I think that this cutoff point issue is most interesting, and I realize that most of you wonder why they should bother about what I find interesting or not, so down to business. If CR KOF/OT remains 1984, it will eventually end up like the wheelmen, who's cutoff point is 1930 or something ? My personal cutoff point is index-shifting. I have owned a indexed bike, and there is no doubt to me that this is the most important performance enhancer over distance/varied terrain since the invention of the derailleur. It however marks the end of a cycling attitude and riding technique, particularly as regards the "spread" of your effort over a distance, and also your pedalling technique, eg either spin all the way at optimum or alternately spin and torque it as best you can. I imagine that the great change in reccomended pedalling cadence came in at about the same time as indexed gearing.
In the very early seventies, "vintage" was 1910/20 at the very latest, anything inbetween was mass produced junk which would never be collectable. I saw quite litterally tons of gear of all sorts destroyed because it wasn't deemed collectable at the time. Nowadays, whilst those of us who dumped stuff now deemed valuable as collection stuff cry over spilt milk, the gap between "too modern" production and collectable shrinks daily. When I hear of 1980's gear called "vintage" I wonder wheter to laugh or cry, but the fact is there, and the market proves it daily. 1990's even is now collectable. I just live for the day when yesterday's purchase is collectable. Look's like it's not too far off...
The lesson is: don't throw out anything even remotely quality , sit on it for 15-20 years and your fortune will be made. Having said that, I have a small stock of very early NOS/NIB shimano SIS derailleurs, arguably the worst ever made. I have people restoring early cheapo MTB's who would like to buy this stuff... And that shows that everybody has the right to be a collector of whatever they wish, irrespective of their knowledge, means or "standards". A person who collects what I call and judge total junk (yes, even Masis) gets as much respect from me as a collector of the most valuable and to my eyes beautiful gear in the world.
Nick March, Mont de Marsan 40000 France
ps: I have a shimano crane which is a very nice item. I am collecting it. Being of French, Japanese or Italian manufacture makes no difference to the non-monetary value (money value is dictated by ebay) I give to a bike or component. Good is good, lousy is lousy.
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