[CR]Parting out bikes

(Example: Events)

From: "Charles Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <MONKEYFOOD1EhXTwpb100001198@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:54:25 -0700
reply-type=original
Subject: [CR]Parting out bikes

I am well aware of the arguments that say "it's his bike, he can do what he wants with it." True, sadly. But, taking that argument to an extreme, if I own a one-of-a-kind early Picasso, is it ok if I slice it up into 1" squares and sell them? I probably could too. But I wouldn't get as much as I would for the whole painting.

So it's not quite an exact analogy. Sure, people can do whatever they want with what they own (the libertarian argument), but that often means destroying some part of the Commons. The death of the Commons is where libertarianism (and the usual forms of capitalism) breaks down. The imperatives of doing what you want with what you own conflict directly with the health of the Commons.

You can see this problem all the time, all around you, almost anywhere. It's one argument against owning land as private property, for instance.

To extend the argument slightly, that Herse was a kind of Commons. A very specialized kind. A fine bicycle that was much more than the sum of its parts, and something appreciated by all of us in one way or another. It has now been destroyed, presumably for the profit of the owner, and for the benefit of the people who will buy the various parts to complete their various projects.

I would rather have seen the bike remain whole and complete. There is something very satisfying about that, as a number of us know well. A bike put together with disparate parts, no matter how harmonious otherwise, is just never the same as a bike that is as it began. I've seen enough of these things to know that's true, at least, for me.

I've parted out more than a few bikes in my time. Nearly all of them were anonymous in some basic way...not rare, not notable, and so, there was only a slight unease about doing it. I've parted out a couple of more interesting bikes, long ago, and I still feel guilty about it..or stupid, anyway, even though I didn't know any better at the time. I would have real trouble parting out something like that Herse, even for the money, knowing what I know now. It would seem an offense, however modest in the great scheme of things.

Charles Andrews
Los Angeles