Lou:
You already know of my former interest in this bike so I needn't revisit the story.
What I'm not clear about are the precise similarities between what you call a " close replica" and the original iteration of the frame-set you now also own.
It would be very informative to see images of the two frame-sets (or bikes), side by side. I believe the seller referenced the photos in the old magazine article, which I also assume you have.
It seems to me that your "close replica" is better looking than the bike shown in that article-but, notwithstanding, I'd love to see them together.
All this will drive the "originality" freaks wild. Which "original" version of the bike will they favor?
I love it!
Obviously you should do exactly as you please. It's an interesting situation. Since the bike was "documented" in a certain livery, one argument would be to return it to that state. On the other hand, it looks to me that you already own a superior version of the "original," and, like Brian, I thought the current color combination was more elegant.
I know you'll make the "right" decision. I just hope you get the bike back during the current geologic era-evolution took millenia
Best regards, and congratulations on getting a very cool bike
George
George Hollenberg MD
CT, USA
> I've got to share with the list the journey I have taken with a
> particular
> bicycle. In 1981, I had returned to Northern Virginia from two
> years in the
> Marshall Islands where we didn't have cars, just bicycles. I
> was exposed to
> nice bikes and Campagnolo parts while there. I was in the Army
> so I had to
> maintain my fitness to pass the Physical Fitness test, but I
> also had been bitten
> by the running bug while on the Island of Kwajalein, so was
> running more than
> cycling when we returned. In late 1982, I hurt my knee
> running and took up
> cycling full-time as my fitness sport. In 1983, the
> September/October
> Bicycling issue titled "USA against the World" came out. It
> had a comparison of
> bicycles from KOF U.S. builders Brian Baylis, Richard Sachs,
> Bruce Gordon and
> Columbine (John Murphy) pitted against bikes from elsewhere,
> such as Cinelli,
> Gitane, Bridgestone, Technobull, Chas Roberts, and KHS. The
> pictures of the
> Brian Baylis frame just blew me away. I lusted after that bike
> for years. I
> finally asked Brian to build me a close replica of that bike and
> picked it up
> at 2005 Cirque (pics here: )
>
> http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
>
> Last year, Brian sent me an email telling me that the original
> bike from the
> Bicycling article had been located. He sent me a picture
> showing that the
> salmon colors were now black--turns out Brian painted over the
> salmon after the
> photo shoot before he sold the frame. I emailed the owner but
> the owner
> wouldn't respond. A couple of months ago, the frame showed up
> on ebay and didn't
> meet reserve the first time. The owner relisted and I won it.
> I've ridden
> it over the last couple of weeks. I first built it with a
> hodge podge of
> parts just to check it out. I don't even have a front shifter
> on it! First
> ride, the stem was too short, but I could ride it. I was
> adjusting the bar
> position and when I retightened the stem, it cracked, forcing me
> to install a
> replacement, so I took the opportunity to add length. Then,
> the tires I was
> using were 700x28 and when I aired up the front one over 95
> pounds, it rubbed
> against the front brake. So, I switched just the front tire
> with a smaller
> one, an Open CX. I didn't anticipate that having a much
> smaller tire on the
> front than the back would put me in such a forward position,
> putting pressure on
> my hands and arms. So, yesterday, I replaced the rear tire,
> this time with a
> Clement clincher. Turns out it was also slightly larger than
> the front, so
> I had a similar experience. Today, I finally got over my
> laziness and
> replaced the front tire again with a matching Clement on the
> front. Rides nice
> now.
>
> I now face a decision about whether to have Brian repaint the
> black tubes to
> the original salmon. My wife likes the black and plum with the
> ivory lugs.
> I do too. Paint is probably 95%, so it isn't a question of
> needing to
> repaint. For now, I'll continue to ride it. Brian is
> painting a third Baylis
> for me at the moment, so when he gives me the word to send this
> one, I'll have
> to make the decision. Not sure what I'll do, but I suspect it
> will get a
> repaint. Lou Deeter, Orlando FL USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
> **************
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>
> _______________________________________________
>
George Hollenberg MD
CT, USA