Hi,
Thursday, September 18, 2008, 1:59:18 AM, M-gineering wrote:
> Dmitry Yaitskov wrote:
>> I'd rather build my wheel with butted stainless spokes that
>> plain-gauge plated. Maybe it's just me :)
> agreed SS spokes are much better, but so is a modern rim and where
> do you stop?
At the moment, I am going to stop at spokes, cables, brake blocks,
tires, inner tubes, air in those tubes, ball bearings probably... and
I could've forgotten something :) oh yes, I may indeed put Time ATAC
pedals (that's what I'm using, not SPDs) on that bike (but I am not
sure about that, and in any case I will keep the Chater-Leas). I will
not change the saddle, but while it is a Brooks, it does not look like
it could be 60 years old anyway. I will keep the rest and see how it
goes - if it turns out that I cannot ride it (or get no enjoyment out
of riding it), I will probably upgrade it till I do like the ride.
> Either restore a bike to something close to original, or say the hell
> with it and build it into a daily beater. In the latter case 14-15
> spokes will serve just as well, as will a proper rim, better tyres,
> spuds, a nice cyclecomputer, 600 coats of hand rubbed clear, ....
IMO there is a lot of space between "original" with proper period spokes, and "daily beater". I bought the Hetchins for looks, but I do not want it to be a wall decoration - if keeping it original prevents me from riding it (and enjoying the ride), I will sacrifice the originality. At least that's what my current thinking is :) In any case, coming back to spokes - I think spokes that look good and "proper" from 3 meters away are good enough for me. If I were building up a bike for a museum - I would approach this differently... but I'm starting to repeat myself, sorry :)
--
Cheers,
Dmitry Yaitskov,
Toronto, Canada.