. I guess we are facing someone not to literate in modern e-style sales (and current prices), in need of raising money, or maybe cleaning out stuff inherited from a deceased father or uncle.
Speaking of Rickerts, here is another one, much nicer and more reasonably priced, although not cheap, given the mid level group: 130068915768
Martin Appel