Jerry,
Your last paragraph hit it right on the head. There is something pleasurable about the extra work that these old bikes require. For me there is a real stisfaction in being able to do all my own maintenance. It is occasionally a pain when the LBS has no idea what I am talking about, or says "no, I haven't seen one of those in years," but on the whole it is worth it. I was on a fifty mile group ride (through Detroit with its hurting streets) a couple of weeks ago, and was pleased and relieved to see that I was not the only one riding an older bike and carrying a spare tire. It is like being in a club, although I'm not so sure we are wiser than anyone else
Marcus Helman, watching the great ship go down in Detroit, MI
Jerry wrote: If we are honest, I think we must admit that part of the continued niche interest in leather saddles and tubular tires is exactly their inconvenience, or to put it more kindly, the ritual connected with them. I'll frankly admit that I find the application of Proofhide a rather soothing ritual and the smell of Proofhide is like nothing else in the world. And this soaking and rejuvenating leather saddles kind of takes the ritual to a new level. Some also enjoy the ritual of gluing tubulars, and there may even be someone who actually enjoys repairing tubulars, though I haven't met him yet. I don't really share this one, which is why I ride Tufos these days. It's kind of like a fraternity or a lodge, with passwords and secret handshakes. Being able to maintain a leather saddle or repair a tubular makes us members of the "club" somehow wiser than than the general public.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA